1991 Ford Topaz sometimes it starts, sometimes it doesn’t

Tiny
2CP-ARCHIVES
  • MEMBER
  • 1991 MERCURY TOPAZ
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 130,000 MILES
1991 Ford Topaz mileage: 130,000 The car has a mind of it's own; sometimes it starts, sometimes it doesn’t and there is no rhyme or reason to it. We’ve had it to a garage that we've dealt with for some time and have had everything checked out to no avail. It looked as though there was a short in the running lights so we had the modem removed. We even had a new battery installed. This week it decided not to start again so we boosted it again and it was fine for a couple of days. Now it needs another boost today, what do you think we're overlooking? Nothing is being left on that could drain the battery, but every couple of days the battery appears 'dead' and the car requires a boost to go. Help!
Wednesday, November 17th, 2010 AT 11:49 PM

1 Reply

Tiny
2CP-ARCHIVES
  • MEMBER
  • 4,540 POSTS
Here is the procedure we use to isolate a battery drain. Remove negative battery cable from the battery. Using a 12-volt test light, hook one end to the negative battery post the other end to the negative battery cable you just disconnected. The test light will glow or “light” if there is a drain. If the “light or glow” is faint, that is probably normal draw for the clock or computer. If the “light or glow” is bright, then there is a large drain. That should be corrected. Now start removing and replacing the fuses one by one until the light goes out; that one will be the circuit with the drain. Remember to hold in the button in the door jam for the interior lights.
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Wednesday, November 17th, 2010 AT 11:53 PM

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