JKU - Doors Off - Dead Battery

49erRider

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 20, 2005
Location
Indian Land
Alright lets see if anyone has that secret tip/trick to help me out.

2013 JKU

Doors on - Battery has no issues, maintains charge totally typically behavior.

Doors off - Battery will drain and die within a couple hours.

All I've read all over the web is that it shouldn't matter as when its unplugged the Jeep assumes the doors are closed.

I don't see any lights on, radio is set to shut off automatically and not delayed. Just not sure where to even start.

Any advice?
 
Not much advice but we have a 2014 JKU and take the doors off some times over night and have never had this issue. Ours has power windows and locks, does yours have power or manual? Seems like something would have to be on. You could check for a draw if you have a multimeter with DC amps
 
Thanks! Yeah I’m told it shouldn’t matter doors on or off but for some reason it does. So put a meter on the battery and pull fuses?
 
This got me curious, so I dug through the google. A lot of forums pointed to the radio or factory amp not timing out like it should. Especially if it’s an aftermarket head unit. No idea if that’s your problem, but something to check.
 
Thanks, I had my radio turn off as soon as the key is shut off. Dug around as well and all I hear is shouldn’t happen. Wellllll it does. So just need to figure out why.
 
About the only thing I can add is to put an ammeter off the battery and start pulling fuses from the TIPM until you find the draw. My JK has not had the doors plugged in for months now and it's fine. I do have an aftermarket head unit and no amp though.

I do have other things that draw when off but they were installed by me and I know what they are and I can get a week or so before it's drawn the battery down. As I usually only drive it one weekend a month, it sits on a battery tender.
 
49erRider said:
Thanks, I had my radio turn off as soon as the key is shut off. Dug around as well and all I hear is shouldn’t happen. Wellllll it does. So just need to figure out why.
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Maybe a long shot but look at the plugs when you unplug your doors. See if the plastic has cracked or if the pins are touching.
 
I know this is kind of an asshole question, but how do you know for sure it's the doors being off and not something else happening at the same time?
Like have you had the doors off and then back on several times and it happens every single time? Is there something else you remove when you do the doors?
 
RatLabGuy said:
I know this is kind of an asshole question, but how do you know for sure it's the doors being off and not something else happening at the same time?
Like have you had the doors off and then back on several times and it happens every single time? Is there something else you remove when you do the doors?
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Yes, each time the doors are off the battery will drain within the day. The jeep is a third vehicle so doesn't get driven all the time. It can sit for weeks with the doors on and starts up fine everytime.
 
I'm going to assume you have power windows and locks. If you don't, the only thing the harness does is enable the latch sensor to turn on and off the interior lights and default unplugged is off.

Here are the power window and power lock wiring diagrams, they might help.
 

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