# 2013 Ram 2500 Battery Saver Mode?



## 04ram1500

Has anyone else been having constant problems with their truck going into battery saver mode, and shutting off most of the accesories? I have had the alternator checked, and battery checked everything is "fine"....It doesn't just come up when plowing, it now comes on everytime I start the truck.


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## m3klee

I have had the same thing once each storm I've plowed this year but then it went away. I have not had it happen without the plow on. I started turning the power off on the plow hand controller when I turned the truck off and haven't had it come back on since doing that.


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## JustJeff

I haven't had it happen to me yet, knock on wood.


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## 04ram1500

I'm glad its not only me...It seems like it is acting up when its very cold out, today it is 48 degrees and the message didn't come up once.

Maybe I'll try running it back to the dealership and let them look at it.


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## cokrug

This has been happening to me today as well with my 2014 ram 2500. My plow was on and kept setting the battery saver mode warning off. Called the dealership and they said might be the alternator. If you find anything out i would like to know what they found out.


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## CjBonavenia

I have a 2015 ram 5500 diesel and run a salt dog and the salter shut off and the letter l came up and I looked it up and it said l means low battery voltage but it has a snowplow prep with a big alternator and 2 batteries I don't see how this happened the lights got dim allso never had a ram befor and allso only second time salting with this truck first time it was about 30 out today was 12 but idk if eny one finds enything out please let me know


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## 04ram1500

What I have found (with absolutely no help from the dealer)..The factory battery is pathetically undersized even on trucks with the plow prep package. I replaced my factory battery with a new one that has 850CCA and 1000CA....Once in a great while the message still comes up but overall the bigger battery has fixed the issue.


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## Mike Sawyer

04ram1500 said:


> I'm glad its not only me...It seems like it is acting up when its very cold out, today it is 48 degrees and the message didn't come up once.
> 
> Maybe I'll try running it back to the dealership and let them look at it.


Hi! I'm new to this site. I know it's a old post but did the dealer ever fix the battery saver mode message from coming up when you plow? I'm having the same issue with my 14. If they did fix it, what did they do to fix it? I'd like to pass this on to my dealer. Thanks!!!


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## seville009

The poster before you said he pretty much solved it with a bigger (cca) battery than what came with his truck.


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## Mike Sawyer

I already tried that unfortunately. I put the largest interstate battery in that class and it did nothing.


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## seville009

Mike Sawyer said:


> I already tried that unfortunately. I put the largest interstate battery in that class and it did nothing.


What are the cca's of the battery you're using now?


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## Mike Sawyer

790 cca and 985 ca.


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## Mark Oomkes

Why are the batteries mismatched???

You should never add a battery without replacing the other at the same time.


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## Mike Sawyer

I only have one battery. It’s a 6.4 hemi.


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## Mark Oomkes

I'm confused...


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## seville009

Just a little bit can make alot of difference re the cca. The poster above that pretty much got rid of the issue is at 850 cca. 

I’d suggest getting one with as high as cca as you can. The selection in the local stores can be limited, so you may want to get one on the internet. That’s what I had to do. Can just keep your existing battery as a backup.


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## seville009

Mark Oomkes said:


> I'm confused...


He listed the cranking amps and cold cranking amps for his battery.


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## Mark Oomkes

seville009 said:


> He listed the cranking amps and cold cranking amps for his battery.


Yup...I read it wrong. Sleep deprivation.


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## Mike Sawyer

You make a solid point. Thanks. However my truck is under full factory warranty and this should be Ram’s problem along with my dealer. However they say my plow is the problem. They are incorrect, my plow dealer has went over the entire system and says everything is well within spec. He says this is a common problem with chevys and fords however they have come out with a fix. He is not aware of a fix for Ram, so I was inquiring if anyone else has FORCED their dealer to address this issue and find out what was done so I can point my dealer in the right direction. It should be on THEIR dime, not mine. I already replaced the battery out of pocket because it was


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## Philbilly2

Mark Oomkes said:


> Yup...I read it wrong. Sleep deprivation.


I saw the same thing Mark... and I got aplenty of sleep last night...

Must be the blind in one and cant read sh*t out the other for me?


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## Mark Oomkes

Philbilly2 said:


> I saw the same thing Mark... and I got aplenty of sleep last night...
> 
> Must be the blind in one and cant read sh*t out the other for me?


I think I might try that one...Thumbs Up


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## Mark Oomkes

Mike Sawyer said:


> You make a solid point. Thanks. However my truck is under full factory warranty and this should be Ram's problem along with my dealer. However they say my plow is the problem. They are incorrect, my plow dealer has went over the entire system and says everything is well within spec. He says this is a common problem with chevys and fords however they have come out with a fix. He is not aware of a fix for Ram, so I was inquiring if anyone else has FORCED their dealer to address this issue and find out what was done so I can point my dealer in the right direction. It should be on THEIR dime, not mine. I already replaced the battery out of pocket because it was


I've got a '14 Cummings. The only time I saw this when my batteries were bad and that was after 3 years of hard use.

Sorry I can't help.

I ran the 2 stock batteries until then. My truck was purchased in Kalifornia so no plow prep.


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## NYH1

That little battery symbol light on my upper dash cluster comes on almost every time I plow. However, it's never shut any of my other accessories off. 

Once or twice I've held the up or side angle button down to long and the really big red battery light in the middle of my dash came on. I let go of the button and that light went off pretty soon thereafter.

My truck has the snow chief group, tow pkg. w/5th wheel & gooseneck pkg. and still have the factory battery. If any of that matters.

NYH1.


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## Mike Sawyer

Thanks. Unfortunately my truck will loose defroster and stereo when I’m battery saver mode.


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## ktfbgb

OK so you have the 6.4 Hemi with one battery correct? What size alternator is in the truck? Does it have the plow prep package? Does it happen when not plowing?

If it only happens when plowing then plowing is the issue. Like your dealer said, its the plow. That doesnt mean there is anything wrong with the plow install either. It is probably one of the below issues as a plow draws a **** ton of angry pixies.

1. The alternator could be undersized and not able to keep up with the draw of the plow. This is likely if you dont have the plow prep package. 

2. If you do have the plow prep package and a big alternator, then you aren’t getting the RPM’s up high enough while plowing to recharge the battery. Alternators need speed to charge. At idle they put out very little juice. So if you are plowing slow with low engine RPM’s you are not recharging, causing the low voltage issue.

3. Undersized wiring from the alternator to the battery for the aftermarket load that is being placed on the system.

In any of the above cases, its not a warranty or dealer issue. When placing an extreme aftermarket load on a truck, its up to the end user to make sure all other appropriate upgrades are made to make the system work appropriately.


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## Mike Sawyer

Yes I have the plow prep package. I bought the truck new in 2015. First winter I had no issue plowing at all! Second winter 1/2 way through the season the trouble started. Now we are in the third season and as soon as I lift my plow once the message comes up. I even replaced the plow motor hoping this would help. Fresh hoses and fluid every year without fail. This truck cost $45,000 and screams heavy duty commercial package with tons of extra switches for auxiliary equipment and add on’s. All I added was the plow. This truck should be designed to handle a simple 8’ fisher snow plow without issue. I’m sure there are tons of other trucks just like mine plowing all winter without this message coming up each time they jump in the truck


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## ktfbgb

Mike Sawyer said:


> Yes I have the plow prep package. I bought the truck new in 2015. First winter I had no issue plowing at all! Second winter 1/2 way through the season the trouble started. Now we are in the third season and as soon as I lift my plow once the message comes up. I even replaced the plow motor hoping this would help. Fresh hoses and fluid every year without fail. This truck cost $45,000 and screams heavy duty commercial package with tons of extra switches for auxiliary equipment and add on's. All I added was the plow. This truck should be designed to handle a simple 8' fisher snow plow without issue. I'm sure there are tons of other trucks just like mine plowing all winter without this message coming up each time they jump in the truck


You may have grounding issues then


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## seville009

Mike Sawyer said:


> Yes I have the plow prep package. I bought the truck new in 2015. First winter I had no issue plowing at all! Second winter 1/2 way through the season the trouble started. Now we are in the third season and as soon as I lift my plow once the message comes up. I even replaced the plow motor hoping this would help. Fresh hoses and fluid every year without fail. This truck cost $45,000 and screams heavy duty commercial package with tons of extra switches for auxiliary equipment and add on's. All I added was the plow. This truck should be designed to handle a simple 8' fisher snow plow without issue. I'm sure there are tons of other trucks just like mine plowing all winter without this message coming up each time they jump in the truck


How old is your battery? Your description above sounds like the normal wearing down of a battery (I replace mine every three years no matter what). I've got a 950 cca in there now.

I ask because in an earlier post you mentioned that you put in the highest battery you could find - just curious if that was back in 2015 or more recently.


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## Mark Oomkes

Is it the 220 alternator?


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## Mike Sawyer

seville009 said:


> How old is your battery? Your description above sounds like the normal wearing down of a battery (I replace mine every three years no matter what). I've got a 950 cca in there now.
> 
> I ask because in an earlier post you mentioned that you put in the highest battery you could find - just curious if that was back in 2015 or more recently.


It's was replaced just under 1 year ago.


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## NYH1

On my '07 Ram 1500 I was using before I stepped up to my '15 2500, I was getting the battery warning light coming more and more while plowing. It was causing my controller not to work once in a while too. Also in the summer towing my trailer w/electric brakes would cause the battery warning light to come on from time to time. That truck doesn't have the plow pkg., however it has the tow pkg. with 160 amp alt. HD battery. 

I replaced my battery and that didn't help. My plow dealer went over everything a few different times. They recommended I change the alt. I changed it and I haven't had any problems with it since. Maybe your alt. is on the weak side. 

You're right your/our trucks should be able to handle a regular plow set up. Mine does, as do most. Hope this helps.

Good luck, NYH1.


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## ktfbgb

The gas engines have regular alternators in that they need high rpm to charge. The diesels have low rpm high output alternators. So you get more juice at low engine speed.


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## Mike Sawyer

That makes scense cause my last ram was a cummins diesel and it never had any issues but I thought it was the dual battery that made the difference


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## ktfbgb

Mike Sawyer said:


> That makes scense cause my last ram was a cummins diesel and it never had any issues but I thought it was the dual battery that made the difference


The dual battery obviously helps. You can get H/O low rpm alternator for your truck as well. Make sure you are replacing the battery with a H/D AGM battery.


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## ktfbgb

Here you go. They are talking about this right now over on TDR.

The BCM uses On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) to monitor all of the systems and circuits it controls, then sets active and stored Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC) for any monitored system faults it detects. The BCM will also send electronic message requests to the Instrument Cluster (IC) (also known as the Instrument Panel Cluster/IPC) for the display of certain textual warning messages related to some detected system conditions or faults.
The hard wired inputs and outputs of the BCM may be diagnosed using conventional diagnostic tools and procedures. Refer to the appropriate wiring information. However, conventional diagnostic methods will not prove conclusive in the diagnosis of the BCM electronic controls or the communication between modules and other devices that provide some features of the BCM-controlled systems. The most reliable, efficient and accurate means to diagnose the BCM or the electronic controls and communication related to BCM-controlled systems operation requires the use of a diagnostic scan tool. Refer to the appropriate diagnostic information.

*NOTE: There are no serviceable fuses or relays on this BCM. 
*
*Battery Saver Mode/Battery Saver On Message - If Equipped*

*Electrical Load Reduction Actions* 
This vehicle is equipped with an Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS) to perform additional monitoring of the electrical system and status of the vehicle battery.
In cases when the IBS detects charging system failure, or the vehicle battery conditions are deteriorating, an electrical load reduction actions will take place to extend the driving time and distance of the vehicle. This is done by reducing power to or turning off non-essential electrical loads.
Load reduction is only active when the engine is running. It will display a message if there is a risk of battery depletion to the point where the vehicle may stall due to lack of electrical supply, or will not restart after the current drive cycle.
When load reduction is activated, the message "Battery Saver On" or "Battery Saver Mode" will appear in the Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) or Driver Information Display (DID).
These messages indicate the vehicle battery has a low state of charge and continues to lose electrical charge at a rate that the charging system cannot sustain.

*NOTE:* 

The charging system is independent from load reduction. The charging system performs a diagnostic on the charging system continuously.
If the Charging System Light is on it may indicate a problem with the charging system.

The electrical loads that may be switched off (if equipped), and vehicle functions which can be effected by load reduction:

Heated Seat/Vented Seats/Heated Wheel
Heated/Cooled Cup Holders
Rear Defroster And Heated Mirrors
HVAC System
115V AC Power Inverter System
Audio and Telematics System

Loss of the battery charge may indicate one or more of the following:

The charging system cannot deliver enough electrical power to the vehicle system because the electrical loads are larger than the capability of charging system. The charging system is still functioning properly.
Turning on all possible vehicle electrical loads (e.g. HVAC to max settings, exterior and interior lights, overloaded power outlets +12V, 115V AC, USB ports) during certain driving conditions (city driving, towing, frequent stopping).
Installing options like additional lights, up-fitters, audio systems, alarms and similar devices.
Unusual driving cycles (short trips separated by long parking periods).
The battery aging.
The vehicle was parking for extended period of time (weeks, months).
The battery was recently replaced and was not charged completely.
The battery was discharged by an electrical load left on when the vehicle is parked.
The battery was used during parking time to supply radio, lights, chargers, +12V portable appliances like vacuum cleaner's, game consoles and similar devices.

*What to do when the electrical load reduction actions message is present ("Battery Saver On" or "Battery Saver Mode")* - During trip, reduce power to unnecessary loads if possible:

Turn off redundant lights (interior or exterior)
Check what may be plugged in to power outlets +12V, 115V AC, USB ports
Check HVAC settings (blower, temperature)
Check the audio settings (volume)

After trip:

Check if any aftermarket equipment was installed (additional lights, up-fitters, audio systems, alarms) and review specifications if any (load and Ignition Off Draw currents).
Evaluate the latest driving cycles (distance, driving time and parking time).
Review the chapter of this owner's manual regarding the battery maintenance.


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## wildbl1500

Anyone have any news on this issue? My new to me 2016 2500 is having battery saver mode come on frequently while plowing with the Fisher XV2 I had installed in Nov. I had the alternator changed while the truck was still under warranty. The message comes up less frequently since, but still happens. I find it very hard to believe that the original battery needs to be replaced where it is only 2-3 years old. My previous 2010 Ram 2500 ran the same battery for 6+years with a straight blade Fisher. This is also my first V plow, so maybe it is just that it draws that much more than a straight blade?


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## Mark Oomkes

My '14 did it a few times throughout the last couple months. It was always after a cold start. No idea why because nothing was low. Obviously there was a lot of draw on the system, but nothing that should have caused a problem.

I wouldn't be so sure about the battery being good anymore due to all the electrical demand on new trucks nowadays. I think I replaced mine after a couple years.


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## Mike Sawyer

04ram1500 said:


> Has anyone else been having constant problems with their truck going into battery saver mode, and shutting off most of the accesories? I have had the alternator checked, and battery checked everything is "fine"....It doesn't just come up when plowing, it now comes on everytime I start the truck.
> 
> View attachment 131642


I have researched this high and low and as other have commented, the ONLY fix is to buy a 1000 ca battery and install it. You will have to order it by measuring the space you have and using those dimensions to find that battery. It is not normally used for a pick up truck. My mechanic [scott @ Mass Diesel] went round and round with Ram and Fisher and only fishers top tech was honest enough to tell us that using this size battery is the only fix they know of. The larger battery will keep you from going below 12 volts and your problem should disappear. A few hundred dollars but well worth it. It only seems to happen on certain motor set ups. Particularly the hemi with 1 alternator. Many have 2 alternators and this problem doesnt seem to appear. The computer see's 11 volts and it just starts shutting accessories off. The larger AGM battery will keep this from happening. Ram is not going to issue a fix.


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## PLOWMAN45

you know i think v plows use more juice i had to change to glass mat battery


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## Mike Sawyer

Ya I forgot to add the larger battery is a AGM style.


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## Drock78

PLOWMAN45 said:


> you know i think v plows use more juice i had to change to glass mat battery


Curious why a V would use more juice than a straight blade. Different pump? Cylinders? More weight?


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## Mark Oomkes

Drock78 said:


> Curious why a V would use more juice than a straight blade. Different pump? Cylinders? More weight?


Moving half a blade at a time...don't you know???


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## Drock78

Always the voice of reason Mark. Cant believe I never thought of that.


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## PLOWMAN45

how is your luck with AGM battery's ?


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