1997 Ford Taurus seems like the car has a hard time startin

MOMNMEADOW

MEMBER
1997 FORD TAURUS
6 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
143,511 MILES

Hi, my car has a very hard time starting but once its started its ok, so probably not alternator. Didn't leave any lights on, autozone tested battery and its ok. He said there might be something draining the battery while the car is off, is that possible, the battery is like 2 years old, do you think its time for a new one, or maybe something else?

1 Reply

BMRFIXIT

MECHANIC
19,053 POSTS

If you do a lot of short drives that may but the battery in low charge start
you can also check for battery draining down over night

BATTERY DRAIN TEST
NOTE: Amperage draw will vary from vehicle to vehicle depending on equipment package.
No production vehicle should have more than a 50 mA (0.050 amp) draw.
BATTERY DRAIN TEST
1. Ensure junction box/fuse panels are accessible without turning on interior and hood lights. Drive vehicle over 30 MPH for at least 5 minutes. Park vehicle and allow to sit with ignition off for at least 40 minutes to allow electronic modules to power down.

2. Connect a fused jumper wire between negative battery cable and negative battery post. Disconnect negative battery cable from negative battery post, without breaking the jumper wire connection to prevent modules from resetting.

NOTE: It is very important that continuity is not broken between negative battery post and negative battery cable when disconnecting battery cable or connecting ammeter. If continuity is broken, go to step 1.
3. Ensure ammeter is set to read milliamps with at least a 10 amp capability. Connect ammeter between negative battery cable and negative battery post. Remove fused jumper wire.

4. If excessive current draw is present (50 mA or more), pull fuses from battery/central junction box one at a time and note any current drop when each fuse is removed. DO NOT reinstall fuses until test is complete.

5. Check wiring diagrams for any circuits that run from battery without passing through battery/central junction box. Disconnect these circuits if current draw still exists. Repair appropriate circuits as necessary.