denny crane

I have a battery (ever start Maxx) that is one year old based on the sticker that says "Manuf. Aug 09" A week ago I vacuumed the car using the lighter socket then let the car set for 5 days becuase I drove my other car. Today I tried to start it and it wouldn't start. The road side guy checked the battery and said it was half charged. Did my vacuum and letting the car set in 90 degree weather sap the energy from my car.

Crestwood1001

Pretty much

guitarplayer16

iTrader: (8)

Heheh, my car did the same thing a couple weeks ago.

Used the lighter socket to pump up the tires, then the next hour (not days) when I tried to start it the car, it just wouldn't.

Jumped the battery and the car's all good again.

I gotta get me a non-OEM battery...

Does your car still start?

VQPower37

yep, my car acts funny too if i do not start if for a week or so ... i guess the factory alarm drains a lot of battery with the combination of the sucky oem battery

wall e

im in the military and I just came back from a 6 month deployment and I come home to drive my TL but the engine wouldnt start so I had to up start it and it took MULTIPLE tries b4 it was up and running. i guess next time i should disconnect the battery for long periods of non-usage. and it was an OEM battery.

piggydog

hey guys it's very bad to drain your battery low. I think if it gets below 8.5v or so it starts to crystalize and you can't recharge it or it's life is significantly shortened. I would either do what motorcycle guys do, put a trickle charger on it or disconnect the negative if over a week.

Crestwood1001

And if you are using something like a tire pump or other high drain thing keep the car running while u do

AMUA6

iTrader: (7)

All of the memory settings in the TL don't allow the battery to hold a full charge for no more than a week I think, obviously lol

myblack04tl

My car all of a sudden felt slow to crank for a few days. I pulled out the "Duralast Gold" and it was from 7/07. I replaced it and it cranks with no problem. I just did not want any problems that is why I replaced it.

Jesstzn

Hook a "Battery Tender" to it if left for long periods. Its not a trickle charger but a mini computer that reads the batterys condition and charges accordingly. I stored mine over the winter and it sat from mid Oct till early Feb and it started right up. $30.

Zapp Brannigan

I lost my battery last week. I let the car sit for 2 months while I was in China this winter and when I got back it wasn't completely dead, but much like the Dread Pirate Roberts, it was mostly dead. Jumped it and I was good to go. But a hard Arizona summer took it's toll and finally killed it. Went to Costco the next day and got me an Interstate. Here's the part I don't get. I had the car completely disconnected for 24 hours before putting the new battery in and I didn't lose any of my radio presets, my HFL data, or my seat memory settings. Is this data stored in some kind of non-volatile RAM or something? The car did tell me to run it outstide while it found the satellite data for the GPS.

01tl4tl

you are lucky to get 3-4 years from a battery now-
look how hot and enclosed the whole area is = plus no way to top off the battery fluid like the days of old

acura had a run of weak batts that only lasted a year or 2,,good thing for warranty but you still got stuck with an acura battery replacement

battery maintainers are great, can be found as low as 19!! for the major brand name Battery Tender
There are small solar panels you can place in the window and plug into lighter to keep the battery charged too
they are getting pretty cheap- you see a lot of boats and rv's with them now

Its normal for a battery to discharge when sitting, add the use of power for alarm on lights, memory setting power etc etc .. a milliamp here and there add up

Leave the car for a month and you better take the battery out of the car and put on the battery tender

Using the vac and not driving the car for an hour was the downfall of that project,
you took all the juice out and didnt replace it- what were you thinking?!

The battery is a storage box of electricity- the alternator replaces what has been drawn from the box for use
It doesnt magically get full again!

Note: if you usually drive 10 miles or less on a trip, once a month take the car on a 45-60 minute freeway cruise- that fully charges the battery,,and dries out the oil and exhaust moisture (hidden in them)

the alternator is fighting to refill batt after start, you turn headlights on, run cabin fan and stereo,,all are drawing more power from the battery
it almost replaces the power used to start the car and operate it without extra loads of all the items --and you arrive at work
Keep doing that and it never runs at full capacity or correct voltage for the car
and doesnt charge to actual max anymore

note for all long term stored cars- when you get back FLUSH the brake fluid- its gathered moisture just sitting there,,good idea to change oil and filter too
wiki hygroscopic for details

seafoam or stabil in the gas tank before leaving will help fuel from gumming up and varnish forming in the system