Battery keeps dying ??

[Diameg]

On my 94 MTX, the battery seems to keep dying. Something (it would appear) is draining it and I don't know where to start looking.

On Wednesday, I went to start it and the battery just couldn't get it going. Lights were all dim, the whole works.
I put in the perfectly working battery from my 90, and it started. Later in the day, that also wouldn't work, lights dim, etc.
I bought a new battery and it worked fine again. No problems all day Thursday. Didn't drive it during the day on Friday but when I went to start it at 6pm or so, it wouldn't start again. Lights dim, etc.

Would anyone have any suggestions on what I should be looking for as to a reason why it keeps draining?
The lights weren't left on, or anything like that.
The only other electrical quirk is that my power antenna no longer moves, but makes the sounds like it is moving when I start or turn off the car, but it doesn't keep doing it longer than it would if the antenna actually did move. And it's been doing that for a couple of months.

Any suggestions??

Thanks.
Mike

 

[SHOZ123]

The purpose of the alternator is to keep the battery charged. I suggest starting the car, turning on the headlights, heater fan (on high) and rear window defroster then check the voltage at the battery while the engine is running at ~1500 rpm. The voltages should be somewhere around 14V. If not the alternator is bad.

 

[Ishodu]

You can also check out what I had mentioned in on our list if you got it.

 

[shojuan]

Take your car to an auto parts place that does free on the car alternator load testing. I know autozone does it for free, not sure if you have autozones up there.

A bad alternator will **** a new battery and a bad battery can **** a new alternator. When one goes it's a good idea to get the other one checked out so you don't get caught in a vicious cycle.

Also a short somewhere can drain your battery overnight. You can have a shorted out alternator diode that will do this. Another common problem can be a worn ignition switch. Can you pull the key out with the switch in the accessory position? If you can move the windows up and down when you remove the key then you'll need to consciously make an effort to put the key in the proper OFF position before removing it or else you'll wake up to dead batteries on a regular basis. In that case it's time for a new ignition switch. Mine's been like that for the past 65,000 miles. Gotta replace that switch one of these days.

 

[Diameg]

Okay, thanks guys.
The topica list is down but I'll check your comments once it's back up.

However, I have an update....

It would appear that my daytime running lights will not turn off. They are on, very dim, even 10 minutes after shutting the car down. The highbeam dummy light is also dimly lit, and only goes out with the headlights turned into the on position. However, in the off position or the parking light only position, the highbeam dummy light is lit up, about 1/3 of it's full on capacity.
Same with the daytime running lights, they don't look to be at full power but it is the daytime, and they aren't that bright anyways.

Oddly enough, my wife on Tuesday night said that it looked like my lights were on 'a bit', but she said she made sure to turn them to the off position.
Wednesday after I changed the battery, I checked all lights and everything was off. Thursday it started fine.
Thursday night, I didn't bother to check if my daytime running lights were on or not, and of course Friday it was dead.

So, it would appear I've found the source of the draining battery, but what now?

I am not knowledgeable about electrical stuff, not at all!! So if anyone has any advice and could dummy it down to a level of someone who has never messed with electrical components of anything, that would be appreciated!

Thanks again
Mike

 

[steevil]

remove/replace the module or yank out the fuse/relay.

Where are the aforementioned components? No bloody clue......

it should be listed in your owners manual.

 

[Diameg]

That's what I would like to try, but I'm also not sure how to ditch the DRL module.

As for the highbeam dummy light, I don't know why that is also coming on. But I am reluctant to pull the fuse on the dummy lights in case they are all fused together.

Mike

 

[Ishodu]

Just pull the 20amp fuse its near the bottom going vertical it says its for the highbeams and the indicator but its the DRL's. The only thing you wont get is the pass function when you pull the function switch back. I do this evey summer when I put on my headlight covers.

 

[Diameg]

Okay, thanks Marcel, I'll give that a shot.

Would you know how to remove the DRL module though? If it's not working, I may as well ditch the thing.
So, removing that fuse will only affect my DRL and flash to pass mode? The highbeams will still work okay? I use them a lot as I'm in the middle of nowhere.

Thanks again.
Mike

 

[Ishodu]

Yep your high beams will work just fine with that fuse pulled.