Battery keeps going down

Tiny
SICKFIST
  • MEMBER
  • 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 60,000 MILES
My battery keeps going down very quickly. I tested the alternator and it is working fine under load. Replaced battery with brand new fully charged battery. Car started right up. Drove car on highway for about 20 miles. The next day the battery is completely dead. Can't even open power locks. Jump start the car with no problems. Drive car and all accessories and lights are working. Stop car. Battery completely dead and can't even turn on dome light immediately after turning off engine. Could it be the alternator even though it load tested fine? Would I still be able to drive with all lights and accessories working if the battery is dead and the alternator no good. I am perplexed. What could this be? Thanks.
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Tuesday, November 18th, 2008 AT 9:52 AM

31 Replies

Tiny
DOCFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,828 POSTS
One of two things is going on either you have a bad battery (even though it is new) or there is something causing the battery to drain down such as a seat switch or lighter stuck on. Here are two guides you should go over to see if you can figure out the problem.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-battery-load-test

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-battery-dead-overnight

Please let us know what you find.

Cheers
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Tuesday, November 18th, 2008 AT 10:21 AM
Tiny
SICKFIST
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Well, I have now checked the car for any power draws and cannot find any. I have taken the car to two mechanics since my last post and they cannot find the problem. They both said they could find no draw and the alternator and battery are working fine. I tried the load test you gave me and bam the battery failed. I replaced it again and bam! All fixed. Thanks 2carpros!
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Thursday, November 20th, 2008 AT 12:19 PM
Tiny
DOCFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,828 POSTS
Yep I have seen where even new batteries can be bad. Here is a guide to show others how to change the battery out.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-a-car-battery

Glad you could get it fixed, that kind of problem can be tough. Please use 2CarPros anytime we are here to help

Cheers, DOC

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Saturday, November 22nd, 2008 AT 9:35 AM
Tiny
ANTIWA
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU
Computer problem
2005 Chevy Malibu 6 cyl Automatic 79000 miles

Do you know how much it would cost to repair or replace a computer for a 2005 chevy malibu. I took the car to get check and stated that it is probably has to do with the computer and to take to the dealership. Maybe they can do an intense exam of the car. I did have the remote control module unit repaired about five months ago but believe that these are two separate issues. Thank you.
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Saturday, November 11th, 2017 AT 8:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
You might be thinking that's something is draining the battery but who knows the alternator is not reconditioning the battery due to the computer controlled of the alternator field generation circuit
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Saturday, November 11th, 2017 AT 8:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
TMG74
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 190,000 MILES
My battery is draining when the car sits overnight. I have had the battery tested and the alternator, they both tested fine. I took it to a mechanic today and they said my pcm is going out and the computer is continuing to run when the car is turned off. I had a different mechanic tell me that if it were pcm the car would not run at all. I'm confused any ideas? Could it just be a fuse?
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Saturday, November 11th, 2017 AT 8:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ISLAND_PRIDE71
  • MEMBER
  • 62 POSTS
You need to use a ammeter to check for the short that is eating the battery up. Hook the ammeter up and use the milliamp scale and start removing fuses one by one. The fuse that doesn't drop the excessive milliamps between 20-50 milliamps is the trouble circuit.
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Saturday, November 11th, 2017 AT 8:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BUDDYBOYZ
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU
  • 2.2L
  • 4 CYL
  • 100,000 MILES
Battery keeps dying. I got a new one, change alternator and starter and still something kills the battery.
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Saturday, November 11th, 2017 AT 8:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
You will have to check for a parasitic draw. something is staying on when it should not be and killing battery.
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-battery-dead-overnight
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Saturday, November 11th, 2017 AT 8:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
Just to add to this one have you checked to make sure the alternator you installed is actually charging?
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Saturday, November 11th, 2017 AT 8:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DEBEE09
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU
Electrical problem
2001 Chevy Malibu 6 cyl Automatic

I have an electrical device burning smell and some smoke, but I can't find where it is coming from. My battery was tested and recharged (the condition was very good) and after trying to start my car, the battery acts as it it is drained. I tried using another vehicle to jump start it and it won't start. I tried hooking a battery with jumper cables to start it and the other new battery acted as if it was drained. The lights worked and everything electrical worked before I attempted to start the engine. Because I couldn't start it, I could not get an output voltage reading from the alternator.
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Saturday, November 11th, 2017 AT 8:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Check the battery open voltage should read 12.6 volts or better-if so load test if it doesn't hold 9.6 volts in 10secs its no good-could be sulfated
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Saturday, November 11th, 2017 AT 8:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ENEG
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 51,000 MILES
Electrical problem
2003 Chevy Malibu 4 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic 51000 miles

I think the problem is with the light switch position. There are three positions. The correct psn must be "Auto", but yet the battery runs down. Could there be something else I am overlooking?

PS I just got the car.
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Saturday, November 11th, 2017 AT 8:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,005 POSTS
Hi:
Has the battery ever been replaced?
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Saturday, November 11th, 2017 AT 8:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
NIGHTSPAWN
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU
  • 280,000 MILES
I have and took it off the road for about 6 months and when I went to start it had no power. I bought a new battery and still no power, no lights radio nothing. I checked fuses and cables and everything looked good. What could be the problem. No power at all.
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Saturday, November 11th, 2017 AT 8:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Check and test all the fusible links-start here
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Saturday, November 11th, 2017 AT 8:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KELLYD86
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 2000 CHEVROLET MALIBU
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 175,000 MILES
Electrical problem
2000 Chevy Malibu 6 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic 175000 miles

I bought this car almost 6 months ago, and I never had a problem until we bought our second car, and the battery in that one was bad, and I ended up having to give it about 5 boosts over a period of about 4-5 days. (That car needed a new battery).
That's when the problems started for my car, I was driving one day and it just cut off on me, restarted right away, but the car cut off, no power steering or anything. This happened a total of 4 times over a 3 week period. That has since stopped happening, but now my car just wont start most of the time. I have to get a boost most times in order to get it started. It starts almost right away when I give it a boost.
I guess what I'm wondering is, do you think this is a battery problem or something more? I had it to a mechanic, but they couldn't find anything wrong, but that was back right after it cut off while I was driving the first time.
Do you think it is my battery? Or something else?
I guess I should mention as well, that when I bought the car, it had been sitting for roughly a year and not being used. I know that that is very bad on the battery, as is giving people a boost, and I think both those things, combined with the -30 to -40 weather has taken a toll on my battery.
Any information or help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks you so much,

Kelly.
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Saturday, November 11th, 2017 AT 8:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LSAUTO
  • MECHANIC
  • 61 POSTS
I think u have got it right a battery that has been sitting up 4 a year and the cold temps have proby done it in, question 2 u is do u have lights ( ie dashlights headlights ) when the car wont start, also I would check the battery connections make sure they are clean and tight hope this helps lsauto
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Saturday, November 11th, 2017 AT 8:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KELLYD86
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
I do have a little bit of light, they flicker a bit as im trying to turn it over. I have had a problem with the lights flickering high and low for about 3 1/2 months. It started happening almost every time I would start the car, also her RPM's would go high - low, high - low as well.
I took a closer look at the battery today, and realized that it's the original battery to the car. Which is almost 9 years old now. So I'm quite positive that my battery is giving me the problems.
I made an appointment to put it in the shop on Thursday, getting a new battery, radiator hose (which I also noticed has a small crack and is leaking a tiny bit), oil change, 150 point inspection, and a tune up! Hopefully if there is anything else wrong besides the battery, they'll find it!
Thanks for your reply, if you thing there may be something else I should check out or anything be sure to let me know! :)

Thanks again,
Kelly!
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Saturday, November 11th, 2017 AT 8:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LSAUTO
  • MECHANIC
  • 61 POSTS
K the lights comming on means that the battery connection is there as for the age 9 years is a long time for a battery u diff got your moneys worth on that one the only other thing that might give u a problem is the starter a bad battery will strain a starter so have the shop check the starting and charging systems too prevent a future brakedown just when u get it back lsauto
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Saturday, November 11th, 2017 AT 8:27 PM (Merged)

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