Welcome to Allpar. An intermittent battery draw can be difficult and frustrating to find. It almost has to be confirmed while it is occurring, otherwise everything appears to be normal.
The dealer should be able to access TSB's on this problem. What has the dealer done so far?

 

Was anything left in the power outlet (GPS cord, Cell phone charger...). One of my outlets on the minivan is set up to be energized all the time, so I need to be careful not to leave a charger in there for a long time.

 

My 2010 has a "feature" that turns on the interior lights when the key fob gets close.... but my key rack in my house was near the limit for this function, so it would turn them on and off quite randomly.

Fortunately, this feature can be disabled... check your owner's manual for details.

 

This is the RRT for the 2011 problem. It concerns a software update. I would have thought that they would have fixed this by 2013. Check with your dealer for any updates, open RRTs or TSB's.
If none apply, it may need good old-fashion diagnosis for the battery discharge.
4 times back is 3 too many.
http://www.ebay.com/gds/Chrysler-RRT-11-082-for-2011-Journey-Charger-300-/10000000082713786/g.html

 

Welcome to Allpar. An intermittent battery draw can be difficult and frustrating to find. It almost has to be confirmed while it is occurring, otherwise everything appears to be normal.
The dealer should be able to access TSB's on this problem. What has the dealer done so far?

They have replaced the battery twice and charged it twice. I believe they are working with Chrysler and their technical support bulletins.

 

Was anything left in the power outlet (GPS cord, Cell phone charger...). One of my outlets on the minivan is set up to be energized all the time, so I need to be careful not to leave a charger in there for a long time.

Seldom even use the charger and very careful to not leave anything plugged in

 

This is the RRT for the 2011 problem. It concerns a software update. I would have thought that they would have fixed this by 2013. Check with your dealer for any updates, open RRTs or TSB's.
If none apply, it may need good old-fashion diagnosis for the battery discharge.
4 times back is 3 too many.
http://www.ebay.com/gds/Chrysler-RRT-11-082-for-2011-Journey-Charger-300-/10000000082713786/g.html

I believe they updated the software on the first time it was towed in. Nothing seems to be off on their diagnostic tests. Car runs fine then the next morning will not start. Almost always a totally dead battery. Car is driven pretty much every day

 

My 2010 has a "feature" that turns on the interior lights when the key fob gets close.... but my key rack in my house was near the limit for this function, so it would turn them on and off quite randomly.

Fortunately, this feature can be disabled... check your owner's manual for details.

I had read this in another forum. Key rack at least 30 feet from vehicle. However, just in case I moved it to the back bedroom

 

Something is either staying on or a module is staying awake. IOD (ignition off draw) should be a small amount to keep memories and listening for an RKE signal alive.
I should be in the order of ~50-100 mA.
I use a small sidemarker bulb in series with a battery terminal after shutting the car off. It may glow dimly for awhile. That is normal.
If it glows brighter than a dull orange, the battery may be dead by morning. In this mode, the dealer should be able to go in and rule out circuits one by one by disconnecting them until draw is reduced to an acceptable amount.
When you find the circuit that is drawing excessive current, you have probably found your answer.

 

I appreciate the reply, I am waiting for further instructions from Chrysler Customer Care, If you OK with you , I will forward this to the service manager.

 

Thanks for the response. I am waiting for a response from Chrysler Customer Care. If it is OK with you, I will forward this to the service manager at my dealership.

 

Best of luck to you and the dealer. Again, if this is 'intermittent' and the battery draw problem isn't there, then everything will appear to be working correctly. They have to catch it while it is acting up or try to 'tease' it into acting up.

 

Sounds similar to an issue with the 2009-2011 Dodge Charger with a bad SKREEM module and door handles combining to keep the IOD active for long periods of time. I'll see if I can track the RRT down and PM you with it.

 

Hi there !
Tommorrow i have thw dreaded deealer appointment and your post is giving me a lot of hope after reading all the horror stories, my problem is very similar.
One day out of the blue the battery was dead, jumped it and went to a party..it started when we came back but the next morning ..battery dead again.
Jumped it again just to have it dead the next day.
Took it to a firestone a d they "tested" the battery and ofc they said it was bad..
$180.00 to replace it which i did.
The next day..you guessed it, battery dead.

So ill jump it tommorrow to be able to drive it to the dealer, and hopefully they will help me fix itn this vehicle is a 2012 dodge journey RT with only 49k miles on it.

Thanks for your imput !

 

This sounds like a similar problem to one my 2011 Journey had - working fine for days/weeks and then BAM, dead battery. They finally replaced some controller module (wish I could remember what one), but that finally fixed it. As paullybob stated above, it kept in active state for long period of time, draining the battery.

 

I can remember somebody having a defective CMOS chip in the clock circuit in the radio drain the battery overnight.

 

Here's the RRT you need to look for but I remind everyone that theses issues are usually VIN specific so it may or may not be for your particular vehicle. Search for this RRT information:

Chrysler RRT 11-082 for 2011 Journey/Charger/300

 

As an add-on to this conversation, I just installed a battery warmer to my 2013 last weekend. The battery, like several other Chrysler products, resides in the driver side fender well. I cleaned up the battery connections and emptied out all the gravel and dirt from the battery tray area, installing the blanket was a cinch and routing the electric cord was painless. Hopefully, this keeps my battery temperature about zero or so on those coldest nights and let me get full juice for starting this winter.

Only note I'd add is the negative terminal on my Journey has a cast zinc sensor/battery terminal that would be prone to damage by overtighteneing so please be careful if you come upon this particular issue.

 

UPDATE!!!! After installing the battery warmer (still on the OE battery BTW) and undergoing several cold nights up here, I can safely and gladly report that the battery warmer is the way to go!! Sure, the Journey still squeals like a stuck pig on start up and the power steering pump groans like its gonna explode but they all do right? The Journey turns over with ease, all the electronics fire up first shot in the morning (i.e. no more flickering or blank Uconnect screen) and there are no more unexplained audio alerts for whatever.

This is just the beginning of our winter here, I'll post up as the weather gets even colder for longer periods of time to let you know if this is a permanent fix.

Happy New Year everyone!!!!!

As an add-on to this conversation, I just installed a battery warmer to my 2013 last weekend. The battery, like several other Chrysler products, resides in the driver side fender well. I cleaned up the battery connections and emptied out all the gravel and dirt from the battery tray area, installing the blanket was a cinch and routing the electric cord was painless. Hopefully, this keeps my battery temperature about zero or so on those coldest nights and let me get full juice for starting this winter.

Only note I'd add is the negative terminal on my Journey has a cast zinc sensor/battery terminal that would be prone to damage by overtighteneing so please be careful if you come upon this particular issue.

 

I've had to replace the battery twice in my '09 Journey. The problems start with some intermittent non-start where only a click happens when the key is turned and then progressively get worse. Everything seems OK, then battery completely drained.

The new battery takes care of all those issues. Unfortunately the battery life has been very short.

 

Dealer suggested that I consider replacing the battery on my 2013 Journey.
Any recommendations on size or brand?
Thank you in advance!

 

I haven't had to replace the battery in our 2010 yet so I am not sure of the size.

As to brands the OEM MoPar battery in my Ram lasted 7 years before I replaced it preemptively with another MoPar battery - had a coupon for $20 that basically covered the cost of installation.

Just be forwarned, autoparts stores such as Advance Auto and AutoZone will not replace the battery due to it's location in the front fender well. As you probably know you have to remove the LF tire to access the panel and replace the battery.

 

It is unusual to be considering battery replacement on a 2013. Are you having issues with it discharging overnight? Has the dealership tested the battery/charging system? Has the vehicle been tested for IOD (ign-off draw)?
Any more information would be good.

 

UPDATE!!!!!

I have just returned from the Dealer with a possible cause for our dead battery woes. The tech I was dealing with found an IOD of 1.0-1.6 amps fluctuating. After a good trace, he narrowed it down to a "moisture " situation at the C203 connector affecting connections M27 and M11. He cleaned, repaired and reassembled the connectors and feels he has settled the issue. I'll keep you posted as the rest of the year and the cold weather approaches.....Finger crossed!!

P.S. Submitted repair time of 2.3 hours fully covered by my extended warranty

 

Thank you for your response.
The dealer tested my battery while doing my PM oil change.
He showed me a receipt type print out that suggested I replace the battery.
I have never had any problems starting, etc.

Its just a mystery to me why the dealer would suggest replacement so quickly.

 

Thank you for your response.
The dealer tested my battery while doing my PM oil change.
He showed me a receipt type print out that suggested I replace the battery.
I have never had any problems starting, etc.

Its just a mystery to me why the dealer would suggest replacement so quickly.

Battery could have just been on the low side for that particular test. My recommendation is to put the battery on a slow 2amp charge over night just to be on the safe side and keep an eye and ear open for any unusual lights or warning chimes that seemingly have no source.

 

Unless you are located in the SW where it gets extremely hot (100+ F) and batteries only last an average of 3 years (4 if you're lucky), you can probably go another three years until it starts to fail. Like I posted the OEM battery in my Ram was 7 years old when I preemptively replaced it. That year winter was coming and I didn't want to chance it failing when I would need it the most.

Did the printout have any specifics or did it just recommend a battery replacement? I'd get a 2nd opinion. Auto parts stores such as AutoZone or Advance Auto will check your battery/charging system for free.

 

Many auto parts stores offer free in-car battery testing. You may want a 2nd test for comparison.
Was the receipt a CCA (cold cranking amps) test?
Being in an inaccessible spot, the battery terminals probably haven't ever been serviced. Was the battery test done at the jump-start posts? Going through 'possibly' dirty terminals would make the test invalid. Take both terminals right off the battery and wire brush the contact areas. Then retest.

 

Yep. Our Journey was exhibiting some no start issues at times. I ended up cleaning the terminals with a wire brush ($5). It made all the difference. FWIW - the Journey battery is accessed by removing the LF wheel and removing the fender panel. Access is still tight but there is just enough room to remove the cables and clean the terminals. Mine had a light film build up to cause issues.

 

Sorry to butt in here but if you've got a 2013 shouldn't that still be covered under the warranty? I had the original battery go on my former Neon once and the dealer replaced it under the car's warranty.

But if you need to buy a replacement then you can't go wrong with Costco's Kirkland battery. 80% of all car batteries are made by Johnson Controls anyhow. They are all the same just with a different label slapped on them. FWIW I replaced the battery on my Magnum last fall. The Mopar OEM model was $179.99 at the dealer and the Costco battery with a higher CCA rating and two years longer warranty period was $99.99.