My truck suddenly wouldn't start, so I am first trying to charge the battery. It's one of those Super Start batteries from O'Reilly's "DO NOT ADD WATER" but I don't know how old it is. In the process of charging the battery, the battery itself started chirping. The engine work light was very dim, and getting dimmer and brighter. Ditto with the internal lights. When the battery chirping starts, the lights blink. Finally got "full bright" on all of the lights, turned the key, and instant dead. No lights, no nothing, but the chirping in the battery, and something under the dash also seems to be clicking along with the battery chirping. Someone suggested to me that there might be a relay inside the battery making that noise. I am currently charging it up again, since it is too dark to work on it right now, thought I would ask here. I have thought that the battery is just shot and to replace it tomorrow, but am very concerned at the instant discharge that happened when I turned the ignition key. Now am afraid it might be something else, and not sure what to look for.
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Follow up. Additional information.
I had the battery fully charged and lights were bright, and all I did was open the car door and it died again. (Lights went very dim so I didn't even bother to try to start it.) Since I didn't even get the key in the ignition before the battery died again, I am not thinking it is a short in the ignition anymore.
The chirping noise that I thought was coming from the battery turned out to be the horn. I discovered this when the battery became fully charged and so did the horn! That didn't last long, fortunately, and the battery died again because the (presumed) alarm switch is already in the off position.
So how would the alarm system be activated? Which I really did not even know it had. But what else makes the horn honk repeatedly when no one is in the truck? And could this be draining the battery and keeping it drained? There is a switch under the dash that is unidentified, and looks like an aftermarket thing. When I flipped it once a couple of weeks ago, nothing happened, so I am guessing that must be the alarm switch. But it is switched to the off position, so I am baffled.
If it is an alarm system, could it be designed to cut off the battery so that the truck doesn't start? And a malfunction in it is causing this problem?
Can I remove this stupid alarm thing? If that is what it even is? How can I be sure that is what it is? How can I safely remove it without causing a short?
At this point I don't even know where to begin troubleshooting. I am thoroughly baffled.
Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 5:15 PM
(Merged)