Dead Battery?

[vancelot69]

Anyone have any ideas about this?

I got a new battery from O'Reilly's last May. Since then, my Jimmy has sat more than it's been driven (220 days had, 50 days driven before Dec 8), but up until this last weekend, it had started fine every time.

The last time I drove it more than just a couple of miles was Dec 8, 2014. Since then, I have only driven it a handful of times, for about 13 miles. Those dates are: 4 days later on Dec 12, then 9 days later on Dec 21, then 34 days later on Jan 24, 2015. Then, this past weekend, on Mar 2, 37 days since the last time, the battery was completely dead, it wouldn't even budge the voltmeter. I jump started it with my wife's MDX, then let it run for several minutes and drove it about 3 miles to try to keep it "up". Then I went to drive it again today because it snowed last night and I wanted to get out and play, and the battery was completely dead again. It wouldn't even budge the voltmeter again. So I jump started it again with my little Jimmy, ran it for several minutes, then drove around the block a bit and to AutoZone and had the guy check the battery and he said it had 12.03 volts, but was only at about 23% charge.

So, could my problem just be that it's been sitting for so long without being run for any real length of time? Or do I have a bad battery? Or do I have a drain somewhere, and if I do, how would I track that down? I've always thought it sucked trying to track down electrical issues

Thanks in advance for any help y'all can give.

[BIG ORANGE]

Originally Posted by vancelot69

Anyone have any ideas about this?

I got a new battery from O'Reilly's last May. Since then, my Jimmy has sat more than it's been driven (220 days had, 50 days driven before Dec 8), but up until this last weekend, it had started fine every time.

The last time I drove it more than just a couple of miles was Dec 8, 2014. Since then, I have only driven it a handful of times, for about 13 miles. Those dates are: 4 days later on Dec 12, then 9 days later on Dec 21, then 34 days later on Jan 24, 2015. Then, this past weekend, on Mar 2, 37 days since the last time, the battery was completely dead, it wouldn't even budge the voltmeter. I jump started it with my wife's MDX, then let it run for several minutes and drove it about 3 miles to try to keep it "up". Then I went to drive it again today because it snowed last night and I wanted to get out and play, and the battery was completely dead again. It wouldn't even budge the voltmeter again. So I jump started it again with my little Jimmy, ran it for several minutes, then drove around the block a bit and to AutoZone and had the guy check the battery and he said it had 12.03 volts, but was only at about 23% charge.

So, could my problem just be that it's been sitting for so long without being run for any real length of time? Or do I have a bad battery? Or do I have a drain somewhere, and if I do, how would I track that down? I've always thought it sucked trying to track down electrical issues

Thanks in advance for any help y'all can give.

Sounds like a bad battery, might even have a alternator that's not charging. A bad alternator and kill a good battery, and speaking of thanks in Advance,
well I work for Advance Auto Parts, stop by and let them test yr battery and Alt. its free and they carry great batteries and life time warranty Alt...
Don't forget to check the voltage regulator to,
just saying,,
Donnie

[pound41]

i had similar issue it was a short in the column for the horn.

[grillzy]

Could be bad diode in alt. It will back draw

[thightower]

Hey pound 41, where exactly was your short, went to start mine today and the battery was dead, I had my steering column apart last weekend to fix my horn. Guess I need to take it apart again!

[Ewr101]

You should buy a Battery Tender. I love mine. I've only been able to drive mine a handful of times since November but it cranks up every time, no problem. Just a suggestion.

[vancelot69]

Yeah, I might have to get a tender.

Friday morning I went out to start it, and it churned about a half turn before stopping, so I jump started it again and drove to work. After lunch, I went out and it started fine, then drove home that afternoon. Saturday evening it started right up. So, it probably is "just" that I let it sit for too long without putting any real time on it. :\

Thanks again!

[thightower]

you can always unhook your positive cable and then put a meter between it and the post, it will tell you if you have a drain or not.

[2003 silverado]

you can use a 12 volt Light bulb tester an go in between the fuse holder to find what is drawing a load per circuit also.