battery drain on parked 99 Taurus

[braveboy09]

My son's 99 Taurus sits a lot at college. After about a week, the battery goes dead. The car starts fine when you jump it. We have put 2 new batteries in and the problem pursists. A local shop checked all the fuses for battery drain but couldn't find any. They suggested another shop about an hour away. I was hoping someone in here had resolved a similar problem. The problem doesn't happen when the car is driven daily. Thanks for any help you may offer.

[sbddude]

Go to kragen and they can check your alternator and charging system for free. Also make sure you checked your fuses both under the hood and inside the car. When i had the problem it was a bad fuse, but the kragen guys said it could be your diodes in your alternator. Good luck!

[braveboy09]

Originally Posted by sbddude

Go to kragen and they can check your alternator and charging system for free. Also make sure you checked your fuses both under the hood and inside the car. When i had the problem it was a bad fuse, but the kragen guys said it could be your diodes in your alternator. Good luck!

Thanks! I'm not sure who Kragen is, but I'll look in the phone book, etc. The first shop did check the fuses in both places. I'd be happy if it's just something we can get fixed... he now has to disconnect the battery each time he parks the car at school. Not very convenient.

[denisb]

A couple of possibly stupid, but possible causes questions, could be. Does he have a light under the hood? if so the switch could be missaligned and the light could be staying on. Could be a trunk switch leaving the trunk light on (same idea as the hood). Does he have a cell phone charger or such that might be plugged in? Sometimes it's the small stuff.

[sbddude]

Kragen is an auto parts store. Try whatever you have in your town: auto zone, NAPA, etc....

[illegal_op]

make sure the dome light is not staying on. A common problem with the taurus is that the sensor for the door is located in the latch itself and sometimes they neet to be sprayed with wd-40 or they will stick and the dome light will stay on.

[LarryKL]

Another option is solar charges, Harbor Freight has one for only $10, just leave plugged into cig lighter.