Help! 99 GT keeps killing batteries...???

[musclhed]

I am now on my 3rd battery since I bought this car last year. I put a new battery in it a few months ago and it has ran fine. Last week the car sat for 8 days straight, and last nite it didn't have enough juice to even operate the door locks. This is the second time this has happened now. If I run the car on a regular basis, everyday or every other day, it is fine. If I jump it, it runs fine, so that tells me the alternator is okay. The only time I seem to have a problem is when the car sits for a week without driving it. I have no add-ons or accessories wired into the car, even the stereo system is stock. Really stumped with this. Please help!

Thanks...

[351wStang]

You have a constant drain somewhere.

[SkylineUSA]

Its a pain to troubleshoot.

If you know its going to be sitting for a while, I would pull some fuses and start narrowing down where the drain is.

[brokenantimatter]

Originally Posted by SkylineUSA

Its a pain to troubleshoot.

If you know its going to be sitting for a while, I would pull some fuses and start narrowing down where the drain is.

That's not really needed, they make insturments for DC power that would let you trace power consumption and levels.

I would check the basic stuff first:
glove box / trunk light
mach audio amp remote switch
mach audio radio
accessory ignition switch
alarm system




I bought a beemer today.

[musclhed]

[quote=brokenantimatter]That's not really needed, they make insturments for DC power that would let you trace power consumption and levels.

I would check the basic stuff first:
glove box / trunk light
mach audio amp remote switch
mach audio radio
accessory ignition switch
alarm system

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Yeah, I know there is a constant drain somewhere, I was just hoping that someone may have had this problem before to help pin-point it. Where would I take it to have the drain sourced out? Or is this a tool that I can buy? and where/how do you use it? Plug into the diagnostics/computer plug when the car is off so it can sense what is on?

I know the tration control switch is bad, as I can't turn off the trac control. Could a bad switch do this?

Autozone has been pretty cool about taking the batteries back each time. I just take them to different store locations...

Any other insight would be greatly appreciated......

Thanks!

[HiFlow5 0]

Originally Posted by musclhed

I am now on my 3rd battery since I bought this car last year. I put a new battery in it a few months ago and it has ran fine. Last week the car sat for 8 days straight, and last nite it didn't have enough juice to even operate the door locks. This is the second time this has happened now. If I run the car on a regular basis, everyday or every other day, it is fine. If I jump it, it runs fine, so that tells me the alternator is okay. The only time I seem to have a problem is when the car sits for a week without driving it. I have no add-ons or accessories wired into the car, even the stereo system is stock. Really stumped with this. Please help!

Thanks...

What battery are you using? Is it the correct size, what are teh CA's?

[musclhed]

Originally Posted by HiFlow5 0

What battery are you using? Is it the correct size, what are teh CA's?

Not sure, am at work now. But, I have already looked into this with Autozone, and they gave me the battery the model and year calls for... In addition, it happened with the factory supplied battery the very first time, and now 2x with Autozone batts.

[gforcestangs]

I am having the same exact problem with my 01 gt I am on my 3rd optima red top and my alternator is good I heard a rumor it might be the factory stereo system draining the batteries you might want to start there. let me know cuase I am lost.

[musclhed]

Originally Posted by gforcestangs

I am having the same exact problem with my 01 gt I am on my 3rd optima red top and my alternator is good I heard a rumor it might be the factory stereo system draining the batteries you might want to start there. let me know cuase I am lost.

A few months ago my alternator was squealing so I replaced it. Since I replaced it there have been NO problems with losing power. Before if the car sat longer than 4 or 5 days I wouldn't even have enuf power to use the door locks. Seems that the alternator was the issue...