Hey everyone:

I own a 2005 TSX with navigation.

I think i messed up my battery the other day.

Sometimes when I get home, if i am listening to an interesting radio program, I will turn off the car, stay inside the car and leave the radio on. I did this the other day for 15 to 20 minutes. Then I tried to start car and the battery was weak.

This battery is an Interstate Battery. It is only a year old. I have asked people and they say that 15 to 20 minutes listening to the radio is not enough to drain a good battery.

Here is my question:

The ignition switch, where you insert the key, has three settings. When you first get in your car and insert the key, there is setting #1 (or click #1) which gives you access to the accessories like the radio.

Setting #2 (or click #2) not only gives you access to the radio but when you turned it on you can hear other stuff turning on. Sounds like the the fuel pump getting ready maybe? The car does not actually start but definitely more electrical things are activated.

Setting #3 ( or click #3) is what actually starts the car if you turn the key all the way

Now my question is this. I think I left the key on for 15 minutes in the second setting while I was listening to the radio. I should have left it in the first setting. I was only listening to the radio and not playing with the nav.

Does anyone know if this setting #2 drains the battery much much more than setting #1 (accessory setting)?

Leaving the ignition key on and listening to the radio only should not have drained battery.

I have owned cars with Interstate Batteries before. Have even gotten up to 5 years of service with some of them.

The drain that I experienced was not a total drain but just enough where the car did not start. The lights did work and the horn worked and the power windows worked. I left the car alone and returned after 3 hours and the car was able to start (although I could tell that it was weak). I did not need a jump.

This is the second time that this happens to me.

Any ideas guys?

 

the same thing has happened to me a few times in my 06. there have been a few times when i had the radio on while i was doing work on the car and it drained the battery enough to where it wouldnt start. i just turned the radio off for like 10 mins and the car fired right up.

 

I would think IG #2 on the key ignition would drain the battery. Probably because your HVAC system is running too along with the fuel pump.