Braun Pacifica Battery Drain Issue

[tarantella]

A lot of good thoughts. Thanks everyone. When I say, 'stops ignition from cycling', this is what I mean. Whenever I turn the van off, after about 30 seconds all of the interior lights go off. But then after another 30 seconds, the instrument panel lights come back on and a message displays prompting me to start the vehicle. It then goes off after 30 seconds but keeps popping back up every 30 seconds. This happens regardless of where the key fob is. Something is prompting the vehicle to 'wake up' when everything should be going into sleep mode. So that cycle of popping the instrument lights on and off every 30 seconds is clearly what's killing the battery. It does take a while for the battery to die. I've found that it can sit for at least 8 hours and still start. So I've been starting the van at 10 pm and letting it run for 10 minutes or so. Then it seems to be ok with enough power to start at 6 am. But if I try and go 10 hours or longer, the battery is dead.

I'm starting to wonder if maybe it is all related to opening and closing the driver's door. Art, like you and Patrick, I've experience the dummy light for the start/stop system coming on bc the driver's door hasn't been opened and closed enough. That's been from day 1 of me owning the van. I've never opened and closed it every time I drive and I drive a lot. Whenever the dummy light has come on, I've just opened the driver's door a few times and it goes out. But other times I've just driven for quite a while with the dummy light on bc I don't care for the start/stop system anyway. It's been 2 years like that with no problems other than that dummy light going on and off. I'm wondering if it's eventually caused this new weird problem that I'm having. I go to the mobility dealer on Tuesday. I'm certainly going to ask about that.

[tarantella]

And Art, you say you had some weird things happening. Other than the stop/start system not working, what were the issues? Anything similar to my current issue? Thx

[tarantella]

Well, there still is no answer on my van. It's now been to multiple Chrysler dealerships, multiple mobility dealers, and no one can figure it out. They think there must be a short somewhere causing the issue. At this point, Braun better authorize a loaner or I am going to be very upset. If multiple Chrysler dealers can't fix it, I think Braun needs to take responsibility of this thing. And I'm curious how they'll proceed. Will they just continue to pay the authorized mobility dealer under warranty work while they also pay for a loaner van? At what point do they just do a buy back and fix it themselves at the Braun factory? What a mess.

Edited...Braun already called and authorized a loaner and they are going to continue to let the mobility dealer try and figure it out with support from Braun techs in Indiana.

[tarantella]

So, I see it's been over 2 months since I last posted here...and I still don't have my van back! LOL. But, I will be getting it back very shortly, probably next week. This was one of the most ridiculous experiences I've ever had. From start to finish, it will be over 3 months to finally fix the problem. Braun ended up freighting my van to Indiana and fixing it themselves. And from what they're telling me, it was the result of corroded wires/connection in the trough below the floor. I cannot wait to finally have my van back. Just in time for summer.

[Rustyjames]

Geez, if you have corrosion issues on a van with those low miles and relatively new, I'd be concerned about the miles/years to come.

[slow_runner]

................................ And from what they're telling me, it was the result of corroded wires/connection in the trough below the floor. I cannot wait to finally have my van back. Just in time for summer.

I bet you will be happy to put this problem to rest. As Rusty points out, only 30k and maybe 3 years and there is a corrosion issue - that is far from satisfactory.
Flood damage?
Poor connections?
Fried during modification and commissioning? (assuming it is a modified vehicle prior to the hoist install)


Better make sure an independent qualified authority can analyse the electrical side and give assurance AND or you have a fresh warranty issued?

[tarantella]

I bet you will be happy to put this problem to rest. As Rusty points out, only 30k and maybe 3 years and there is a corrosion issue - that is far from satisfactory.
Flood damage?
Poor connections?
Fried during modification and commissioning? (assuming it is a modified vehicle prior to the hoist install)


Better make sure an independent qualified authority can analyse the electrical side and give assurance AND or you have a fresh warranty issued?

Yea, I'm definitely happy to get it back but certainly concerned it happened in the first place. I guess Braun feels the water would have entered the trough from inside the vehicle through the floor. They said this can happen in wintry climates with snow and ice melting off the wheelchair. Sure doesn't seem acceptable to me. And I guess the connection is where they extend the factory wiring harness. And, I'm told that they just got rid of the connection and soldered the wiring directly together, which is how they are now doing new conversions. So, if they made that change with new conversions, I'm fully assuming that this must have been a recurring issue they've been dealing with.

[6 Shooter]

Have had some of these electrical problems with my son's truck. The handicap equipment (lifts/hoists/ramps, etc.) has a large drain on the electrical system when being operated. Trucks are known to have stout electrical systems. However, adding the handicap equipment with electrical loads higher than the industry engineers designed the electrical system for, eventually surfaced unusual electrical problems. Our final solution was to switch out the standard alternator (130 amp), and install a 200-amp alternator. One would think that higher amp alternator would just boil the water out of the battery. But no, it will not. The alternator regulates itself based on the demand of the electrical system. Just find out what is the current output of the standard alternator on your vehicle/truck. Then, do a search for something in the range of 160 to 200 amp alternators. One source to contact is Power Bastards. High Output Alternators and Accessories | PowerBastards.com | PowerBastards.com

[addiesue]

Reviving this since so many of you have Pacificas. Does your ramp deploying message go off at random times when it is not deploying?
Also is your passenger seat mounted so that it is impossible to open the little storage compartment in the middle of the seats? mine is blocked and it really annoys me. For all the money they charge they should have a useful design.

[Patrick Madsen]

Hi Addie, yes, the ramp deploying does go off at times, usually just before starting or moving the seat. Same yest for the passenger seat being so far up it interferes with the middle storage door.

A bit of advice also is to open and close the drivers door each time you get in from the rear side door to the drivers place. Seems there's a computer that has something to do with it. I found if I don't do it, it'll set off a message that something is wrong. Was told by the Chrysler dealership to do this. I used to forget and seems all the bells and whistles would go wrong. But once I got in the habit of doing it, never had a problem with it again.

Really dislike the new vans. Just too many computers to go wrong. I miss the older ones with lots of space between the seats, basic workings and a set of handcontrols.

[tarantella]

Yea, the ramp deploying message is a known thing. But, fortunately it doesn't seem to mean anything is wrong. Just shows the message. Just had my kneeling function bite the dust last week. It's an expensive fix and a feature that ultimately I don't need, so looks like I'll be moving ahead without it.