So I didn't drive my car over the weekend and had a dead battery on Monday morning. Checked to make sure it was in reverse...check. Checked to make sure the column locked....check. Jumped started her up and headed out puzzling the cause in my mind. Then I realized I left my cell phone charger plugged into the cigarette lighter. I then checked to see if it is always live and indeed it is, which I actually like. Some other cars switch this off with the ignition, which sucks because then you can't charge things while your in the store or during work. I have charged my cell phone overnight with it with no problem starting in the morning, but I guess the weekend is too long....

note that i wasn't charging my cell phone, it was just plugged in, but even when it isn't charging it is still sucking power....

anyhow, hope this helps someone out there...

 

I doubt your charger did it. I leave mine in overnight a lot without killing the battery

 

i thought i had read somewhere here that a cellphone charger.. or radar detector, etc... plugged into that 12v outlet, basically any draw on it, woudln't allow the car's electronics to "go to sleep" and shut down. thus causing the dead battery?

no, the cellphone charger current draw alone isn't enough, but if the car's entire electronics never shut down, that should certainly be enough to kill things.

 

I don't think that can be the problem. I have other cars that I leave for a week at at time with a cell phone plugged in and charging and no problem. I have had DBS 3 times and I don't even use my cell phone in the car.

 

...or else we would have automatics with dbs, too.

 

That shouldn't be an issue with the cigarette lighter sockets, they're wired direct to the battery (through a fuse) and don't interact with the car's electronics. In other words, there's no way for the car's electronics to know if something is plugged into one of them or not.

 

I thought that with the PriorityStart, you tapped the cig lighter to reset things?....

 

thanks for the clarification Shopdog. it was just something i thought i had read here (well I'm pretty sure i did...lol) but, as always, i guess the old "don't believe everything you read on the internet" axiom applies.

 

In the C-6 2006 DVD, owners are cautioned that a cell phone charger plugged into the accessory socket in the consol MAY interfere with the keyless start. Possibly the batter was not dead - just interference with the keyless start process that you interpreted as a battery failure. I find it hard to believe a cell phone charger plugged into the accessory outlet could interfere with the keyless start, but the DVD went into specific cautuionary warings against having a charger plugged in when atempting to start the car.

 

Just checked back here on this post....

1. It is enough to kill the battery in the 72 hours that I had it parked, I measured the current draw on it since I'm a big dork, it was around 2 amps. This means it would kill my battery in about 55 hours, it would take a 1.5 amp draw to kill the battery in 72 hours. Maybe it is a sucky charger, but it was the cause in this case.

2. The battery was dead, I could open the door with the FOB and heard the starter start to engage but it wouldn't crank. I opened the hood and used my fancy Die Hard battery cart to start her up no problem. Lights were also dim and relays were starting to click before jumping, everything normal after.

3. The cig lighter is tied directly to the battery through a fuse, so it has nothing to do with any of the other electronics in the vehicle, if you leave something plugged in long enough that has any draw, it will kill your battery eventually.

4. I frequently charge my cell phone over night with no problem, makes sense based on the draw I measured, what is interesting is the current draw is that high without the cell phone plugged in, I think it has some interested circuity to change the voltage from 12 volts to something less to charge the 3.6 volt battery. Also, my other cell phone charger has no draw when the phone is not plugged in.

5. The time it takes to kill your battery could be altered if you battery had a lower starting charge, like if you make a short trip or a couple of short trips, this would decrease your reserve capacity and reduce the time something could be pluged in the cigerette lighter, like a cell phone. Leave something plugged in at your own risk, but don't be surprized if your battery is dead.

6. I've done pretty extensive testing on FOB interference and have never found a cell phone charger or cell phone that interfered; however, I did find several other key FOBs that would interfere. I tested a lot of cell phones, but not as many chargers.

7. I don't think this is "the cause," but one of many that has certainly occured to someone else.

 

I was sure that on my C6, after it was "asleep", even the cigarette lighter had no power. I'll have to check it again.

 

nope, it has power unless the fuse is open or battery dead... I'll bet you a 12 pack

 

all,

I bought this car a month ago lol! and 2 batteries later after 3-5 days the battery is completely Dead. The dealer said he would track it down for me (it is under a no deductible warranty) thank god... it seems that as long as the car is driven everyday it is not an issue. i will try #46 relay and see what happens, I even went as far as unhooking the Radio system to see what happens. I will not be able to get it to the dealer till next month since the Darn Snow will not stop.

But i love the driving experience if i can start it.

by the way the C3 always starts...

 

I just connect up my ctek battery tender whenever I park her back in the garage. I have never let her sit without it connected past 2 days so I have no idea if it would die. hope they find out what the drain is.

 

Thanks for the info, i just bought this today

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/grn-780800/overview/

 

I'm blown away that this has been an issue for so long with GM! MY 2022 is going through the exact same thing! Took it in to the dealer and they said they didn't see any issues but recommended doing an $860 software update due to the radio being known to cause parasitic draw. What! They said there isn't a problem then said there is!