Battery Drain or time to replace?

[26fan]

Hey all, I have a 2002 explorer. Yesterday morning I went out to start my ex and it clicked like it was dead, and finally slowed turned over and started. Yesterday after work (and it sitting for 9 hrs) it didn't click, but was really slow to start. I didn't want to deal with a dead battery this morning, so I started it (which it started really slow) last night at 1115 and let it ran for 10 mins or so. When I went out this morning the lights were really dim, but it started, really sluggishly again.

On Monday, when I started it, the door ajar sensor was going crazy. All doors were closed but it kept going on and off and locking the doors and beeping at me. It only last for a few mins, then no issue. It did the same thing Monday afternoon after work.

Could the door ajar issue have anything to do with the battery drain? Also, I relaced my blend door actuator this weekend (with MUCH help from this forum), but I don't think that'd have anything to do with it.

I'm not sure how old the battery is. But I know that I bought the car in 05, and I haven't replaced it since I bought it. So is it just time for a new battery?

Please help!

Monica

 

[scdix50]

If you bought the vehicle in o5, it may have already had a new battery in it. Soooo -05 to 11 makes it 6 years. You did well on a good to better battery at this point. You need a new battery, get a better to best name brand. You will be good to go for the next 5-7 years. P.S. I just noticed where you live, get the best one you can buy. You really do not want to be sitting in the cold.

 

[RickM]

Yes, your Door (Ajar) switch can be causing battery drain. It did for me.

It also sounds like SCD has good advise on considering a new battery. A recent thread compared different brands. My choice is the Walmart battery.

 

[miker104]

Most auto stores can do a battery check to determine if it needs to be replaced. Wal-Mart does the check when they do oil changes (or can if requested).

 

[High_Order1]

I keep preaching this...

These explorers are more of a computer on wheels than they are vehicles. They are super, hyper, MEGA sensitive to the condition of the battery.

Many things can upset a battery. Low or high temperatures, loss of electrolyte, overcharging, and unfortunately, time.

In the old days, the battery was for starting the car. That's it. Now, there are so, so many systems drawing 500 milliamps here and there all the time. It adds up.

If your battery is just a few volts off, it makes the computer brains (plural) in the car go NUTS. All kinds of gremlins can be cured by replacing a battery.

You can't just test a battery by putting a typical meter on it. You need to test the battery under load, which requires a special tester most don't have.

Also, if the terminals aren't clean, that can cause similar problems. That green stuff acts like a resistor, resisting the flow of energy from the battery. It also will eat holes in your clothes, so be careful when you clean it off....


Lastly, your alternator won't charge a discharged battery. It's not designed to do that. In the old days, there was amperage overhead. Now, when the alternator kicks in, it has to feed a monster stereo, gps, gas pump, computers, bla, bla, bla (unless you have an ambulance alternator....)

You either need to buy or borrow a battery charger, but as others have said, if that battery is 5-6 years old, because battery manufacturers skimp on internals, it is probably reaching the end of its' useful service life.

Be sure you buy one with plenty of CCA (Cold Cranking Amps)....

Shawn