Dead Battery

[jfredjr]

I have a seldom-driven '02 that requires a charge about every 3 weeks sitting in a heated garage. I think this is unusual, but I've never gone back to the dealer with it. Maybe I should?

[Ticket Ted]

I put my car to bed for the winter in the first part of November. I did not start it for 45 days and it cranked right up. Went out last week after almost two months and it fired right up without any hesitation. 8 to 10 days is garbage if your dealer is telling you.

Ticket Ted
2003 Whisper White/White Top-Red/Black Premium interior

[George]

I believe that if you're not going to drive your bird very often you should use a battery tender. This does not trickle charge, but maintains your battery at a proper level.
My antiques were seldom driven and I would get 3-4 years from a battery. Then I switched to the tender and my battery life went to 5-6 years.
With all the electronics in these new cars, it probably makes more sence to use one. Just my opinion

[REAL DJ]

Hi,
I have a 97 'bird with 368000 on it, It still has the first battery in it. It is left at the airport all the time. The only time the battery went flat was when I left the cell phone pluged in, on charge for a month. I think that was my goof.
I just picked up my 04 in Feb. it has been in storage since, the battery is still up. Put an amp. meter on the battery lead and see if there is any draw. If there isn't any draw it is likely a bad battery.
Iwould also find a new dealer!

1977 Triumph
1997 T'bird
2002 Explorer
2004 T'bird
Three #^*@ cats

[Ticket Ted]

I store my 2003 for the winters. It goes to bed around the end of October and gets up in April. I start it twice and leave it run for about a half hour. No problems with the battery. It's in an unheated garage. I know that the radio and clock use the battery for memory purposes but not enough to draw the battery down. Too many complaints on this topic. What if Ford has a bad batch of batteries? Ask the dealer to replace the battery under the assumption of a bad cell. With a sealed battery, there is no way to test the cells. A common test is a draw test with a meter but I have seen these tests check ok with a weak battery. The real test is to see how many times the car can start in a row before it will not crank. If it stops cranking in five tries, you definitely have a bad battery.

We have similar troubles with our police cars if the radio and related equipment is left on. I know that after a jump start and use for a shift, the problem should be solved, but if it happens over and over after sitting a few hours, the car battery has a bad cell.

Fight for a new battery. It is not going to cost the dealer a penny.

Ticket Ted
2003 Whisper white-white top/premium red-black interior

[captjim]

The newest method of testing a battery is conductance testing. You need to input some info into the meter like battery type, cold cranking amps, etc. When the tester shows cca less than 80% of spec, it's time to replace the battery.

Jim

Hi to everyone,
There are lots of useful comments in this forum. I thought I'd add some of my thoughts ( as an old aircraft maintainer ).
The battery may read 12 volts even when it is weak. Voltage is not the issue here. Current is the issue. When the car is off everything should be OFF with exception of a few minor current drains for the clock, etc. The designer takes this into account. If you have a short, it will drain the battery very quickly...usually a bare wire somewhere, touching the frame ( aka GROUND ) and you may have sparks and...well!
Little things like sticking relays manifest themselves in funny ways.
If you were closer to Seattle I'd pop over and help you troubleshoot the problem.
Seems that your local dealer either doesn't care about service or his mechanics need some training. You would believe that after the new Bird has been around for four model years that he has one guy who knows the car.
Sounds like a sticky relay is the culprit, allowing a load (lamp, heating element, etc.) to drain the battery. The bigger the load, the faster the drain. The dealer should have no trouble testing current drain and probably has a spec on it.
When storing a vehicle ( more than one month ) the battery should be disconnected or you should use a trickle charger, or George's suggestion of the battery tender.
Hope this helps. Take a big stick with you the next time you visit the dealer!!
Putt

[Ticket Ted]

The comments on this issue are really good. A short would blow the fuse to the circuit and if it is not a protected circuit, start a fire. It's funny that only some cars are experiencing the problem. A simple test would be to use a volt/ohm meter with capability of measuring current. Remove the ground cable to the battery and put one end of the amp meter lead to the battery cable and the other end onto the ground post of the battery. This will now measure the current draw. If it shows a negatiuve figure or minus sign in the display, reverse the meter leads. It should show a very small figure, like less than one amp. I figure with the clock circuit and radio/computer memory, the draw should be about 1/2 amp or 500 mili amp. Oh, don't forget to disconnet the trunk light bulb because that will increase you reading. Try the reading with the doors open or headlights on. You can see the current draw on the battery. (my electronics degree has paid off a little-didn't learn it in the police academy)

Happy testing.

Ticket Ted
2003 Whisper White/White top- Premium red/black interior

(

Ticket Ted,
Great info. There should be a spec at Ford for normal current draw, but I agree with your estimate.
So you have a EE and you became a policeman. I have a number of friends who have left the aerospace business to do other things. I'm still plugging away but in sales/marketing.
I apoligize for straying off message.
Putt
2003 Metalic Gray/Black/Black Ink

[tlfmd]

I had to go on a business trip..
Left the '05 in the garage, softop up, windows down, the phone charger unplugged (turned off, I have a little add on 3-way 12v splitter) and on return 7th day, the lights were dim , the wheel groaned into place and it clicked on attempt to crank. I charged for a couple of hours.. and it cranked and ran like new... time for a joyride with my wife... beautiful partially cloudy night, perfect for country stargazing. Within 2 days, it was in the shop, and they found a "safety switch" that is supposed to preserve enough juice for a cold crank and start that was defective. That was Friday. It is Sunday afternoon, 75F and my daughter from college wanted to go for a ride. It IS DEAD.. nothing, no lights, no nothing. The battery tests at 4.7 V.
Thank God I'm not on call or anything today, tomorrow is another story.
I replaced my '90 Buick Reatta (fully equipped, as you know) which was subject to my same behavior (parked for days, ran short hops to the hospital, etc for 15 years). I only dealt with the battery when I had 'em prophyllactically replace the battery on the 5 year anniversaries. My Daughters' two neobugs get left outdoors for days/weeks and run good, without the use of that solar charger. IT IS NOT NORMAL for it to go dead in a few days, even month or so.
Something is screwed up.

[tlfmd]

I was talking with the head service tech...he said that the T-bird can sit for a long time and not sell, then poof...all of 'em go one weekend.
Mine was built in second week of August 2004, I bought it week before Christmas (I peeked under the tree)
Even with the careful recharging that the dealership does...it just isn't the same as regular service..and they have to replace most batteries...with all the electronics in cars nowadays
(This explains why the Pinto I use every two years has a satisfactory battery MOST of the time...next to NO electronics)

...to the trekkies...ever heard of saurium krellide batteries? we need something like them, not an engineers fantasy.

[wcurtis]

We have experienced the same problem as Gary's. If the car is left unused in our garage for 2-3 weeks (we are away on vacation), then the battery dies. The dealer has given us our 4th battery since we bought the car in 2004.

I tried the trickel charger the last time and it still died!!

[George]

Originally Posted by wcurtis

We have experienced the same problem as Gary's. If the car is left unused in our garage for 2-3 weeks (we are away on vacation), then the battery dies. The dealer has given us our 4th battery since we bought the car in 2004.

I tried the trickel charger the last time and it still died!!

I don't think trickel charge will solve the problem.Since the dealer has replaced your battery 4 times, that indicates that there is another issue and it's not the battery.He needs to find the cause/drain.
If he keeps replacing batteries until you run out of warranty, you own the problem. I'd leave it there until fixed. NOTE: Be sure that they write up a work order each time you take it back. You may need it in the future.

[gmartin]

We have a late model gm vehicle that had a problem with circuitry in the radio. It continued to draw power when the vehicle was parked, completely dishcharging the battery within a couple of days. Diagnosed by an auto tech friend. Replaced the radio with a salvaged unit and problem solved.

[densbird]

Gary,

I have a 02 Bird. In 03 I was moving and put the Bird in my nephews garage. it sat for 4 months. Started right up.

In past years I have been gone for a month at a time and the car started right up. This year I was gone for two months and it started right up.

I never locked the doors and never had the led alarm flashing. Would not think this would use that much juice anyway.

I would go back to the dealer if I were you.