Why is my battery dying?

[SHOMeSomeBoost]

Yesterday I started my car, moved it, then turned it off. 2 hours later the battery was too low to start the car. I jumped it and it started. The alternator is working properly, but something is draining my battery and I don't know what. All lights are off, nothing plugged in, car locked.

 

[glockcoma]

How old is the battery?Some are only seeing a few years life with the stock battery. Are you handy with a multimeter? You can put it on amp draw with the leads in series with the + battery cable. check for current draw, then start pulling fuses one by one until the current draw stops.
Some draw is normal for the ecu.
Then you at least know what circuit it is on. Trouble shoot from there.

 

[SHOMeSomeBoost]

How old is the battery?Some are only seeing a few years life with the stock battery. Are you handy with a multimeter? You can put it on amp draw with the leads in series with the + battery cable. check for current draw, then start pulling fuses one by one until the current draw stops.
Some draw is normal for the ecu.
Then you at least know what circuit it is on. Trouble shoot from there.

The battery has a date on it of 7/15. I wish I had one of those multimeters with the clamp lead.

 

[glockcoma]

You can use just about any meter that has current draw feature.
Here's a crash course.
https://www.google.com/amp/m.wikihow.com/Measure-Amperage?amp=1?client=safari

 

[krewat]

One word (ok, two) - factory warranty

How do you know the alternator is working?

 

[SHOMeSomeBoost]

One word (ok, two) - factory warranty

How do you know the alternator is working?

It's a 2010, so no luck there. I turned on everything I could and the battery voltage stayed constant.

 

[SHOdded]

What is the battery voltage you are seeing? About 12.5-12.6V or less? What amp draw are you seeing, with everything turned off as described by glockcoma previously? What is the voltage you see with the engine revving to 2,000-2,500 rpm? Should be around 14-14.5V.

 

[SHOMeSomeBoost]

What is the battery voltage you are seeing? About 12.5-12.6V or less? What amp draw are you seeing, with everything turned off as described by glockcoma previously? What is the voltage you see with the engine revving to 2,000-2,500 rpm? Should be around 14-14.5V.

I'm at work right now but I'll check that when I get home.

 

[krewat]

Sorry, for some reason I saw 7/15 on the battery and thought the car was a 2015...

Measure the voltage when running. Only way to tell the alternator is OK.

 

[SHOMeSomeBoost]

Sorry, for some reason I saw 7/15 on the battery and thought the car was a 2015...

Measure the voltage when running. Only way to tell the alternator is OK.

Sorry, I should have clarified. I checked with the car running.

 

[SHOMeSomeBoost]

Turns out it was the battery, lol. I didn't expect that to be the problem since it was only 15 months old, but problem solved.

 

[Shohobo]

I have a 2015 had it since new and she killed the first battery in about 16 months...replaced under warranty and it is now starting to show some of the signs it did before the last battery died...whatever u do get the big ass 850 CCA Motocraft battery or some other powerhouse battery..I know now that when this eight month old replacement stock battery dies I gotta negotiate up to the big dog battery as SHOdded and/or ZSHO suggested and pay the diff...the stock battery is way under what is needed to keep the SHO juiced as I am sure SHOdded will agree.

 

[SHOdded]

I am told the Sears Diehard AGM is an Odyssey under the covers at a better price.