2018 View/Navion Dead Chassis Battery

(It is really a 2017 disguised as a 2018 to get a price increase out of me. Sprinter built 09/2016 and coach built 2nd quarter 2017.) I tried to start the motor and found the battery stone cold dead; about 5 Volts. I pulled the battery out to put it on a charger. It is looking like it won't completely recover and there is permanent damage. The RV has spent more that two months worth of time to repair shabby construction (another sad story) and during that time there were references on the work order that there were problems starting the motor several times. I know now what this is about having experienced it myself. There seems to be a constant draw of 5 to 6 Amps on the chassis starting battery. There is no practical way to disconnect as with the coach battery switch. The positive terminal connection is a combination clamp/bus bar with several fused and unfused cable connections. I have identified the starter cable and battery boost cable that connects to the coach battery. Using a battery borrowed from the boat, I tested each isolated cable for any current draw. It appears that the cable that runs to the fuse block under the drivers seat is where the problem is. Removing each fuse in turn has no effect on the parasitic load. I assume the there is other connections there. I don't have a wiring diagram handy and I have not removed the seat to get a better view. I would have expected a few milli-Amps of standby current, but at 5+ Amps, it won't take long before the battery goes dead. In theory, I could have pressed the boost button on the dash to start the motor from the coach battery, but this is not a case of a weak battery; it was DEAD and I did not want to risk potential damage to the Sprinter electrical system not knowing if there was an open or shorted cell.

The RV is still under warranty, so I am not inclined to go much deeper into this. This RV has been an unmitigated disaster from day one with so many problems most of which is due to disgraceful workmanship at Winnebago. I feel like I am on my own most of the time and I have been making repairs on my own which is easier than fighting with Winnebago to recognize that there is a problem. The dealer is in the middle and has to demonstrate to Winnebago that there is a deficiency before repairs can commence. There are several unresolved issues and I am at the point where If I can get the RV going safely, we will make one more trip and get rid of this pile of **** in the most practical way possible. One trip I thought of is to drive to Forest City, Iowa and take a bus home.

Anyway, I just thought that maybe someone out there with a late model View/Navion has had a similar problem so I could narrow it down to give the repair people a head start. With their track record, they need all the help they can get.