Battery problems Daily Driver

[281Ponies]

Okay I’m having sudden battery problems and I’ve searched for related problems but mine does not involve the car sitting for any period of time. It’s my daily driver and the longest the car sits is over a weekend Sat and Sun the longest.

Car sat this passed weekend and fired right up Monday morning but suddenly would not start after work. I jumped it off and it started right up, drove the car altogether an hour or so and it started fine two different times while in stores and quick stops but this morning leaving for work nothing… needed a jump to get it going.

I hear loud clicking from two different places under the hood at the alternator and starter. I have always turned the radio, ac, etc. off before shutting the engine down.

Once it’s jumped off it seems to run fine and starts back up… but let it sit for nine hours or maybe less (overnight last night) and it needs a jump again. So, what do you guys think… replace the battery and go with it or does this still apply to problems people have been having when the car sits for roughly a week or more?


Sorry for the long post and thanks for opinions and advice.

 

[ski]

I hear loud clicking from two different places under the hood at the alternator and starter.

When does this happen?

 

[281Ponies]

Both times the car hasn’t started for me while turning the key in the ignition… sounds like a starter solenoid clicking. Had a neighbor turn the key for me this morning before jumping it off and it’s clicking at the alternator and starter.
Dash lights, idiot lights blink with the clicking.

 

[ski]

OK, I just wanted to make sure the alternator was not making noise when the engine was running. The clicking noise is because the battery does not have enough juice.
My 05 Mustang GT did the exact same thing just recently. Took the car to the dealer, and they found that the battery was bad. Replaced it under warranty, and have had no problems since then. The car had only 15K miles on it.

 

[281Ponies]

OK, I just wanted to make sure the alternator was not making noise when the engine was running. The clicking noise is because the battery does not have enough juice.
My 05 Mustang GT did the exact same thing just recently. Took the car to the dealer, and they found that the battery was bad. Replaced it under warranty, and have had no problems since then. The car had only 15K miles on it.

Just so I understand... this didn't happen to you after the car sat for a while... correct... just a sudden problem?

 

[ski]

It first happened in 2006 after my car sat for extended periods. The dealer tested the battery and charging system, found everything to be good, and recharged battery.
The car started fine until earlier this year. But this time it would not start after sitting for only a day or two. Bad battery.

 

[281Ponies]

Okay I'm not sure if my car sat for any length of time before I purchased it with 6K on the clock. It was sold to Ford an executive and then I bought it and since then the longest it has sat without starting it is two days. Perhaps it is related somehow to extended periods of sitting and I'm just not aware of it but not over the last year+ anyway... this came out of the blue yesterday and this morning.

I'm thinking battery has a bad cell maybe.

 

[ski]

FWIW, before taking my car to the dealer for the starting problem earlier this year, I tested the battery with a voltmeter. After a run of 20-30 miles, the voltage was approx. 12.7V with the engine turned off, which is normal. Afterwards I let it sit for 2 days without starting the engine. The first day it dropped down below 12.5V. By the 2nd day it was in the low 12V range. I then suspected it was bad, since it could not hold a charge. The dealer confirmed my suspicions.

 

[281Ponies]

Well the car is still under warranty I’m just in a difficult spot with getting the car to the dealer during business hours and knowing they will want to keep it at least a day.

I can get a battery fairly cheap... I think I’ll try that first and go from there.

 

[cLeAnRaCiNgLdR]

This happened to me to but my car was in a shop getting some custom bodywork done for about 2 months... it was dying shortly after I got it back. I had ford replace the battery under warranty still. I have a friend with a 06 Roush who had the same problem but Ford Diagnosed it with a faulty Terminal and replaced everything free under warranty.

 

[281Ponies]

Trust me I hate not going to the dealer especially with a warranty issue but I could only do this if it’s a quick test to find the problem and a quick fix… like while I waited.

Unfortunately, I have to be at work and could possibly break away for an hour or so at best if it’s a quick solution. I hate upper management changes… puts everyone in a bad position and this is really bad timing.

I’m still leaning towards replacing the battery… I know someone who will come to me and swap it out. I can get a new battery with a blemish for a good price.

 

[281Ponies]

Well, battery is dead after just 4 hours of sitting… have a battery on the way… we’ll see if this solves the problem.