Electrical issue battery dying
 

First off how's it going gentlemen (and any ladies if we have any) ale here.....I'm new and this is my first post so if it's against any of the rules or in the wrong place i apoligize in advance and will fix it. Thanks for having me.

Anywho, I've had a 2001 JGC Laredo 4.0 4x4 for 5 years. Rebuilt and Replaced the engine last year. Got everything going smooth and all the sudden for the last couple months it dies if it sits over night. I've read about some electrical issues with certain models and believe myself to have some issues. When I open the drivers door and close it the interior lights and key chime stay on, they go off when I turn the key to the on position then back off. They will also stay off when I turn the key back off, however when I open and close it, it does it again. I've had to unhook the battery every night and while at work. Driving down the road it's like nothing is wrong. It will start up after sitting for 5-10 minutes. I always have to crank once then the second time it fires up as well and have already checked the fuel pressure and flow along with injector wires. Thanks guys!

Welcome to the forum!

First, it seems the GC has issues with their BCM's (body control modules). This causes weird ish to go on with interior lights/radio/door locks/etc. Got a buddy dealing with something similar at the moment. He has to unhook his battery as well otherwise it will drain while off. Obviously something is still on. You can use a meter to check your parasitic draw while it's off to get a general idea of how much juice is being drawn. First thing to do is go through all your grounds and make sure they're clean and tight. It's free! Just do it lol.

As far as the cranking issue... Try this out. Turn the key on for a few seconds then off (don't crank the engine). Turn the key back on and try to start the Jeep. It should fire right up. This is the poor man's prime and is EXTREMELY common because the check valve is bleeding pressure back into the tank. You can run it like this as long as you want (I did) but the fix is to replace the fuel pump module.

Well, the people that had it before never cleaned the engine bay so it's pretty dirty and acid beaten so I have no idea where all my grounds are lol. It will be an adventure. I suck at electrical btw, yeaaaaaa I'm one of those guys. I just know how to take it apart and put it back together so it works lol. And I'll just stick with letting it sit a couple seconds I really don't want to drop the tank.

Welcome!

There are several good videos on YouTube explaining how to do a Parasitic Amperage Draw Test. Also, you may want to download a Full Service Manual for $7.99+tax from pacificcoastmanuals.com. It's 93 mbs of compressed pdf files about everything you'd ever want to know about your specific year jeep. It's the best $8 you'll ever spend! Also check out wjjeeps.com for a lot of good stuff.

He beat me to it!

Boo Hoo!

Or, you could do what I did when I was experiencing a similar problem. Call the dealer service department and shmooze a tech. He told me they had a lot of problems with the little switches on the back of the driver and front passenger door switches. If they wear out they can be hung in the 'unlock' position. This wont let your alarm set, and it will not let the BCM shut down either, it will sit there and suck 60 or more mA. Junkyard, $3.
Your problem also sounds like it could be one of the 'door closed" switches. Same result.

Yes i had the same issue on my 97 GC, actually just replaced the left front door switch.

Check your power draw relay... it's the relay in the engine compartment that keeps radio presets and clock settings, provides power for the door locks and power seats, memory seats, and keyless entry/security system, interior and exterior lighting, etc. when the key isn't in the ignition. It could've gone bad. My old '94 ZJ had the same issue.