Battery dead every morning.

[Lonn craw]

I have an 03 explorer. Changed back hatch light switch, and disconnected the driver side door light switch. Now something else in the thing killing the battery. Every so often the battery will start it and most of the time is dead. Hat to charge it for an hour to stay it. Or jump it. What else could be draining this beauty dead? Was wondering if anyone has any tsb on this. I don't have Michelle's or all data any other ideas?

 

[Cheddar Dan]

Glove box light staying on? Under hood light?
Are you 100% sure Alternator is charging at correct level?
Is battery over 3 years old? Has battery been tested?
Bad connections at battery terminals??

 

[extra-medium]

I would install a kill switch that cuts all power. Turn it off once the car is off, and turn it on before you start it.

 

[Lonn craw]

Battery tested good, alternator tested good, I cleaned all connections for the battery. I had seen the switch for under the hood light but wasn't able to find the light itself. And they've put it on a scan tool which told me what doors where sticking open. I'm thinking it's the battery myself. And thought about putting a switch in to shut off all power. But just like jumping it it begins to be a pain. I just wasn't sure if it was a common problem like the door switches if there may of been something else that would be killing the battery. When I get it back from the garage. I will keep you posted on what I find out. Thank you.

 

[IPcamper]

You can check you battery cables.
Scrap a clean spot on the battery terminals, and the alternator housing. While the vehicle is running, use a volt meter and measure between the alternator positive terminal and the positive terminal on the battery. This should be ZERO. If you see something > .1volts, then you have a voltage drop due to corrosion. Too high a voltage drop will prevent the battery from charging.
That is only half the circuit, you also need to measure between the clean spot on the alternator and the negative terminal of the battery. It should be ZERO volts as well, if not then there is corrosion or a bad contact somewhere on your ground cables.

 

[Tech By Trade]

Grab an ammeter, preferably an out of circuit one if you can. Put it on the hot cable and pull the fuses one by one to find out which circuit is causing the excess draw. Then at least you know which circuit is causing the issue and you can troubleshoot from there. Much better then flock shooting the issue.

 

[lincolnshibuya]

Grab an ammeter, preferably an out of circuit one if you can. Put it on the hot cable and pull the fuses one by one to find out which circuit is causing the excess draw. Then at least you know which circuit is causing the issue and you can troubleshoot from there. Much better then flock shooting the issue.

only check the circuits that are HOT all the time (radio,doors,wipers,etc), they are the ones causing the drain. Note that your current drain will be higher while the system is not sleeping.

 

[TechGuru]

I would install a kill switch that cuts all power. Turn it off once the car is off, and turn it on before you start it.

Bad idea, would reset the computer every time requiring relearning of idle, fuel trim, transmission shifts, etc.

 

[TechGuru]

Battery tested good, alternator tested good, I cleaned all connections for the battery. I had seen the switch for under the hood light but wasn't able to find the light itself. And they've put it on a scan tool which told me what doors where sticking open. I'm thinking it's the battery myself. And thought about putting a switch in to shut off all power. But just like jumping it it begins to be a pain. I just wasn't sure if it was a common problem like the door switches if there may of been something else that would be killing the battery. When I get it back from the garage. I will keep you posted on what I find out. Thank you.

These vehicles have a battery saver relay that shuts all the interior lights off after like 30 minutes so a bad door switch would not cause a dead battery.

 

[Lonn craw]

It ended up being the battery. The garage kept putting used batteries in it because they half a&&

 

[Lonn craw]

I was thinking the battery even though it tasted good. The battery want holding the charge long enough it kept draining itself down

 

[TechGuru]

Get a Motorcraft from OReilly (or Ford) or a AGM Duralast from AutoZone.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/MOT2/BXT65850/03321.oap

http://www.autozone.com/batteries-s...ery/duralast-platinum-battery/319465_929779_0

 

[imp]

I would love to eat a battery that "tasted" good!! imp

 

[Caponetta]

Do you have an aftermarket headunit? The internal amp went on my headunit and after about 15 minutes of turning off the car and accessories, the speakers would pop and emit a high pitched feedback until the battery was drained. Was wondering why my truck kept dying until I sat in the car after parking and heard it for myself. I unplugged the headunit to test, and the battery remained charged over night.

 

[TechGuru]

Do you have an aftermarket headunit? The internal amp went on my headunit and after about 15 minutes of turning off the car and accessories, the speakers would pop and emit a high pitched feedback until the battery was drained. Was wondering why my truck kept dying until I sat in the car after parking and heard it for myself. I unplugged the headunit to test, and the battery remained charged over night.

Sounds like it was wired wrong as the main electronics of the HU should have no power when the vehicle is off. Some idiots like to wire it wrong on purpose to be able to have the radio going without needing the key in the ignition but I think that is a bad idea.

 

[imp]

Sounds like it was wired wrong as the main electronics of the HU should have no power when the vehicle is off. Some idiots like to wire it wrong on purpose to be able to have the radio going without needing the key in the ignition but I think that is a bad idea.

@TechGuru
Agreed, and understood! Now, what do you think of not having Air Bags powered-up at all times, (key off)? imp

 

[TechGuru]

@TechGuru
Agreed, and understood! Now, what do you think of not having Air Bags powered-up at all times, (key off)? imp

I think air bags should be active if the vehicle is occupied. Drunks do hit parked cars at 80mph... should probably use a weight sensor in the seat to turn the airbag system on/off instead of the ignition switch but still have the ignition switch override the seat switch just in case the seat switch fails.

 

[imp]

I think air bags should be active if the vehicle is occupied. Drunks do hit parked cars at 80mph... should probably use a weight sensor in the seat to turn the airbag system on/off instead of the ignition switch but still have the ignition switch override the seat switch just in case the seat switch fails.

@TechGuru
Good thinking. Reason I brought it up, early on, around late '80s, early '90s, debate went on about inactive bags when shut down. Most Japanese thinking then was, shut 'em off. Ford left them on. Those big capacitors kept charged when the alternator is inactive DO add to the parasitic drag on the battery. All capacitors leak some current, D.C.-wise. 'Course if we had the perfect dielectric.....
imp

 

[TechGuru]

@TechGuru
Good thinking. Reason I brought it up, early on, around late '80s, early '90s, debate went on about inactive bags when shut down. Most Japanese thinking then was, shut 'em off. Ford left them on. Those big capacitors kept charged when the alternator is inactive DO add to the parasitic drag on the battery. All capacitors leak some current, D.C.-wise. 'Course if we had the perfect dielectric.....
imp

Speaking of airbags, check this out: