Help with fault code P0562

[bmwtmx]

My car was driven not too long ago and has been flawless. The battery is 1 year old and is an Interstate as per the original. I went to start it up and it was completely dead. I hooked up jumper cables and it would not start but I was able to pull the diagnostics code which was P0562. The little orange engine icon popped up too. If I get the battery tested and it turns out fine any ideas what this could be? Also, if the battery is toast and I get a replacement will the code remain on screen unless it is reset at the dealer? I really don't know of any Dodge dealers down here I would bring the car to so this is a problem if it has to go in.

Thanks.

[ViperGeorge]

P0562 says the PCM saw low voltage, below 10 volts. Once the battery is disconnected and charged or replaced the code should clear. Question is why did a one year old battery go dead?

[bmwtmx]

That's a good question. As I said, the car has never had an issue before so is I have to see if the battery is at fault or the car. If the car, I am in a bad spot considering where I am delaerwise. When I had my recall performed I called the SRT hotline and they recommended a dealer an hour away which is where I went. With that in mind, the dealer garage was filthy and they had no indoor parking for the cars and it was left in a dirt lot for a day before I got it.

[Steve-Indy]

In my mind, there are many open or unanswered questions here: present battery voltage as measured at the battery terminals, voltage at PDC, jump attempt process and equipment used, Viper's reaction to that jump attempt, etc., etc. There are several self help steps that one can try here. You might find it more beneficial to have an actual person-to-person dialog before you give in to riding the flatbed to the dealer.

At some point an Ignition Off Draw test may be of benefit to track a possible source of abnormal draw. I would also be interested to know the exact type of Interstate battery that you have in the car now...by model numbers.

[ViperGeorge]

I will say that batteries can spontaneously go bad. I had an Optima battery in a Mustang that was fine one minute and then dead the next. I also had a Diehard Premium in my old 09 ACR go bad. One minute it was fine the next it was hissing and dead. I got that Diehard out of the car real quick as I was afraid it was going to explode.

[bmwtmx]

@Steve-Indy

Today, I jumped the car using very good jumper cables from my Jeep to the battery in the trunk. It took me about 15 minutes to get the Viper to start (yesterday I only tried for maybe 5 minutes). I don't know if there is a draw but I did notice that recently the interior lights would stay on as if a door was open. I opened and closed the doors and trunk and they stayed on so I just manually turned them off and put the car in hibernation mode. Not sure if there is an issue but I couldn't find the reason for this.

The batter is an Interstate MT47/H5. I have the car hooked up to a trickle charger now to see if I can the battery back to life but, to be honest, I am not sure if I have the equipment to test for a draw. Electrical systems are something that I am not good with (I do a lot of mechanical work and am always stumped with this part). If there is a procedure to test for a draw please let me know and I'll do my best to sort it out. I am not bringing it to a dealer as there are none down here I trust so fixing it on my own is my first priority.

[BSLSK]

Trickle charger is great for many things, but one thing it is not good at is charging an extremely low volt battery. It could take days for a trickle charger to charge up a battery that is close to "dead" even though the battery itself is still good. Invest in a proper charger or have it charged at a local battery store for free.

[Steve-Indy]

Many thanks for the updated info. One must wonder about the root cause of the dead battery bring a module that should time out but said module is failing to do so. You might check the hood switch for proper contact...along with hatch and doors. I am not sure that you will avoid a dealer trip for diagnosis/repair.

In the meantime, agree with charging attempt...though, to resurrect a dead battery you may need to use an actual charger matched to the flooded lead acid battery in place. This battery only has a 24 month full return warranty with a projected life of 5 years. Once dead, it has been my experience that full performance is seldom regained. Another rescue attempt could involve use of a more sophisticated charger such as a Ctek 7002.

FYI, for Vipers I usually go with Interstate MTZ series (AGM)...especially in our Vipers with the battery behind left rear wheel !! These have a 4 year full return warranty, and a project life of 8-12 years....AND, no worries about the acid leaking as is the case with the MT series.They are more expensive and weigh MORE...the extra weight being a problem for more serious track use.

Please let us know outcome !

[bmwtmx]

After being hooked up for the day yesterday the Viper fired right up no problem. I disconnected the charger overnight and let it sit and today she fired up with no issue at all so seems something must have happened. Maybe it failed to register a shut door or something. Can I get rid of the fault code by disconnecting the battery or is there something else that needs to be done?

[ViperGeorge]

After being hooked up for the day yesterday the Viper fired right up no problem. I disconnected the charger overnight and let it sit and today she fired up with no issue at all so seems something must have happened. Maybe it failed to register a shut door or something. Can I get rid of the fault code by disconnecting the battery or is there something else that needs to be done?

Disconnecting the battery (leave disconnected for a minute or two) should clear the code.

[BSLSK]

It should go away after a few drive cycles. At least that's what happened for me.

[Steve-Indy]

As above on the code. By the way, I carry OBD II code readers in all of our cars...to read codes, clear codes, and in some cases get out of limp mode for a while. It does not have to be expensive...just be sure it includes CAN bus.