Why can't my car hold a charge???

**CWW17** · 01-24-2008, 10:33 AM

My car simply cannot keep any juice in the battery. If it sits for a day, it will not start the next. It starts right up with a jump. It's odd though, I can have it on a battery charger all night, then I'll disconnect it and let it sit for a day, and it won't start up, dead as its ever been. It's an Optima Battery, about a year and 2 months old. What gives???

**2001NBMZ28** · 01-24-2008, 10:47 AM

I'd bring it back to where you bought it and have them load test it - free 3yr replacement warranty if it's the battery. Eliminate the battery being the problem first. Is the voltage normal on the gauge when it's running?

**LukesSpeedShop** · 01-24-2008, 10:54 AM

Yep, definatly get that battery tested

**WARP211** · 01-24-2008, 12:45 PM

i would say the Alternator.... but first check to see if the battery is in working condition.. if the battery is okay then its probl.. you alternator..

**bigrondownhiller** · 01-24-2008, 12:48 PM

are there any lights that are staying on? check the console and glove box to make sure when they are closed the light goes off.

**autotrix** · 01-24-2008, 03:11 PM

Other than the battery possibly having a bad cell drag it down, I would check for an excessive amp draw with the key off. Like a light being on or some module that isnt falling asleep.

If you google "Parasitic Drain Test" or current draw you should find methods of hooking up your DVOM in series with the negative side of the battery and check the mA drain. There should not be anything (in general) over .41 mA

Hope this helps!

**ss~zoso~ss** · 01-24-2008, 03:15 PM

its gotta be ur battery, if it was the alternator ur car would stall out quick, could be the voltage regulator on the alternator possibly if the battery is good, and if the car doesnt stall

**CWW17** · 01-24-2008, 04:01 PM

No stalling, once it starts its fine. But how could the battery be bad? I just got it like a year ago...

**01pewterZ** · 01-24-2008, 04:06 PM

i have the same problem. wouldnt start this morning on my way to work and wouldnt start when i got off a while ago. when i jump it it reads fine on the voltage

**Too Fast** · 01-24-2008, 04:22 PM

+3 on the most probable cause is a bad battery. Also slim chance it is some kinda electrical drain on it. Get the battery charged, then have it load tested.

**LukesSpeedShop** · 01-24-2008, 05:55 PM

Originally Posted by CWW17

No stalling, once it starts its fine. But how could the battery be bad? I just got it like a year ago...

Could have left something on that caused the battery to drain, then since the battery was dead, all of the electrolyte turned to water, causing it to freeze. Ta da, crap battery.

**slims00ls1z28** · 01-25-2008, 05:39 AM

Originally Posted by CWW17

No stalling, once it starts its fine. But how could the battery be bad? I just got it like a year ago...

Could be just a defective battery or you have something wrong with your charging system that would kill the battery such as bad alternator, corroded connections, fuse etc.

**vette2envy** · 03-10-2008, 12:01 PM

Mines doing the same thing. Replaced the battery with the Optima Red top and tada, still the same thing. As far as I know there is nothing staying on. Did you every find out what was causing the problems? I hate to have to jump it everytime it sits for a couple of days

**bamaz28** · 03-10-2008, 12:10 PM

get running and pull the positive battery cable off if it goes dead you need alternator buddy. be sure to cut the car off before reconnecting cable.

**Too Fast** · 03-10-2008, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by bamaz28

get running and pull the positive battery cable off if it goes dead you need alternator buddy. be sure to cut the car off before reconnecting cable.

Bad advice here. You do not want to do this with today's cars. Do this instead: With the engine running, you should have over 13 volts on the battery terminals. Preferably over 14, not more than 15.1, with all accessories, lights, etc. off. You do not want voltage spikes in these cars, that can cause other weird electrical things to happen that were never there before a huge spike like disconnecting the battery with the engine on. It might not cause a problem every time, but there are much better ways to do things than disconnecting the battery with the engine on.

**CWW17** · 03-10-2008, 08:15 PM

It was just a shitty, half-assed battery. They took the good battery, and replaced it with a shitty, half-assed battery.

**96z28** · 03-11-2008, 04:02 PM

More than likely you have a bad ground somewhere which is causing an electrical component to pull
power from battery. Also check battery terminals as they might be corroded. I had the same problem with my old lt1 and I changed the battery like 2 times. Not intill I checked all ground connections and changed the battery terminals was the problem fixed

**IronBird** · 03-12-2008, 06:15 AM

When mine was doing it, drove me up the wall. Turned out to be corrosion...get this...hidden under that red "positive" insulation thingy on the end of the positive cable! The end looked clean until I took the batt connection bolt out...slid the red insulator off...and the cable was caked under there with corrosion, which you couldn't see with it on. Used a dremel wire brush to clean it off, gave it a coat of vasaline, put the red insulator back on and the batt terminal bolt back in the hole and reconnected the battery, and the problem went away! The amazing thing about it was when the system was load tested, etc., when I was having the problems, everything would check out okay...go figure...!