I've got a 2004 Screw that's just about two years old. I left it with my dad on Monday, and everything was fine. Just now, he called me up and let me know that the battery (and truck) is completely dead. He opened up the truck with the key, and noticed a 'clicking' noise coming from the rear of the truck. Standing outside, it sounds like it's coming from the rear of the driver's side, near the gas tank (loud enough so that I could hear it over a lousy cell-phone connection.) I can't really be more specific, as I'm several hundred miles away right now.

My dad's been having problems with neighbors messing with his van (turning the lights on when he forgets to lock it, egging it, etc.) and I'm wondering if his neighbor might have messed with my truck.

So, a question to more knowledgeable minds: is there anything in the rear of the truck that could break, make a clicking noise, and drain the battery? Or, alternatively, is there something that someone of "less than admirable character" could have done back there to mess up the truck?

My only mods are Troyer tuner, Troyer E-fans, AF1 Intake, and Magnaflow exhaust; all have been on for months, though, with no issues whatsoever.

I'm just really, really suspicious that, barely two days after I leave the truck (which has never had a problem previously,) it decides to develop such a major issue. Any thoughts would be appreciated, as right now I'm getting so mad at the thought of someone messing with my truck that I can't hardly think straight.

 

Dude... calm down. There's nothing worse than making a rash decision and later finding out that you overreacted. Try to be more specific about what's wrong with your truck so that someone here can help you out... then you can deduce from that what you will.

 

I have no clue what could be ticking in the back. But, my 2.5 year old truck's battery up and died with no warning just last weekend. I heard it clicking and grinding (electrically), but it came from the engine area. I don't recall hearing anything in the back. It was like my vehicle was tweaking ... flickering headlights, etc. The battery had a bad cell, wouldn't charge, etc. I had it towed into the dealership using the 1-800 roadside assitance number ... as I'm still under warranty. They replaced the battery and I'm back on the road.

 

Tell me more. I along with a few others have been having a little difficulty with this issue and have traced it to the efan controller.
For no apperant reason a few, and very few as there are literally a thousand of Mikes fan kits out there that have no issues, of the controllers are somehow causing the power to stay on on some of the accessories.
Mine for example would not let the delayed accessories operate, which turns off the radio and illuminates the door switch (windows and locks) and the power would stay on even with the key off. Several times the radio would come on by itself while the truck was parked, which of course caused my battery to drain. I spent 10 hours over a 3 day period before isolating it and finding the cause. I finally unplugged the power to one of the controllers in a last ditch effort to find the cause, and discovered that this was the issue.
Don't be too harsh on the neighbors until you check this out....It seemed to be more relavent during wet or rainy weather....

 

Dead batteries happen.
A couple of thoughts.
Before I would start testing the e-fans (the probable cause of the problem) I would remove the key from the truck and then retry it.

The PATS system has been known to act just like a dead battery. It has happened to me twice in two years. Truck seemed to have a dead battery, clicking noises. Took the key out and looked the truck over, checked the battery with a volt meter and it was still at 12.6 volts... Got back in and it started. Been some other posts where others have had the same thing happen.
If that is not it, I would check the e-fan controllers as has been posted.
Chris

 

Thanks for the replies, I feel a little better now about the whole thing. I just jumped to the conclusion (never a good idea, I know) that because I had never had any problems previously, and my dad had one so soon after I left it, that the problem might very well be related to malevolent action on someones part, as opposed to just a coincidence.

Unfortunately, I can't really be more specific about the problem, as I'm not anywhere near my truck right now, and won't be for a while. My dad got the truck jump-started, and will be taking it to the local dealership on Friday to see if they can find anything wrong.

ChrisAdams - That sounds like it might be the problem, as there was a fairly loud clicking noise coming from the rear, except the truck was completely dead - no keyless entry, no start, nothing. Also, after my dad jumped it, all the radio presets were gone, just like when the pcm gets cleared. Right now I'm leaning towards the controller - but I'll wait and see if the dealership can find anything wrong on Friday to start down that road.

Marc Carpenter - Does this happen regularly, right from the beginning of the install, or is it a random issue? The reason I ask is because I've had no problems for the last six months or so, and the truck has seen plenty of rain (I was in the Portland, OR, area for most of that time, and the truck was never garaged.) I did wash the truck just before I left it with my dad (at his place with a hose, not with a commercial pressure washer, and I didn't spray under the hood), but I drove it around after I washed it, and it worked fine - although, if the fan controllers did have a short or other problem, they might not have had time to drain the battery yet. I'll post up what the dealership finds, if anything.

Update: My dad just called, and the truck is dead again; there was still some juice left, enough to operate the keyless entry, but not enough to start the truck. Also, a bunch of clicking noises started up again when he tried to turn the engine over. I wish I were there, so I could give a better description of the problem, but unfortunately this is all second-hand info. It goes to the dealership tomorrow morning, and I'll post up what they find.

 

Mine did it initally about 5 months ago, but only one time so I figured it was a fluke as I just jumped it and drove it. Then it became more prevelant just recently after a long period of rain.
Sort of ironic in that I lived in both Portland, and Vancouver back in the early 1970's, so I know about the rain there...Hope you locate your problem....Marc

 

According to the dealer, the "Fuel Delivery Module" (fuel pump?) is shot. It's getting fixed under warranty, so I'm happy about that. But should the fuel pump (if that's really what they mean) really be giving out after less than 21k miles? I know these things happen, but that just seems like kind of a short lifespan.

 

How often do you let your fuel level get low were the low fuel warning sounds off ? Fuel keeps the pump cool Letting the tank get low often will mess with the fuel pump