Battery dead every week

[RJM03Cobra]

Does anyone else have a battery that goes dead every week if it sits more than a couple of days! I have new top line Optima and it still dies every week. I have to keep a trickle charger on it, do I have a short or does something draw juice when sitting?

 

[GodStang]

Yes I have this. Right now our fuel pumps seem to be staying on even when the car is not running. We took the jumper out of the line and they now do not stay on. Maybe something to look at. I will keep you updated.

 

[Huachipato]

Odd - I have left mine sitting for over two weeks while on vacation and no problems. Maybe you have something plugged into the cigarette lighter?

 

[joemayo]

Mine did this after 5 days of sitting.. I have focus pumps out back.. kindof wierd

 

[SteveChris]

wouldnt you hear the pumps? maybe a volt meter would help, test the fuse box leads see whats drawing current. some will of course but it might give an idea

 

[MassCobra]

Mine would go dead with just my radar detector plugged in, now I leave it unplugged and have not had it go dead.

 

[Top_Fuel]

...do I have a short or does something draw juice when sitting?

Sounds like you have a parasitic draw (something in the car is "on" even though you think it's off)...

Check THIS thread.

 

[RJM03Cobra]

nothing plugged in , but do have twin focus pumps!

 

[GodStang]

Mine are twin Aviator pumps and yes you can hear them on. Nothing plugged in either!

 

[fr03cobra]

my tracking device kept draining the battery so I got rid of the tracking device. no problems now.

 

[RJM03Cobra]

Whats a tracking device?

 

[MidLifeC]

My car sites for 8 weeks in the winter and starts right up.

Alarm systems are notorious for draining batteries.

 

[VirtualSVT]

Does anyone else have a battery that goes dead every week if it sits more than a couple of days! I have new top line Optima and it still dies every week. I have to keep a trickle charger on it, do I have a short or does something draw juice when sitting?

Where/when did you purchase it?

I've had about 15 redtops come back over the past month for draining issues.

Find the 4 digit code on the of the battery and post it. Its a date code. A letter and a number.

 

[fr03cobra]

Whats a tracking device?

lowjack. in case it gets stolen.

 

[LTHL VNM]

my dad said mine just clicked from a dead battery again this morning when he went to start it. he takes it out once or twice a week and it's done this twice. he thinks the batter isn't charged and is just drained from being dead a few times before and just needs a full charge. he went to get a battery charger so we'll see if that works.
anyone know anything about this?

 

[FireRed04Vert]

Let me understand this correctly...your fuel pumps continue to run after the car is shut down? That isn't right... If true, are you by any chance running a BAP? Just wondering...not saying that's the problem in any way. But I know for a fact the pumps shouldn't be running after the vehicle is shut down.

 

[GodStang]

No they do not run when car is off. They run when you turn the car to the on position (not starting). They do the normal 2 sec cycle and then they continue to stay on. We took the jumper out of the BAP and it stopped. We think there may be a slow leak here, but no idea why they run all the time with the jumper in.

 

[mustang196718]

Definitely sounds like it might be something with your fuel system upgrades, because I'll let my car sit for weeks on end in the winter time and she'll start right up. Either that, or there's gotta be something on the interior drawing it down, or maybe a short. To me, it definitely sounds like your pumps are still drawing power after the car is off for some reason. Just my $0.02.

 

[VirtualSVT]

an optima should be able to withstand several months of being idle with the computer draw on it.

 

[Top_Fuel]

...he went to get a battery charger so we'll see if that works. anyone know anything about this?

Just do the following (in this order)...

1. Charge the battery
2. Load test the battery to make sure it's OK.
3. Have the charging system checked to make sure the alternator is functioning.
4. If the battery keeps going dead at this point, check for excessive current draw