New Altenator-New Battery-No Parasitic Drain-Same Recurring Problem

[trisporter717]

About a month ago I started having to jump start the brand new Interstate battery in my 03 Corolla. Suspected a failing altenator or parasitic drain. Checked both and found nothing at first. A couple weeks of jumps starts every 3 days and we warranted the battery as the Alt still showed about 14V's. Checked all grounding and for parasitic drain again. nothing, multimeter registered .05ma

Same problem continued. Last week the Alt showed about 12.8 at the Toyo shop. I swapped out the Altenator. 3 days later, jump start again. So at this point I am terribly confused. New battery, new altenator, no parasitic drain, multiple jump starts. As an added note I mean deader than a door nail, no dash lights horn, over head, etc.

Could this be a computer issue with the car that is triggering some type of drain in the middle of the night? Help me Obi Wan Kenobi.

[mikered30]

Your headlights don't come on by themselves, do they? Serious question.

[trisporter717]

The light switch is in the off position, both headlights and dome.

[mikered30]

Call me crazy, but can you park in a location so that you can look out your window and see if your head lights come on when the car is off and the lights are in the off position?

[trisporter717]

I was already thinking along those lines. Battery is full charged again. Just parked it a short while ago and will set my watch timer to go check every hour or so until bed time. I also took a voltage reading on the battery after powering down and will check either later or first thing in the morning to see what transpires. Thanks

[zythr]

Originally Posted by trisporter717

I was already thinking along those lines. Battery is full charged again. Just parked it a short while ago and will set my watch timer to go check every hour or so until bed time. I also took a voltage reading on the battery after powering down and will check either later or first thing in the morning to see what transpires. Thanks

Could have a lemon or a possessed car.

[mikered30]

Originally Posted by trisporter717

I was already thinking along those lines. Battery is full charged again. Just parked it a short while ago and will set my watch timer to go check every hour or so until bed time. I also took a voltage reading on the battery after powering down and will check either later or first thing in the morning to see what transpires. Thanks

Good idea, check out this thread and how to find the tsb: Dash light blinks once when using left turn signal

Note how the TSB only applies to the 03 corolla. If it is not the lights, I am not sure what it could be. I imagine it is cold in CO, and this problem with the lights occurs in the cold.

[aspen007]

My guess is that the headlight switch is not the problem. If your lights were coming on, the battery would completely drain in a single night.

Don't know how you tested for the drain to determine that you don't have a drain. However, if you are certain you don't have a drain, your choices for possible causes are pretty limited.

Either your alternator isn't adequately charging your battery or your battery isn't capable of keeping a proper charge. Since you replaced the alternator, your battery is the next spot to check out. If the problem started after you replaced your battery, you may have a defective battery.

I recommend you take the battery back, explain your situation, and ask for a replacement.

If the replacement has the same problem then, despite the outcome of your parasitic test, you have a parasitic drain.

Some likely candidates are trunk, glove box, visor mirror and hood lights. These will drain the battery but take several days to do it. Pull those bulbs and see if that changes anything.

Good luck and let us know what you find out.

[trisporter717]

In my original post I noted that it was a new battery, all tests were done. Not just by me but as a second opinion I made three trips to Firestone hunting the problem. On the third trip, they warranty replaced the Interstate battery. After continued issues and still no noted drain, I had Toyota test the system and they noted a weak alternator. Replaced that, still the continued problem. I don't find a drain, Firestone doesnt and Toyo doesnt ther has to be something. I am going to test the battery voltage in the morning and see how much drop there is overnight. FWIW: This never, ever occured in the years between the original purchase of teh car new in Orlando Florida until we moved to Grand Junction Co in November. And no, moving back to Florida is not an option. ;-) Thanks

[trisporter717]

Checked the car first thing this morning and the battery was sitting at 12.8 in the cold morning air. Light dusting of snow to top things off but at least for one noght no mysterious drainage.

[trisporter717]

1.5 days and the charge is holding. Not sure what if anything is going on but typically after 2 days, it doesnt start. will check again in the monring.