hello.

obvious things to check are codes at the obd port, if there are no codes, it may be a parasitic drain..

stats:

what model?
did you purchase new?
if used, did you just purchase it?
any electrical mods on the car?
prior to this issue, woudl the car start up right away or was there some hesitation?

BCM could be an issue
the IPDM could also be an issue
the Brake pedal sensor could be an issue.

on later model amradas and Qx's, there is a "storage switch" that, when activated, will cut power to the electronics.

 

I had a similar issue with my Armada. The battery would be totally dead, I'd jump it and drive it around for 15-20 minutes and it would be dead again the next day. Autozone checked the battery and said it was fine and said I probably had parasitic drain. Once I got home, I checked it with my multimeter and couldn't find any sign of a drain. I swore up and down to Autozone that the battery wasn't holding a charge, but they said they had to go off their equipment, which said the battery was fine.

Long story short, I ended up replacing the fuse block right off the positive side of the battery (~$15 from Amazon) and then took a wire wheel to the ground cable and the spot on the frame it was connected to. Then I put everything back together and slathered everything with dielectric grease to hopefully prevent them from corroding in the future.

This fix was back in March and I haven't had any problems since.

 

Same here. 2019 Armada 4x4 SL. No problem in long trips. Recently driving around city, short trips, with A/C on and it had to be jump started. I ran the ODB2 for fault codes and none was returned. So far I see only bassmadrigal is happy with his fix: "took a wire wheel to the ground cable and the spot on the frame it was connected to".
I am not sure I understand "wire wheel". Can someone describe this in details (and pictures if possible) where/how to connect the wires. I would like to try this.

 

If you have a lojack system, or the equivalent of onstar, it will continually drain the battery. I had my lojack removed, and the drain problem went away. Once the batteries in the lojack or onstar equivalent system go bad, it creates a continuous parasitic main battery drain. Also quit using relabled, substandard, blem, nissan oem batteries. Went to an agm battery. Also replaced the oem substandard "quality parts" alternator with a 270 amp mechman alternator. The nissan oem alternator is not capable of providing a full charge to the battery- ever-. Upgraded the battery cables to 2 ga. With soldered connections. The oem, crimped cables are not even capable of providing minimum required system amperage. You need a continuous, clean 14 volts, at the obd 2 port, to get 12 volts at the idpm, and relays.

 

The oem, crimped cables are not even capable of providing minimum required system amperage.

How can this be the case and the vehicle still runs? I've never had problems with my lights dimming while driving with various accessories and having music loud with the base hitting (granted, it's just an OEM subwoofer, but if the system is not even able to provide the minimum, any draw should be noticeable with lights).

 

The battery nissan puts in these cars is just bare minimum and is not designed to sustain the loads the computer, sensors, etc demand, so the first mod to do is get a beefier battery.

The battery cables are not the best and yeah they8 should also be upgraded. They will work obviously and they can be fine for years and years but sometimes the subpar power cables that @F4N4EVR is speaking about can cause some issues if there is a flaw present somewhere.

 

I guess when I bought my Armada I had to put a new battery in it (and with it being almost 10 years old when I bought it, it couldn't have been the original). I did have to clean up the ground connection, which fixed some problems, but otherwise, the ground cable has been fine.

 

possibly a parasitic drainage issue. I had the same problem, ended up gettign a solar battery tender as my loss was not bad enough to kill it over night but over time if i left car parked for 4-5 days it would be to low to start. threw in a noco 50 watt solar through the always on driver side cigarette lighter and it been fine. still need to track the power vampire in the system though one of these weekends. From reading the forums I need to also do a grounding upgrade but the kit people used to link seems to be no longer made but a generic grounding kit is liek $30 on amazon so liekly add those

 

So I must be doing something wrong, but I can not for the life of me figure it out and neither can infiniti.

We had the Battery replaced because we thought it was out of juice. Then we had the starter replaced bc we thought that was the issue.

Two weeks after replacing the stsrter thecar will not start again. Totally dead...seats will not move..nothing.

We turn everything off. Before exiting the vehicle. I mean everything YET something is causing the Battery to drain.

Is this happening to anyone else?

I had this issue with my old 2000 xterra. It was the air conditioner relay switch. It’s almost always a relay that doesn’t switch off when the car switches off, so it stays on until it drains the battery. To diagnose it, figure out which fuse connects to that system and pull it out when you turn off the car. If the car does start up, you’ve isolated the issue to that particular system.

 

So I must be doing something wrong, but I can not for the life of me figure it out and neither can infiniti.

We had the Battery replaced because we thought it was out of juice. Then we had the starter replaced bc we thought that was the issue.

Two weeks after replacing the stsrter thecar will not start again. Totally dead...seats will not move..nothing.

We turn everything off. Before exiting the vehicle. I mean everything YET something is causing the Battery to drain.

Is this happening to anyone else?

The problem is the same as I have on a 1 year old Infiniti 2018 QX80. Brought it in three, maybe four, times now. First time replaced battery due to a bad cell. Second time replaced a fuse and recharged. Third time had to start with a Lithium Juice pack four times in two days. Bought my own battery checking device and the lithium juice pack after the first time. Checked battery capacity a week ago - 100%. Checked after the failures after a week of driving 15-20 /day it read 5%. So my guess was either the alternator was not charging the battery or something was remaining on. A normal juice pack wont even crank it over. Today brought it in and the check engine light came on too along with a misfire message which means not enough juice for the engine. I left the engine running so they could see the maintenance message that came up on the Infotainment system. Dealer called two hours later and said Infiniti had come out with a software technical bulletin in September 2019 to install new software on the Engine Control Module which must interface with the Infotainment system as well. Installed new software and replaced battery free of charge. It apparently was not sending the correct info to the alternator to supply more current to charge the battery. In the old days if the alternator was bad your battery wouldn't charge. Today now you have the extra complication of if the ECM doesn't work right it wont tell the alternator to provide more charge to the battery. So now it could be the ECM or the alternator. Go to the dealer and have them do the software update and new battery. I would also buy one of the new age charge packs and a battery tester. I couldnt have started my vehicle 4 times today without it.

 

I'm having a similar problem with my 2019 Nissan Armada. Do you have any more details on the technical bulletin you are referencing or a contact number? I've had my car towed to the dealership twice and they won't do anything because they say the battery is testing as "good." It will work for a few days or a few weeks and then the won't start. Anytime they jump it, it works fine for a short while.

 

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2019/MC-10167405-0001.pdf

 

The information posted by tchjts1 correlates with what I was told. The service advisor said that a software update tech bulletin was released about two weeks before my service which was on November 12th. The Bulletin is dated October 31. On mine they replaced the battery and reprogrammed the ECM. In the worst of cases according to the bulletin the ECM could be damaged as well.

 

In the midst of the same problem on a 2019 Q80. Had it in the shop now for the third time. First time the swapped out the brand new battery (only had 4k on it). Next time they said they fixed with a software update which effects the way the alternator charges. Now a month later, after getting stuck for the 5th or so time, its back. They say they have another update they are doing, the double secret update. I'm convinced its a lemon and they have no idea how to fix. I will pick up and see how it works and may pursue lemon law on it. I shouldn't have to Uber to work when I am paying for a $70,000 SUV. Will keep you posted if this fix works.

 

It may be this problem the armada and Q80 have the same motor and wiring if I am not mistaken. I am having the same issue on my 2019 Armada. It has happened 4 times so far.
Randomly, once in Oct., 3 times so far in Feb. Vehicle is fine right now but I have been noticing big swings on the alternator needle in the cluster. Had the Autozone check the battery with a meter said battery was fine but needed charging.Had the alternator checked they said it was fine but the problem wasn't happening when they checked it because it is randomly happening.

Nissan Recalls Titan Trucks Due To Alternator Wire Harnesses
July 19, 2019 — A Nissan Titan recall has been ordered to repair problems with alternator harnesses that could cause electrical short circuits and fires, or what Nissan calls, "thermal incidents."

More than 101,700 model year 2017-2019 Titan trucks may have harnesses that may have been damaged when the engines were installed.

When the VK56 engines were lowered into place, the alternator harnesses may have made contact with the edges of the metal frame brackets. Nissan says this could cause the harnesses to pull away from their normal routing paths.

The alternator harnesses have shields, but the wiring can become damaged if the harnesses get trapped against the brackets.

If wiring problems occur a driver will likely notice electrical issues such as flickering interior lights or the radio working only part of the time. This can prevent the battery from charging, leading to a discharged battery that may fail while in traffic.

So i just got mine back from Infiniti for the 3rd time last night. They swear they have fixed it now, here is what they did: DE-PIN THE IPDM IN ORDER TO HAVE THE ALTERNATOR NOT CYCLE ON AND OFF BUT TO REMAIN ON AT ALL TIMES. IPDM PIN #33
I'm still not convinced and am going to pursue the Lemon Law here in Florida. My wife and kids are driving it and the change they made was described to me and was nearly identical to what they said the last time. Good luck!

So they just masked the real problem or tried to. Right?

 

So I must be doing something wrong, but I can not for the life of me figure it out and neither can infiniti.

We had the Battery replaced because we thought it was out of juice. Then we had the starter replaced bc we thought that was the issue.

Two weeks after replacing the stsrter thecar will not start again. Totally dead...seats will not move..nothing.

We turn everything off. Before exiting the vehicle. I mean everything YET something is causing the Battery to drain.

Is this happening to anyone else?

My 2019 Armada is randomly draining the battery too I found this and I am wondering if this could be the problem. The Armada and QX56 have the same motor and wiring as the Titan.

Nissan Recalls Titan Trucks Due To Alternator Wire Harnesses
July 19, 2019 — A Nissan Titan recall has been ordered to repair problems with alternator harnesses that could cause electrical short circuits and fires, or what Nissan calls, "thermal incidents."

More than 101,700 model year 2017-2019 Titan trucks may have harnesses that may have been damaged when the engines were installed.

When the VK56 engines were lowered into place, the alternator harnesses may have made contact with the edges of the metal frame brackets. Nissan says this could cause the harnesses to pull away from their normal routing paths.

The alternator harnesses have shields, but the wiring can become damaged if the harnesses get trapped against the brackets.

If wiring problems occur a driver will likely notice electrical issues such as flickering interior lights or the radio working only part of the time. This can prevent the battery from charging, leading to a discharged battery that may fail while in traffic.

I'm having a similar problem with my 2019 Nissan Armada. Do you have any more details on the technical bulletin you are referencing or a contact number? I've had my car towed to the dealership twice and they won't do anything because they say the battery is testing as "good." It will work for a few days or a few weeks and then the won't start. Anytime they jump it, it works fine for a short while.

I also am having the same problem works fine for a while then battery dies may drive it for a month then same problem I have a 2019 Armada.

My 2019 Armada is randomly draining the battery too I found this and I am wondering if this could be the problem. The Armada and QX56 have the same motor and wiring as the Titan.

Nissan Recalls Titan Trucks Due To Alternator Wire Harnesses
July 19, 2019 — A Nissan Titan recall has been ordered to repair problems with alternator harnesses that could cause electrical short circuits and fires, or what Nissan calls, "thermal incidents."

More than 101,700 model year 2017-2019 Titan trucks may have harnesses that may have been damaged when the engines were installed.

When the VK56 engines were lowered into place, the alternator harnesses may have made contact with the edges of the metal frame brackets. Nissan says this could cause the harnesses to pull away from their normal routing paths.

The alternator harnesses have shields, but the wiring can become damaged if the harnesses get trapped against the brackets.

If wiring problems occur a driver will likely notice electrical issues such as flickering interior lights or the radio working only part of the time. This can prevent the battery from charging, leading to a discharged battery that may fail while in traffic.

Sorry I meant to say QX80 instead of QX56

 

So i just got mine back from Infiniti for the 3rd time last night. They swear they have fixed it now, here is what they did: DE-PIN THE IPDM IN ORDER TO HAVE THE ALTERNATOR NOT CYCLE ON AND OFF BUT TO REMAIN ON AT ALL TIMES. IPDM PIN #33
I'm still not convinced and am going to pursue the Lemon Law here in Florida. My wife and kids are driving it and the change they made was described to me and was nearly identical to what they said the last time. Good luck!

 

So i just got mine back from Infiniti for the 3rd time last night. They swear they have fixed it now, here is what they did: DE-PIN THE IPDM IN ORDER TO HAVE THE ALTERNATOR NOT CYCLE ON AND OFF BUT TO REMAIN ON AT ALL TIMES. IPDM PIN #33
I'm still not convinced and am going to pursue the Lemon Law here in Florida. My wife and kids are driving it and the change they made was described to me and was nearly identical to what they said the last time. Good luck!

Has anything worked? I am also I. Florida and mine 2019 Armada is on its second breakdown and towed to the dealer. It’s been there theee days when I just called they said they think it’s a fuse issue caused when pressing the break to start it. I can’t keep having it breakdown.

 

I also am having the same problem works fine for a while then battery dies may drive it for a month then same problem I have a 2019 Armada.

Check the service bulletin linked above. The Nissan dealership service department here reprogrammed the ECM and I haven’t had any problems since. Been about six weeks.

 

I have been having battery issues for 2 years. Purchase 2014 qx80 brand new. I am going to try the reprogramming and hope it works.My brother wants to purchase the vehicle which I refuse to sell him if there are these known issues that cannot be resolved. Going for vehicle service tomorrow

 

so i recently discussed this issue with infiniti and what they assume is the problem is the smart start function..some infinitis do not have this seems like certain dealerships add this... anyway my infiniti just disconnected the smart start and they were going to charge me but I told them look I have been having this issue over and over there has got to be something on inifiniti part I am not the only one I am sure I am not your first. so they waived the $140 cost to disconnect the smart start and its been a month with no problems..

 

Hi there! Have you had any problems since they did the smart start disconnect? They want to do this with my car now, but I’m afraid it’s going to kill the alternator quick. Any issues?

 

Has anyone on here continuing to have problems? My 2019 armada battery drained again this weekend And had to be jumped to start. This will now be the fifth time taking it in. Supposedly they reprogrammed the ECM on the fourth trip.

 

I want to thank many of you that have posted on this topic. We have a 2019 Armada, our 3rd one and are officially beginning the “lemon Law” process. We picked up the Armada from the dealership yesterday for the 5th time for the “dead Battery” issue.
I thought our troubles were over when tchjts1 provided the link (thank you for that) for the reboot since we went 5-6 weeks with no issues...that was 2 service visits ago.
Interesting that the dealership told me they have sent my case to the engineers at the factory and expect to have some feedback next Tuesday.
It took 5 visits for you to ask the engineers???
Anyway, it’s been 3 months since anyone has posted on this subject and I’ve got a few questions and was hoping anyone with experience could reply.
Anyone have this issue that’s now fixed (no issues in a few months)?
Has anyone gone the Lemon Law route with Nissan?
I’m concerned since we bought the rig in October of 2018 and it has 27k miles, and we decided to go the Platinum Reserve route. Not bragging just stating because of the price tag and now high miles, I’m going to take a bath on what they offer. I can hear my dad now, Never Buy New, but this was our first New Armada.

 

I want to thank many of you that have posted on this topic. We have a 2019 Armada, our 3rd one and are officially beginning the “lemon Law” process. We picked up the Armada from the dealership yesterday for the 5th time for the “dead Battery” issue.
I thought our troubles were over when tchjts1 provided the link (thank you for that) for the reboot since we went 5-6 weeks with no issues...that was 2 service visits ago.
Interesting that the dealership told me they have sent my case to the engineers at the factory and expect to have some feedback next Tuesday.
It took 5 visits for you to ask the engineers???
Anyway, it’s been 3 months since anyone has posted on this subject and I’ve got a few questions and was hoping anyone with experience could reply.
Anyone have this issue that’s now fixed (no issues in a few months)?
Has anyone gone the Lemon Law route with Nissan?
I’m concerned since we bought the rig in October of 2018 and it has 27k miles, and we decided to go the Platinum Reserve route. Not bragging just stating because of the price tag and now high miles, I’m going to take a bath on what they offer. I can hear my dad now, Never Buy New, but this was our first New Armada.

Was told the same thing by Nissan service on my trip this week for another dead battery. This has been 5th trip. I’ve filed complaint with Nissan corporate and the BBB to start the lemon law process as well.

 

Depends on what state you are in. Here in California the lemon laws are pretty strict. We did it on our first Armada, our 2004. Remember that your compensation is based on the mileage on the vehicle when the problem first occurred.

May want to Google lemon law attorneys in your state. That what we did. They kept $750 of our settlement plus whatever Nissan paid them (if anything).

 

Because I have a 2019 Nissan Armada doing the same as your SUV

Mine runs better for a few weeks/months after they've recharged the battery, but inevitably drains again. I am scheduled to go in next week and they are getting me a new "bigger" Interstate battery they said should fix the problem. Call 1 (800) 647-7261 Nissan Customer Service if the tech's aren't helping. This will be the last Nissan I purchase. It seems to be a problem in their trucks for multiple years and they continue manufacturing them without addressing.

 

Did you do the recall, (Engine Control Module and replace the battery) and you still have problems with battery draining.

I want to thank many of you that have posted on this topic. We have a 2019 Armada, our 3rd one and are officially beginning the “lemon Law” process. We picked up the Armada from the dealership yesterday for the 5th time for the “dead Battery” issue.
I thought our troubles were over when tchjts1 provided the link (thank you for that) for the reboot since we went 5-6 weeks with no issues...that was 2 service visits ago.
Interesting that the dealership told me they have sent my case to the engineers at the factory and expect to have some feedback next Tuesday.
It took 5 visits for you to ask the engineers???
Anyway, it’s been 3 months since anyone has posted on this subject and I’ve got a few questions and was hoping anyone with experience could reply.
Anyone have this issue that’s now fixed (no issues in a few months)?
Has anyone gone the Lemon Law route with Nissan?
I’m concerned since we bought the rig in October of 2018 and it has 27k miles, and we decided to go the Platinum Reserve route. Not bragging just stating because of the price tag and now high miles, I’m going to take a bath on what they offer. I can hear my dad now, Never Buy New, but this was our first New Armada.

 

I’m in Tenn. I only had my truck for a Month and my truck died on me twice.

 

Yes, did the recall/ecm reprogram in January and it died again in April. Nissan tech said he had another Armada having the same problem.

 

It's the same thing. Won't even turn over. According to my Nissan dealer service tech the issue is still in review by the engineers and they aren't sure what the cause or fix is. They think the battery may fix it, but said it is still under review.

 

I have a 2012 qx56, bought used in 2015 it ran with no problems for about 2 years and then one day parked at my sister in laws it dies on me, engine would crank but not turn over and the more I pressed the start button the less juice it would have to turn over. AAA came charged the battery but said that the battery and alternator were both good. Had the battery chaged out to a new one at Autozone even though the Infiniti battery was still under warranty. No problems for 1 year then it started to happen again where the truck would start fine.. drive to my destination and no matter what length of time the truck was off, when I would try to start it it wouldn't start so I had to get a jump.. now it is happening about once a month.. I have bought a battery charger because I am always in fear of this truck not starting once I turn it off and I don't want to wait for AAA. I have no idea what the problem is and am thinking of getting rid of the truck.

 

the "problem" is short, stops and not getting the battery enough time to recharge. the nissan charging system is designed with emissions in mind - meaning the system keeps the charge current low /minimal just enough to meet the demands of what the system is asking, and nothing more.

at a cold startup, you see the battery meter spike to 14+ volts, then after 30-45 seconds ish it goes back down to 13 volts. that is the design of the system. at times, the volts will go up a couple volts (you turn on the headlamps, you turn on the AC, some sensor needs more current).

so with this low charge current, the battery wont ever be charged back to 14 volts, unless you drive for some hours.

that weird looking block thing on the negative battery cable at the battery post? thats the sensor that senses how much current is being used by the car and it alerts the ECM that in turn increases voltage demand. some cats have removed this sensor, and when doing so, the alternator charges /send voltage at a much higher rate.

you car is likely fine, but i totally understand your dilemma! i bought a second battery to swap out with and keep one charged.

i recommend you invest in this little guy:

Amazon.com: ANCEL BM300 12v Battery Monitor - Bluetooth 4.0 Automotive Voltmeter with Charging, Cranking System Test and Alarm - Compatible for Solar Power Systems, RVs, Motorcycles, Boats, Cars, and Trucks : Automotive

Buy ANCEL BM300 12v Battery Monitor - Bluetooth 4.0 Automotive Voltmeter with Charging, Cranking System Test and Alarm - Compatible for Solar Power Systems, RVs, Motorcycles, Boats, Cars, and Trucks: Battery Testers - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

you can use this to keep track of your battery at rest and also see the charge state dynamically. i had this on my Qx...

 

Thank you for the quick reply but, this happens regardless of if it is a short drive doing errands or a 3 hour drive.. no car or truck at this age should run like this, and none of my past cars have.. I shouldn't have to buy a spare battery, a trickle charge or a battery booster just to make sure I can make it home from where I am because the truck will not start. That is unacceptable on the part of Infiniti.

 

my point is the charging system will not charge the battery up as you would expect. Primo added some extra bits that will further shed light on this.

your car is likely not at fault, but that does not mean that you may not have an issue elsewhere. maybe you should spend the 80 bux to have nissan give it a once over.

you are right - you should not have to do those things, and you dont normally. i mean ive had my 2012 qx new since 2012 and ive never had a stall or any other issue with the battery. i DID use odyssey batteries and never looked back. the stock nissan battery is not robust for the sensors and computer network the car has and thet battery should be replaced soon.

again, there are thousands of these cars on the road and not everyone has issues that you and some others here describe. there could be some other issues that are not showing their head yet, so a diag of your car may be in order.

 

I posted this over at a dedicated Infiniti forum and pretty much echoes what marctronixx has mentioned about the battery current sensor.

The ECM controlled alternator could be part of this problem.
The battery current sensor attaches to the negative battery. With the harness unplugged and ignition ON, signal wire should have an output of at least 5V. You can either de-pin or cut the wire; I cut the wire and spliced on bullet connectors so when I would bring the truck in for annual emmissions (NYC), I would connect it back on so it wouldn't trigger a DTC for the battery current sensor.
Why do this? The alternator now works as a traditional charging alternator. My Northstar battery is always a constant 14V+, even with the A/C running. Even at rest, the lowest I've seen the battery voltage was around 12.9V. We all know a weak or failing battery can throw in a mix of electrical issues so this DIY wouldn't hurt ruling out the ECM controlled alternator being a possible cause of this issue.