Battery Drain
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 656
Likes: 0
From: South of you
Battery Drain
OK, This may be off topic, but I KNOW I can get the answer here. The wife has a BMW that seems to be drawing the battery down every few days. She does not drive this one anymore since she got her new one. This one is for sale, but she does not want to sell it knowing it may have a problem. I have not messed with it too much since I dont communicate well with German cars. How can I tell if something is drawing the battery down? The alternator is charging fine. If it is driven every day, there is no problem. The battery is new BTW. Her brother had been using it daily until I talked him into his new S/D PSD. Now he tells me the battery is dead after a few days. I now have the car back at my house and she wants to sell it. BUT I have to fix it first. Any ideas would be GREATLY appreciated since I must admit auto electric is not my specialty.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 221
Likes: 0
From: SLC
Battery Drain
I'm assuming this is maintenance free battery? If not, check the fluid level in it. Next I would check to wires and connections from the battery and the alternator. You said the alternator was fine? 
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 437
Likes: 3
From: Fayetteville (Atlanta) GA
Battery Drain
First thing I would do is turn everything you can on the car off, even remove the bulb for engine compartment illumination under the hood. Disconnect the battery and let the vehicle sit for 15 to 20 minutes. When you reconnect the battery watch and see if you get a small spark, or arc, when it's re-connected. If you get a arc this shows something is drawing current. You can remove fuses until you isolate the culprit. I would also do a good cleaning of the battery terminals. I use a pocket knife to scrap the inside of the terminals, and outside of the posts, down to good clean shiny metal. Also check you ground points on the engine block (or frame) for being clean and tight.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 444
Likes: 0
From: Carol Stream, IL
Battery Drain
Im going to say its not an alt. problem. After a couple days its not going to just die. Also if its an alt, MOST of the time the battery will apear on the dash. And also if its the alt. it might just die while driving because the alt. can not put out enough juice to run the car, stereo, lights, blinkers, etc. It sounds like something is plugged in, or left on. Phone charger in the cig. lighter, radar detector in the cig. lighter something along those lines.
2001 F-350 CC Lariat 4X4 LB PSD SRW, Heated leather, off road package, western snow plow, strobe lights in parking lights, headlights and backup lights, tinted windows, stull billet insert, pioneer cd player, rockford fosgate 700S amp rocking 3 JL Audio 10W0's behind back seat,Infinity Interiors and an Alpine amp, husky liners front and back,Banks transcommand, K&N FIPK, Diablo Sport 110HP chip, Hypermax H2E turbo, Hypermax pryo/boost gauge, Hypermax 3.5 inch downpipe and 5 inch exhaust.
2002 F-350 XL 4X4 PSD DRW, XL Decor Package, 9' Heil Dump Body, 8' Western (for now) Poly Plow, Western Pro-Flo 1, Strobes Front and Back, toolboxes and Wheel Simulators.
2001 F-350 CC Lariat 4X4 LB PSD SRW, Heated leather, off road package, western snow plow, strobe lights in parking lights, headlights and backup lights, tinted windows, stull billet insert, pioneer cd player, rockford fosgate 700S amp rocking 3 JL Audio 10W0's behind back seat,Infinity Interiors and an Alpine amp, husky liners front and back,Banks transcommand, K&N FIPK, Diablo Sport 110HP chip, Hypermax H2E turbo, Hypermax pryo/boost gauge, Hypermax 3.5 inch downpipe and 5 inch exhaust.
2002 F-350 XL 4X4 PSD DRW, XL Decor Package, 9' Heil Dump Body, 8' Western (for now) Poly Plow, Western Pro-Flo 1, Strobes Front and Back, toolboxes and Wheel Simulators.
