Warning: My 12V battery died twice because of how I used the car's charge timer

Michael Chen · 2026-10-30T05:35:03.954151+00:00

I set the scheduled departure timer on my car for 7am every day for about 3 months, thinking it was saving me money on peak rates. Two Tuesdays ago the car was totally dead in my driveway in Sacramento, no lights, nothing, and a jump pack got it going but the dash threw 4 warnings. The dealer tech told me the timer keeps the car's computers awake longer than normal, and my short 6 mile commute never gave the 12V enough time to recharge. I switched to a simple plug-in-when-I-get-home habit and started checking the 12V with a $20 voltmeter every couple weeks, and it's held at 12.4 or better since. Third time I've been burned by a feature that sounded smart on paper. Has anyone here run into the timer draining the small battery, or is it just my short trips?

📢Hub Chatter

Loading…

Warning: My 12V battery died twice because of how I used the car's charge timer | Charger Chatter - Hub Chatter