Battery is Draining when Flat Towing 2013 Chevy Captiva Behind a Motor Home

Question:

Dinghy towing a 2013 Chevy captiva. Pulled the 2 amp power mod fuse and still have a dead battery after towing. No other lights ECT are on

asked by: BillieJO

Expert Reply:

I checked the vehicle owners manual for the 2013 Chevy Captiva and could not find anything else that would lead to the battery draining. The fuse you are pulling is the right one and if the key is in the correct accessory position then nothing else should be lit up. Make sure that everything is off including the radio and the heat/AC.

If you are using a supplemental braking system that requires a connection to the vehicle battery that could be causing the battery drainage, especially if you are braking a lot. Also, if you are towing for long periods of time that could be an issue too.

It would be a good idea to let the vehicle run for a while when you stop so the alternator can charge the battery. Just be sure to following the procedures in the recreational towing section of the owners manual.

I did find some information from Roadmaster stating that the Captiva is known to drain the battery when being flat towed. The solution that would work best and really cost nothing would be to stop every 2 to 4 hours depending on the severity of the drainage to allow the battery to charge back up.

expert reply by: Michael H