Battery Drain - DEALER NO HELP!
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 65
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From: Palm Desert CA
Battery Drain - DEALER NO HELP!
2001 Coupe. Two years and never a problem. Then a month ago nothing but a click when trying to start the car. Took it to the dealer and they replaced the battery. Was a 7yr AGM. A week later, dead again. The car has been back to the dealer 3 times now and each time they say they can't find anything wrong and they just replace the battery (not with an AGM). Anyone else had this problem? Any suggestions on what to do?
[Modified by Bobby B, 10:03 AM 6/12/2003]
[Modified by Bobby B, 10:03 AM 6/12/2003]
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 6,269
Likes: 1
From: Richmond Ca
Re: Battery Drain - DEALER NO HELP! (Bobby B)
The first thing I would do is to make sure that the replacment battery is fully charged.
You don't know how long those guys have been sitting on the shelf. If you get a new battery and let it sit for a week, you could very well be running down a new battery that is not fully charged..
If you continue to have the problem after fully charging the battery, I'd try a different dealer.
[Modified by wwashing, 1:14 PM 6/12/2003]
You don't know how long those guys have been sitting on the shelf. If you get a new battery and let it sit for a week, you could very well be running down a new battery that is not fully charged..
If you continue to have the problem after fully charging the battery, I'd try a different dealer.
[Modified by wwashing, 1:14 PM 6/12/2003]
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,016
Likes: 0
From: Bristol Ct
Re: Battery Drain - DEALER NO HELP! (wwashing)
The first thing I would do is to make sure that the replacment battery is fully charged.
You don't know how long those guys have been sitting on the shelf. If you get a new battery and let it sit for a week, you could very well be running down a new battery that is not fully charged..
If you continue to have the problem after fully charging the battery, I'd try a different dealer.
[Modified by wwashing, 1:14 PM 6/12/2003]
You don't know how long those guys have been sitting on the shelf. If you get a new battery and let it sit for a week, you could very well be running down a new battery that is not fully charged..
If you continue to have the problem after fully charging the battery, I'd try a different dealer.
[Modified by wwashing, 1:14 PM 6/12/2003]
Did the dealer do a standing draw test?
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 4,043
Likes: 342
From: Central NJ
Re: Battery Drain - DEALER NO HELP! (Bobby B)
Do you shut off the radar detector and other add ons?? It doesn't take much to kill these batteries. Perhaps something is staying on like a glovebox light, etc. You may need to check to see what circiut is causing the draw.....Electrical problems suck....
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 3,567
Likes: 0
From: Aurora IL
Re: Battery Drain - DEALER NO HELP! (Bobby B)
Unhook the neg bat cable and put a multimeter in line between the neg cable and neg terminal. See if the is any drain on the battery, if so have a friend start pulling fuses and replacing them until the drain drops off. You now know what circut to search for the drain.
[Modified by CAPN17, 2:11 PM 6/12/2003]
[Modified by CAPN17, 2:11 PM 6/12/2003]
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 4,411
Likes: 1
From: Wilmington NC
Re: Battery Drain - DEALER NO HELP! (Bobby B)
2001 Coupe. Two years and never a problem. Then a month ago nothing but a click when trying to start the car. Took it to the dealer and they replaced the battery. Was a 7yr AGM. A week later, dead again. The car has been back to the dealer 3 times now and each time they say they can't find anything wrong and they just replace the battery (not with an AGM). Anyone else had this problem? Any suggestions on what to do?
[Modified by Bobby B, 10:03 AM 6/12/2003]
[Modified by Bobby B, 10:03 AM 6/12/2003]
Start from a known position i.e cahrge the battery overnight before you start checking other things.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 4,010
Likes: 1
From: SE Idaho
St. Jude Contributor
Re: Battery Drain - DEALER NO HELP! (Richin Chicago)
If you have access to a large ammeter, you can hook it up and see if there is excessive current draw with the vehicle shut down. If you do, start pulling fuses till the excessive draw is removed. THis narrows down the bad circuit.
If not, suggest this method to the dealer, however, a good electrical guy should know and a good dealer should have a tester that can handle a large current draw. Heck they should have a VAT 60 or another type of start, charging, generator, tester.
If not, suggest this method to the dealer, however, a good electrical guy should know and a good dealer should have a tester that can handle a large current draw. Heck they should have a VAT 60 or another type of start, charging, generator, tester.
