Hey guys. I just frickin' bought my '03 GT a week ago, only 21,000 miles on it. Damn thing is already giving me trouble. [:@] Several times since I've picked it up it either hasn't been able to start in the morning at all (started with a jump) or it's very sluggish to start. It's done this in 5 degree weather and in 45 degree weather. Now, I'm usually in the habit of leaving some of my accessories in the "on" position when I turn the car off at night, like the heater, radio, etc. When I turn the key, the accessories all come on but the voltage reads very low. I do not hear the starter making any noise it is dead silent. If I turn every accessory off, the voltage goes up and the car is able to start. The car has a brand new battery in it. Took it to the 'Zone, they tested the starter and alternator and they are both fine, but they found a steady one amp drain on the battery when everything should have been off. The Ford dealership I bought the car from says they can do a drainage test but they will need to keep the car for a couple days and I haven't gotten around to doing that yet.

In the meantime, until that, any suggestions???

 

i would get a multi meter and start digging...test the grounds then start testing wires for drainage....a meter is like 30 bucks 1 hour at the dealership 65....i think auto zone tests batteries for free.

 

if you have a volt meter you could start at the fuse box and see where the drain is coming from and try to trace it back

 

You can buy a cheap $4 meter from HF.
Dissconnect one side of the battery and
insert the meter between the bat terminal and
the lead you disconnected. (obsevve polarity in the AMPS range)

You can read the 1 amp on the meter. If you can't get a
meter substitute a 12 volt lamp (brake is good). The lamp
will be bright indicating current.

Start pulling one fuse at a time and watch.

My guess is one of your accys is wired to hot not
switched.

 

Well thanks guys, yeah I'm not all that mechanical myself but with my buddy's help I'm sure I could probably just do the drainage test myself and get it over with rather than wait for the dealership... we agree the drain is almost definitely related to the startup problem and not something unrelated right?? I suppose they could be 2 separate issues but I doubt it...

 

sounds unlikely if the car is starting fine with a jump. and when you put the key to on the voltage reads low. that drain is killing your battery over night and not leaving enough juice to start the car.

how about if you start the car (drive it obviously to let the battery charge) then turn the car off, and turn it back on?

 

See that's the really strange thing that confuses the heck out of me. If I drive the car and make a quick stop (like less than an hour, if I'm going to the store or something) and then restart the car, it still struggles to start. However when I start the car at the end of the day after work and it's been sitting for 8 hours, it fires right up...?! But then the next morning 12 hours later it struggles to start again!