Dead battery 2 days in a row.
 

Walked out to my car yesterday to find it had a dead battery; no bueno but **** happens. I figured I had left my tablet plugged in and it drained the battery. It wouldnt be the first time I did this. So I borrow my wifes car and go to work. 8 hours later I jump the battery with my Focus when I got home and let it run for about 10 minutes. Turn it off, then back on and it fires right up. This morning I go out to work (5AM) and another damn dead battery. Again jump the car (in the dark) and drive it to work (about 8 miles). Car drives fine, didnt try to die, no other issues. Unfortunitly I work 16 hours today so I wont be able to pull it out and get it tested.

Battery is the OEM Motorcraft one from when the car was bought, only 3-4 years old. Ideas on issues? It is just the battery or could it be something else? I know there is a problem with the first gen S197's resulting in dead batterys but have not heard of the same problem with the newer S197s.

Good replacement batterys (if that is the problem)? Optima doesnt make one for the '11 yet, dont want another Motorcraft, no on Sears Die Hard (last one was a POS).

Cliffs: dead battery two days in a row. Car drives fine after jumped. Possibly need new battery?

Thanks,
Matthew

Try charging it first.
Driving it and thinking the alternator is going to charge it is an incorrect assumption.
An alternator is a battery maintainer NOT a battery charger.
After it's charged then have it tested.

Just drive up to an advance auto and they will check it for free. I'm pretty sure most auto parts stores do this. It takes like 5 minutes and they will tell you what the deal is right away. I've done this a few times and they have always been right.

I can't believe you can't get an optima for an 11? I would try to find another brand that has a good replacement warranty. I've already had to use the optima warranty like twice. Very satisfied with their customer service.

These s197s are notorious for killing the alternator when the battery dies. When my battery died, it killed my alternator as well. I tried three batteries before I realized what was happening. Replaced the alt, and haven't had a problem since.

I agree with this! O'Reilly and AutoZone will check it!

im guessing its bad from the description. Same thing basically happened to the wifes mustang a couple years back. It happened again this last winter.

It's likely bad but still, a 10 minute run on the "I'm an alternator, not a charger" isn't enough to determine if there's still any life left in the battery. Maybe 2 or 3 hours of steady highway driving to resurrect a discharged battery to near-full charge but certainly not 10 minutes. It started immediately after that 10 minutes because there was just enough to turn the starter but you likely discharged whatever you put in in those 10 minutes with that 1 start.

I think you should have the alternator checked, but it could be just the battery.

The typical life of a battery these days is about 3 years. The batteries are smaller than they used to be, there is current draw even when the ignition is turned off, and the battery is subjected to high temperature because the engine compartment is stuffed so full that there isn't the air circulation that older cars had.

I had an Interstate battery at one point, but it was not all that good. I replaced it after 2 1/2 years.

ditto.. have the battery checked and i would even have the alternator tested as well.. they are a weak point on these cars, well at least on the 05-09 models, not sure about your 3.7 but it doesn't hurt to check it. My original alternator on my 06 only lasted about 35,000 miles.

Thanks for the input guys. I know about O'Rillies, and Autozone and that is going to happen tomorrow when I get home from work. I didnt get a chance yesterday as I work all day yesterday and today so the stores are closed by the time I get home.

Any suggestions for battery's if mine is bad?