Braking System Runs Down Battery on a 2016 Chevy Equinox

Question:

In the instructions it says that you have to make sure the Patriot is fully charged...how do you charge it and how do you know when it is fully charged. I keep getting a low battery signal on it??? It is installed in a new 2016 Chevrolet Equinox..flat towing.. My battery was totally discharged and would not keep a charge...put in new battery and still get the low battery signal...what gives ??

asked by: Gerry B

Expert Reply:

The problem you are having isn't a battery in the Patriot itself. But this is a pretty easy fix.

As you may have read in your vehicle owner's manual to avoid running the battery down while flat towing your 2016 Chevy Equinox you will need to remove fuse 32 from the instrument panel fuse block. You can use a fuse bypass, # RM76510, to make this process as easy as flipping a switch.

Removing the fuse also means that the Patriot will not be getting any power if it is plugged into a vehicle 12 volt power port so one that can be hardwired in, # RM-9332, is recommended because it wires directly to the vehicle battery.

But if you do a lot of braking it can run the battery down on the vehicle. To keep a maintenance charge on the battery I recommend using a harness such as # RM-146-7 with the tow bar wiring you will be using so that you can run a wire from the connector at the front of the vehicle to the vehicle battery using a charge line kit, # RM-156-25.

Then you would just attach the wire to the appropriate corresponding pin at the back of the connector that will be at the front of the truck and the other end of that wire will go to the positive battery terminal.