car always going dead, need help!
05-15-2011, 02:08 PM
#11
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: mn
Posts: 12
the parts store tested the alternator 3 times because the battery kept testing out to be in perfect condition so that only left us with the alternator... and on the third test it failed.. so we ordered a new alternator and installed it but it still goes dead, I had the battery and new alternator tested again and both still read out fine, so I have to have something draining the battery but were?
05-15-2011, 05:58 PM
#12
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: CA
Posts: 441
no codes, I have already tested all that I had a stock alternator with 46,000 on it and replaced with a optima alternator just a week ago, I have had the battery fully charged and tested again and had the new alternator tested after installed a few days ago, everything tested out fine, I have shut the car down locked it and sat inside listening and checking everything, checked for trunk lights on and stuff like that to, it just doesn't make a sense... would my amp for the shaker system really just start staying on and if so how do I shut it down manually?
05-19-2011, 08:56 PM
#15
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: mn
Posts: 12
ok so I know something is draining the battery, I fully charged the battery to 100% didn't drive it anywhere for 24 hours and went to start the car and the battery was almost dead, like I said the battery has been tested and is good, so I made sure i turned off the shaker option on the head unit and it still went dead, so how do I disconnect the shaker amp to see if that works? also why would it just start draining the battery now?
06-18-2011, 09:29 AM
#18
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: mn
Posts: 12
ok to update and close this post, I replaced the alternator which tested out bad, checked everything out for draws, spent 2 weeks trying to figure the problem out, borrowed my brothers optima battery and guess what no more problems, the shop that tested the battery 5 times said it was 100% perfect working order, and tested it on numerous testers, but guess what it has to have a bad-loose cell in it and when I went back down to the shop to give them a ear full the said well I guess it could have had a bad cell... I was pissed...
06-18-2011, 09:34 AM
#19
1st Gear Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 144
I'm having a problem with my 05, randomly when I start it it will crank slow and the radio looses all its memory. My battery is dated 08 I took it to NAPA and they tested the battery, alt, and starter and said they think the battery is going bad. I bought one but have it sitting in my trunk. Hope it fixes the problem.
06-21-2011, 10:09 AM
#20
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SC
Posts: 15
Batteries can test fine and still have a problem, but this would be the exception.
This is the easiest way I have found to find what is draining a battery.
Take off your negative cable from the battery and put a test light in line, in other words put one end of the test light on the neg post of the battery and the other on the neg end of the cable (doesn't matter which goes to which).
With the doors closed and everything off, the test light shouldn't light, if it does you have something draining your battery. It has to be a fairly big drain to light the test light. Don't forget any lights you may have in your trunk, your hood or your interior must be off, they will cause the test light to light.
You have to keep your interior lights off while doing this and the easiest way would be pull the fuse for the lights. After you pull the fuse for the interior lights, and the test light is still on, pull one fuse at a time, if the light stays on, put the fuse back in and go to the next one. If the test light goes out when you pull a fuse, check and see what all that fuse powers and something in that circuit is draining the battery. If the test light stays on after you checked all the fuses, it could be the alternator because it isn't fused.
I had this problem with a SS Impala I had and found the factory radio was draining the battery for some reason. Radio worked find, but something in it was draining the battery. Replaced the battery and no more problems.
Hope this helps.....
This is the easiest way I have found to find what is draining a battery.
Take off your negative cable from the battery and put a test light in line, in other words put one end of the test light on the neg post of the battery and the other on the neg end of the cable (doesn't matter which goes to which).
With the doors closed and everything off, the test light shouldn't light, if it does you have something draining your battery. It has to be a fairly big drain to light the test light. Don't forget any lights you may have in your trunk, your hood or your interior must be off, they will cause the test light to light.
You have to keep your interior lights off while doing this and the easiest way would be pull the fuse for the lights. After you pull the fuse for the interior lights, and the test light is still on, pull one fuse at a time, if the light stays on, put the fuse back in and go to the next one. If the test light goes out when you pull a fuse, check and see what all that fuse powers and something in that circuit is draining the battery. If the test light stays on after you checked all the fuses, it could be the alternator because it isn't fused.
I had this problem with a SS Impala I had and found the factory radio was draining the battery for some reason. Radio worked find, but something in it was draining the battery. Replaced the battery and no more problems.
Hope this helps.....