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        General >> Problems >> Battery draining
        
(Message started by: dana on May 16^th, 2007, 1:02am)

Title: Battery draining
Post by dana on May 16^th, 2007, 1:02am

Hi everyone,

This is my first post on this forum though I have read many of the useful tips and advice on here before. I also have virtually no knowledge of cars, so please be gentle ;)

I own a 2.9 24v estate which I was lucky enough to buy off some friends last year for not very much money. So far I have been a happy owner and feel very chuffed to own a Scorpio as my first car :)

However, I am experiencing a little problem at the moment. I have recently (two months ago) moved house from an area where I used the car very regularly (at least once a day) to an area where I no longer do so. I now use the car as little as twice a week, just because I can get almost everywhere I want to on foot. However, I still want to keep my car for long journeys and because I am in a band and make use of the huuuuge boot.

I was ill last week so I didn't drive my car for almost a week, and when I finally got in it, it wouldn't start! Called the AA out to check it out and the guy seemed puzzled - according to him the battery is in good condition and not old (though tbh I have no real idea how old the battery is as it was in place when I bought the car) and the alternator still works (I had it replaced less than 12 months ago). He charged it enough so I could drive, then told me to go drive for at least 40 minutes and to keep driving over the next few days. Although I drove for over an hour on that initial day, in typical stupid me style, I didn't get round to driving every single day over the last few days so when I got in my car again today, the battery was drained once again.

So what I'm wondering is, could the battery be drained simply because I have been using my car so little (bearing in mind that I never had this problem when I lived at my old address), or is there some sort of short that is draining the battery? Is it worth getting the AA out to charge the battery again and this time *actually* drive every day, or is it just going to die on me again? Is there anything I can do (bearing in mind I'm not great with cars) that will help me determine what the problem is?

Thanks and any help will be gratefully received :)

Title: Re: Battery draining
Post by TiberiuS on May 16^th, 2007, 1:17am

Hi, sounds to me like a classic dead battery. If the battery is old it could be weak and not able to hold a charge if the car is stood for long. First thing would be to get a new battery fitted and see how it goes.

Sometimes one of the electric modules or looms can go wrong and cause a current drain which will flatten the battery if the car is left for too long, if you keep having problems after a new battery you could get an auto-electrician to put an ammeter on the battery and test whether there's a drain - normally it can be traced to a single circuit and the remedy isn't normally too expensive.

It might also be worth checking whether the glovebox and boot lamps go off when you shut them, these are known to sometimes cause problems.

But, given the age of the car, I'd say the battery is the likely culprit ;).

Good luck.

Regards, Bruce :).

Title: Re: Battery draining
Post by Spannerdemon on May 16^th, 2007, 6:44am

Hi Dana and welcome to the forum.

Good advice from Bruce. I had this problem with the glovebox. when I first got my car. You need to go out late one night, and open the passenger door. Wait until the interior lights go off, and then look very carefully round the glovebox for any chinks of light.
In my case I glued two small rubber washers together and then glued them under the little 'peg' that turns the glovebox light on and off. no more problems.

You can also do a very simple Self Diagnostic Test. Under the Speedometer, there is a button. Press this, and hold it in (with the ignition on) for about 10 seconds, and it should chime.

Look in the little 'window' on the speedo that has your mileage in it, and if you then keep repeatedly pressing it, it gives you diagnostic information about certain things on the car, and after about 7 or 8 presses, you'll get "Battery"

Don't worry, you can't mess anything up by using this feature of the car.
The battery voltage SHOULD read betweem about 12.5 to 13.8 volts. Much less than this, and you've got your answer.

Good idea to do this after you haven't used the car for a few days to get a true figure.

Here's the full article. What you want is at the bottom of the page.

HERE (http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/instreset.htm)

If you continue have problems, then a new battery is probably going to be your answer. It's always an unknown thing when you buy a car. You never know how long the battery has been in the car, and these Scorpios do need a really good charge to start them up and run them.

Come back if you're still having problems. ;)

Title: Re: Battery draining
Post by pedropedro on May 16^th, 2007, 8:50am

Hi
glove compartment bulb staying on is very common...another easy check is to open compartment and touch the bulb ...careful!

if its been on for 12 hours it will be very hot ... if its just turned on the glass takes maybe 5 mins to get hot

Title: Re: Battery draining
Post by Dave2302 on May 16^th, 2007, 6:35pm

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If the AA man tested the battery correctly and said it's ok then the most likely culprit is the glove box light.

Regards Dave

Title: Re: Battery draining
Post by samg on May 16^th, 2007, 8:41pm

Hi Dana,

I had similar problem with my Ultima 2.9 12v Estate, the battery would go flat without warning especially on short runs stopping and starting, even after I had fully charged the battery over night.

I bought a new Exide battery from Partco only £43 inc. vat, never had the problem since.

Good Luck,

Sam

Title: Re: Battery draining
Post by dana on May 16^th, 2007, 9:40pm

Well, had another AA man look at it today. He tested the glovebox light and it did seem to be draining the battery, so he removed the bulb and hopefully this will stop it from going dead. I may well do what TiberiuS has suggested at some point, but at least for now the drain has been stopped. Let's see how it goes I guess!

Thanks everyone for your suggestions :D

Title: Re: Battery draining
Post by Kjetil S on May 16^th, 2007, 10:22pm

Try putting a pad of doublesided tape (without removing the film) where the glovebox light switch hits. That should put enough pressure on the switch to make it turn the light off. I had the same problem and it cured mine.