My sort-of-new-to-me (purchased last May) Crossfire is now almost four years old (in-service date November 2003) with almost 40K mileage. It's not my daily driver, it's the Sunday just-fer-fun-car for the wife and me - we bought it specifically to drive to Las Vegas for our daughter's wedding last May, but that's another story...

Anywhoo, we love the car, no problems until two weeks ago, when the battery was too flat to start it. Sez I, well, perhaps that's because I skipped the Sunday cruise last week. So, I put it on the trickle-charger overnight, and the next day it fired right up, no worries. We drove it around for an hour or so, with a few stops and starts, and it never hiccupped.

BUT...

Yesterday when I went out to check it, the battery was (again) too flat to start it. So, today I ran it down to Sears for a new Diehard. That's ALSO another story...!

Now, at four years/40K miles, I think that I was probably due for a new battery anyway, Assuming that the one in it was the original one (looked like it to me), and I'm OK with that.

BUT...

I just noticed that when I began having the battery problem (noticed, because I was LOOKING for trouble), and continuing now, all the digital displays on my dash NEVER go out - the temp reading, odometers and clock keep on displaying, even after the key has been turned off, removed, and the doors shut and locked. If I sneak up on the car and peek in the window after an hour or so, I can still read 'em. I don't recall if this was the case BEFORE the battery issues started or not, and it troubles me a bit.

So, my question to you all is, is this normal, OR is it perhaps a symptom of what went amiss with the old battery? I know the digital displays can't really use much voltage, but it MIGHT indicate that there's something else staying on that shouldn't.

What do you say, do YOUR displays stay on?

Thanks!

 

That is not normal. They go out. It sounds like you have a faulty switch somewhere causing the circuit to stay on.

 

You need to get that fixed. Guaranteed that is what was killing your already old battery.

 

Yep, they should go off after about 1 minute of removing the key.

 

Mine goes out after 1 minute also. I had a link on here before showing which Interstate battery was a direct replacement for ours.

I found the link:
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...hlight=battery

 

Thanks to those who took the time to reply. More careful scrutiny this morning (with the DieHard installed yesterday) indicates that the odometers DO go out after a bit, but light back up as soon as I open the door. The clock does seem to stay on full-time. Still not sure if this is normal or not...

I guess I'll let it sit for another week, and see if it starts NEXT Saturday...

 

FOLLOW UP:

OK, so, I let it sit untouched for a week with the new Diehard installed. Saturday, it fired right up, no worries, so I'm reasonably certain that THIS TIME it was just a dead/dying battery.

FWIW, here's what I have observed with my dash displays:

The clock stays on 7/24. The temp and odometer go out a minute or so after the key is removed, and come on as soon as I open a door.

When I first got the car, the service reminders had not been reset, and the "double wrenches" icon came up and displayed how far PAST recommended service I was when I started it (nag), returning to the standard odometer reading after thirty seconds or so.

Now that I have reset the service reminder, to see the service reminder "wrench" display (how far UNTIL next service recommended) I have to press the left-side dash display adjustment ***** - it never comes up on its own.

I'm going to assume at this point that everything is normal.
Happy me!

 

Sounds like its working fine now thats how mine is.

 

2004 crossfire i just bought 5 days ago, the odometer, trip and clock all stay on all the time now, i dont want my battery to die what should i do?

 

Ok, let's think about what "wakes up" those indicators. I know that turning the key on does, and turning ANY exterior lights on will as well. Opening the driver's door will.

Do you have the lights off? (**** points up.) Do all lights time out and go off?
If yes to both...

Does opening the driver's door turn the dome light on? If the key is in the ignition and you open driver's door, does the buzzer start up to tell you so?
Does the "key in" buzzer activate when it shouldnt? (That is, if the key is out and you open the door, if the "key in chime" sounds, then the key in sensor on the ignition switch is lying about there being a key in the ignition.)

If not the door ajar switch (there are two on the driver's door, one turns dome light on, one tells the system the door is open) may be indicating a constantly open driver's door.

I suppose a stuck traction control relay or engine control relay on the RCM could cause this, tho that is really unlikely and either would drain the battery in a matter of three to six hours.