carfire

I am hopeing some one might have some insight on my problem. I dont drive my 95 mustang offten however all summer long I have had a problem which has caused the battery to be replaced three times now.
Randomly the car will be completely dead no headlights nothing and I will have to charge or replace the battery. There is always about a month interval between this. Sometimes I can leave the car in the garage for 2 weeks and it will be fine, then drive the car for a day and the next morning the car will be dead. It has never died when I leave it in a parking lot for a few hours only overnight, and only 3 times this summer so its very random. What is killing my battery? Also if I put a new battery in it will start fine and like I said will probly be good for a month even if I dont drive it then one day Ill go for a drive and the next it will be dead.

Nathan

corvetteguy

A sure kill for my 89GT battery is
to park it, leave the keys in the ignition
(I live in NE PA) and don't push the
unlock button to turn the key all the
way off.
Next morning I'm dead.
Luckilly a recharge gets me up
and going again.

Gary H

Are you checking the battery when it's dead? Could be bad cables etc. If you only drive the car a few miles then let it sit, it doesnt have enough time to recharge the battery from starting. You could also test the battery voltage while it's off and see if you have a drain.

Colorado_Mustang

Could be cables or the alternator.

carfire

It definitly has a drain I just cant seem to pin point it. I was hopeing that maybe a few other people have had the problem with there car and all had the same solution. I did think of the alternator but it doesnt drain the battery everytime you leave the car over night its random, and I would think the altornator would be draining it r it wouldnt no inbetween.

Thanks Nathan

Colorado_Mustang

Put a ammeter in series with each fuse. You can start with the main battery cable to see the total drain. Then the fuses to see where the power's going.

bmennen07

my mommies just started doin that. We just charged it and now its fine. Why do u have to put in a new battery cant you just charge the one u got or is it like shot??

corvetteguy

Some batteries do like to go completely dead.
And some don't seem to mind and will take a
recharge ok. Sometimes it is the age. Also if
it goes dead over the winter it is usually death.

On my 89 I do notice that my voltage gauge will
really take a nosedive (discharge) if the heater fan
is running or the headlites are on. At idle, with
both on I am sure I am discharging. Not good
if I put it away after so low a charge rate.

If you are getting the battery terminal corresion
it means that you are charging a lot. If the battery terminal
is clean you may not be charging much. My 6 volt
battery in my 39 ford tractor looks as clean as when
it was installed 5 years ago because the system is
barely charging it.

carfire

I have to replace the battery because I when I notice that it is dead I always have something else to do... So when I get to replacing it 3 weeks later what ever has been drawing the battery down has been drawing for 3 weeks and the batteries wont take a charge after that. Fortunatly new batteres have new battery warrenties.

99_GT

Anamp meter is the only way to locate the source of the current drain. Set upthe meter for DC Amps, and place it in series with the positive battery lead. You will see a small amount of currentflow. Pull each fuse 1 at a time, while waching the meter. When you see a decrease in current, that may be the circuit to check. Also check any newly added electrical toys or options.