I killed my 200 by leaving it in drive overnight! Or did I?

[JeffsLC]

I parked in the garage last night, turned the engine off but left the truck in drive, and left it that way overnight. This afternoon, the battery was obviously dead. AAA jumped the battery and the interior lights, radio, and other accessories came on but the key fobs are dead as is, it would appear, the ignition switch. Is there fuse or fail safe sort of a switch that I am overlooking that might save my truck a ride on a flatbed?

 

[TheGrrrrr]

Did you try putting the fob up to the start button? It may require that to get past the immobilizer.

 

[TheGrrrrr]

Also when it loses power, the first start will immediately die, then be fine on the 2nd start. My guess is that you need to charge the battery, hold the fob up to the start button for a couple of seconds and then push it, while holding the brake like a normal start. It will start and then die. Do the same again and it will run.

 

[JeffsLC]

Did you try putting the fob up to the start button? It may require that to get past the immobilizer.

Thanks for the quick reply but the AAA guy thought that might be the problem as well and we tried to no avail.

 

[TheGrrrrr]

I think I would give it some time to get a good charge and then try that procedure again.

 

[Sandroad]

I wonder about the condition of the battery. How old is it and are you sure it and the connections are in good shape? Jump starts can be a challenge if the battery is bad (and allowing an old battery to completely drain just might kill it). Do you have a battery charger at home?

 

[JeffsLC]

The anti-theft light flashed when I got some juice in the battery. all went dark again with the jump removed. I’ll start with a fresh battery tomorrow.

 

[CruiserFan88]

I believe if you turn the vehicle off in any gear aside from Park, it leaves the car in accessory mode. Accessory mode stays on for an hour and then turns all power off as a safety to not kill the battery. I have done this before and killed my battery. All this should be in the owners manual IIRC.

 

[Sandroad]

The anti-theft light flashed when I got some juice in the battery. all went dark again with the jump removed. I’ll start with a fresh battery tomorrow.

I'll take a WAG and say that will bring it all back to life.

 

[RET2]

The anti-theft light flashed when I got some juice in the battery. all went dark again with the jump removed. I’ll start with a fresh battery tomorrow.

It wouldn't hurt to replace battery in key fob either.

 

[DecreedIt]

So when the battery drains to stone cold dead, things get super weird, quick. Low voltage does strange things. Did this on the 2008 back in April at our first concerts back. Fun times. Battery wasn't stone cold, yet, lights all wonky. Tried jumping it off multiple times, just click click click and no love, off a basically brand new Tahoe Denali. Gave up, crammed too many dudes in that Tahoe made the buddy drive us back to the place.

Came back in the light of day, new jumper cables, new battery, hooked up the cables to my cousin's 2003 Element - fired right up. No problem. Let it run, drove around a while, returned the replacement battery for a refund, all good.

 

[Markuson]

Shouldn’t be anything weird once you charge—or replace—the battery.

 

[Rigger]

It will be interesting to see how this resolves.