Something is draining my battery

TAY HUDSON

MEMBER
2012 FORD FUSION
V8
2WD
AUTOMATIC
80,500 MILES

I am having some issues with my car. Recently, when I was getting ready to head to work, come to find out my was battery drained Bought a new battery and worked fine. Now it seems this is a constant thing as it keeps draining/not keeping charge. I have a twelve volt portable jump starter, that does not work when I try to jump it. I even tried to get a jump from another vehicle (three different cars and two trucks) and still does not get started. Finally, I called progressive for a jump and they were able to get my car started with a seventeen volt jump starter. There is nothing on in the car (head lambs, lights, etc, ) that are/were left on in this case. My husband does say that he hears some type of electrical buzz possibly coming from the fuse box. Also, the positive (its the red right?) Terminal was loose in the beginning but we now got it tightened. Our local mechanic says it may be an electrical issue that is draining the battery, or worse case scenario, the alternator, and progressive mechanic states that it may be the positive(?) Terminal. Any insight on this would be greatly appreciated as I do not want to spend money on getting things replaced that do not need to.

1 Reply

HARRY P

MECHANIC
2,293 POSTS

First, you should definitely check the battery cables and terminals. If you can turn the terminal by hand even when it is fully tightened, then it is time to replace that terminal. If there is any greenish/whitish gunk on the terminals, take them off and clean them. Then make sure that the terminals can be tightened enough that you cannot move them by hand. Follow the battery cables to their opposite ends and check their tightness. If there is any issue there, disconnect them and clean all around the area. Reinstall and tighten them so that they cannot be moved by hand. If everything checks out okay, then you will need to test for an electrical short.

There is a test that anyone can do for an electrical short. All you need is a multi-meter ($15.00 to $20.00 or so at AutoZone). Disconnect one of the battery cables from the battery. Take your multi-meter, turn it on, and set to 20 volts DC. Take one lead and connect it to the newly disconnected battery cable, and connect the other lead to the battery post. You may have to MacGyver it to keep the leads connected. You should see some sort of reading. Now start unplugging fuses, one at a time, until you see a large drop in the meters reading. You have now identified the circuit. If the car has any aftermarket electronics (like a radio, for example), then start with checking that.

This is the multimeter that I have: http://www.sears.com/craftsman-multimeter-digital-with-8-functions-and-20/p-03482141000P?plpSellerId=Sears&prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

Let us know which fuse it was and I will personally look up what is on that circuit.