Dead Battery

[Gary]

Got my TBird in December and love it. Only problem is when it sits for more than 8-10 days, the battery goes dead! Dealer said this is normal for any car and that it should be started every couple of days. Questions:
1) has anyone else experienced this problem? and 2) does anyone else use their TBird as a "nice weather car" and let it sit for longer than a week - with or without problems? The dealer is trying to convince me that this is not a mechanical problem and there is nothing wrong with the car, but I don't buy it. I've always had a third car that sat for long periods and they've always started right up -- until this one.

Gary

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[DavidA]

I'd say that something is either draining the battery, or more likely, you have a bad battery. It is definately not normal for any car to go dead after 8-10 days, or even up to several months. Have the dealer do a test on the battery first, and if it checks out good, then he can check for any unusual drain. A direct short will drain the battery, but it should do it faster than 10 days. I really suspect the battery has a bad cell.

 

[JimBob]

Gary:
I don't think this is normal at all...but I live in Phoenix...our battery problems arise out of extreme-heat issues, not like what you're dealing with in NJ.

However, even with that I can't see any reason why a car sitting for a week would have battery problems...does your car sit outside, or is it in a garage?

All our vehicles (always garaged) have sat for weeks and started right up...perhaps someone who's owned one for a while can give you some input...I don't take possession until tomorrow...but still doesn't sound right.
Jim

 

[joelja]

It cannot be normal. Think about it. A large airport parking lot has many, many cars there for a week , two weeks or more.

I've been parked there myself many times for more than 10 days to two weeks. i never had a dead battery and i have never seen an assist vehicle driving around jump starting one car after another.


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blue/blue/full blue/premium on order: VIN #16050

 

[Gobird]

Gary, sounds like everyone has said. Eather a battery problem or a dead short. But I think your biggest problem is your dealer for saying something like that.

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02 T-Bird 9293
69 Vette
73 MGB
97 F-150 4x4
2-Seadoo Jet Skies
a dog a cat and a couple hundred fish in my pond

 

[Gary]

I agree that this isn't normal! But I need verification from other owners that they have not experienced this problem, even when they don't use the car every day. At this rate, I'm ready to get a lawyer and use the "lemon law" for a refund on this car!

 

[RedBirdDlx]

More than likely, your battery has never had a full charge since it left the factory. .

How long does it take to reach "full" charge? If the charge rate is 10 amp hour (like many battery chargers) and the battery is a 500 CCA unit, it can take a full day or more to restore the battery to an acceptable charge level. If your alternator can put out 45 amps per hour for charging, (while you are driving with lights on etc.) it can take several hours.

If you are only going to drive short trips and store the vehicle for week long periods, give the battery a good charge before you store it. Invest in a small home charger or better yet, take a 4-5 hour trip.

 

[Mark501]

The only thing wrong here is that your dealer is BRAIN DEAD.

 

[Birdbrain]

Just got mine out of storage yesterday, and it has been sitting in a heated showroom since the first week of January. No problem, started right up. It was fully charged (just got back from Florida the day before it was stored). Agree, I think your dealer has a dead cell... in the head.

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Chris
2002 Premium
Thunderbird Blue/Blue/Partial

 

[K6RU]

Before I leave my "old" car at the airport, I put on a 2 amp charger overnight or longer to "top" it off. (The charger turns itself off when the battery reaches full charge).

Then I can leave it for 2 weeks.

There are drains continuously like the clock, alarm, etc. Shouldn't be more than .1 amp but even this low drain over 2 weeks drains 33 amp-hours.

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Chuck

 

[tbird]

I've always had a third car that sat for long periods and they've always started right up -- until this one.

Gary[/B]

Same here, sound like the dealer needs to find out the problem, the battery should hold a charge for a while.

 

[New Blackbird]

I was sick for two weeks and did not drive either of my two cars, Tbird and an A4. This past Monday was the first time I was able to leave the house and I drove the A4 on Monday and the Tbird on Tuesday. Both cars started up without any problems. I also live in New Jersey.

 

[DavidB]

I think we should post the names on this site of the dealerships who give such ridiculous answers like this or give inferior service. I for one would like to know who they are so I can make sure they never receive any of my business.

 

[LON O'CONNELL]

My car was caught up in the first hold and sat at the rail yard for 3 weeks. It started right up when they put it back on the carrier. It did not return to Amarillo for a little over a month and started right up. I've had the car since October 9th and only have 1,180 miles on the car. It has sat for 2 & 3 week periods of time and the battery has never even hinted that it may be low on a charge. Think dealer is giving you the run around. I know that Ford uses a special tester at the dealers and it actually gives an authorization # when the battery is tested if it tests bad. This number must be put on the dealers claim to be paid. The battery may be testing good, but the dealer needs to start looking elsewhere for the problem.

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Yellow/Yellow Prem. 02 Bird w/full accent
1999 F150 Super Cab 4x4 Off Road
1998 Taurus SE Sport 24V

 

[Howlee]

Gary, I have found when ever you get an answer that sounds like it may not be right, I then ask for the name and phone number of the district rep. I then make the call my self and tell him or her what is going on. When ever I have had to go this far or had others go this far, the problem normall alwasy gets fixed to the customer's satisfaction. Being that it won't start, comes up a safty problem also, they really dount like it when the word safty is brought into the conversation either. lets us know how it turns out. John

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Blue/Blue Prem. w/full accent
In my Garage as of 1/25 #6333 LIC: BLU TB

 

[RedBirdDlx]

Why speculate about other problems? Charge the battery and have it tested. If it is bad they will replace it. If it is good and will not hold a charge for 10 days, then they can start looking for an intermittant short or low amp draw that might cause the battery to discharge.
I still feel like the battery is at a low state of charge - that's all. (I checked with the old Motorcraft Battery Product Manager and he felt the same about this one).

 

[tbinil]

My car sits for weeks at a time in an insulated but unheated garage. There are also two older T-Birds out there with it. If they are left all winter, sometimes the batteries are a little low, but never dead. Go check on your car in the dark to see if an interior light has been left on. There could also be a glove box light or a trunk light stuck on due to a loose switch. These could drain the battery completely in 8-10 days. In the dark, you may be able to see light leaking from around the glove box door or such. This kind of thing has happened before.

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Yellow premium, full accent 4127

 

[Gary]

I still feel like the battery is at a low state of charge - that's all.

Wish that were true, but we had the battery replaced last time it died and it happened again within a month. So it has to be something else.

Gary

 

[Gobird]

Gary, yes it does sound like you may have a major short somewhere. Your dealer SHOULD be able to trace this. If the battery was replaced then this is what it almost has to be. I still think your dealer is setting on his thumbs on this one.


Gary, if you haven't been following the site very long you will find that your first name brings back some Bad memories to us. Someone else can explain this to you. Not your fault.

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02 T-Bird 9293
69 Vette
73 MGB
97 F-150 4x4
2-Seadoo Jet Skies
a dog a cat and a couple hundred fish in my pond

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[chryslertcnut]

Gary,
As suggested earlier, be sure to check that a light somewhere on the car is not turning off. On one of my other cars there was a problem with several people (including me) that would have the battery go dead in a few days of sitting idle. I discovered that the trunk light was not turning off. It had a switch in the latch mechanism that required the trunk to be fully latched to turn off the light. There was no mercury switch that allowed the light to go out with the trunk down but not latched. I've heard that mercury is not good for you, so they've eliminated that type of switch.
There must be something causing the battery to drain in such a short time.
I left my old '64 Falcon sit in a parking garage for 7 weeks while in Hawaii and it started right up. We leave our '57 Bird set for 3-4 weeks all the time and it starts with no problems.

George
Blue/White/full Blue on order (3/3/01)
North Richland Hills, TX

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