2001 Jeep Wrangler battery drain

A BAXTER

MEMBER
2001 JEEP WRANGLER
6 CYL
4WD
AUTOMATIC
58,000 MILES

I have a jeep that ran ok, then I shut it off and the nest day the battery would run down. I checked that everything was off and attached a battery charger, it started 45 min later and would run fine. I thought it might be the battery so I put in a new one, it did the same thing. We put a volt meter on the negetive post that was unhooked and the negetive cable and it was pulling 12.8 volts with everything shut off. I was told it could be the alternator, but it took off the wire that runs to the battery and it still pulled the same volts. I did not unplug the other wire going to the alternator. Does that wire run the internal voltage regulator, and if so would thar run down the battery?

1 Reply

CJ MEDEVAC

MECHANIC
11,005 POSTS

See my profile, Imma CJ Guy and I answer alot of the CJ 5 & 7 Questions

This is my Hobby, I do not get paid for answers as the certified guys do.

I do not know your situation, But Autozone and Advance Auto will test your Batterry and alternator for FREE!

If you, yourself want to check the alternator for output, its EZ!

Check Battery Voltage between The POS and NEG Posts......Not running.......12+ Volts is acceptable.

Fire Him up!.......Check voltage at same battery posts.......It should now be 13.5----16 Volts......Anything out of these boundries, I would remove the Alternator and have the parts house test it.

If you respond with Alternator BAD NEWS, That may have been your problem all along.

If you respond with Alternator GOOD NEWS, We will continue to search out the SOURCE of your Current Draw.

The Alternator would be the EZist thing to do, finding the other may be involved....Remember Imma CJ Feller, I will try to help you the best I can.

These are my Current 2

"MR. JEEP" and "WILLY".........I've Had 7 Total, never had a car!