Power - Start Troubleshoot

[Joe]

Greeting all. After a long 7 years I picked up a 2003 H2 over the weekend but it didn't take long to run in to a problem.

All was good when I picked it up (Sunday) including a good 120+ mile drive home with several stops along the way.

However this morning my wife went out to find the truck key fob did not seem to work so she manually unlocked the door and tried to start the truck and it was dead completely. Key also locks in to ignition.

I get home and have a look and sure enough it is dead. No power for anything including odb scanner.

Previous owner just put a brand new battery in. So I hook up a charger to it and battery does appear a little low but not enough for No Power at all. Once on the charger it at least powers up enough for me to get the key out but gives me a clicking and a bunch of chimes from the dic. Switch to jump start and get it started. It's been fine ever since. No signs of issues. Battery shows normal and no obvious drain.

Now my first thought was battery but oddly it's new as I mentioned and also seemed to have a charge when it was bone dead. Next I'd think starter but not sure this would result in a totally power dead truck, just no turn over.

Any thoughts? Going to monitor the battery and see what happens. Oh, all connections at least to battery seem tight and good. Truck threw one code p1518 I recall but pretty sure this is just a low voltage code and nothing specific enough to go by at this point.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts
Joe

[[__--MUD--__]]

you can try searching off my username for all the BS power issues I've dealt with-

Starr HID's wired wrong factory, alarm system drawing excessive power, bad cell in new battery were the 3 different causes to my issues over the years...

I'd yank your battery and have it put on a load test before I'd screw around w/ anything else. A bad cell can hold a charge for 2 week, then it can completely discharge in a few hours after driving, and then work for another week or two.

[H2 Bill]

Have your alternator tested.

[Joe]

Thanks for the quick responses. All the usual suspects which I'll check out. Thanks.

I think what is throwing me off is the fact the truck was totally dead. Bad battery or even alternator alone I would not think would yield absolutely no power. Still I can see how either would be a possible problem.

[[__--MUD--__]]

That damn optima I had would be fine for 5 days, i'd drive it to the store and only be in there 30 minutes, come out completely dead. Jump it, let it charge back up and it would be good for another 3-4 days.

The different rates was really throwing me off, I was thinking something was turning on and just sucking the juice out of the battery to kill it in 30 minutes. Hell even had the battery tested twice.. last time guy at autozone said "honestly our tools are ****, we were supposed to get new ones over a year ago" and replaced the optima anyway. Been 100% since.

[Joe]

Good info. Thanks MUD. Sounds like you did not have a good experience with the Optima's. Probably good info as that would likely have been my choice for battery replacement. I have had 2 in my H1 for years and they work great. I have hear though over the years they had changed ownership and quality had suffered.

Again, thanks for the feedback.

[Joe]

Will this battery fit the H2?
DieHard Automotive Battery, Platinum P-4 - Group Size 34/78DT

It does not show as being correct for H2, in fact none do. Not a Group 79 battery but seems dam close.


Also, for those with Optima's I am guessing the Yellow Top in the same Group Size would be the best fit.

Any modifications required to place either battery in the truck or will the stock tie down work?

Thanks again.

[[__--MUD--__]]

From my personal experience the yellow tops have gone to hell in recent years. My yellow from 10 years ago is still running strong in my 01 WS6 TA, and I have a couple other old yellows in some old work vehicles. They're the old case design, not what you see today in the stores. I've given up on them and switched to the reds...which I have not had any issues w/ the red tops from the last few years.