Battery constantly dying

Lee Snowflake

The battery on my car keeps dying. The electrics, ie. radio, windows, heater, etc. can be turned on without the key being in the ignition. Need help.

dgt

Car? When this problem arose? Age of battery?

Lee Snowflake

Punto. Problem started about 4 or 5 months ago. Happened the odd time before that. Now it's just becoming a pain. Battery is about 3 years old.

Stheno

Lee Snowflake wrote: »

Punto. Problem started about 4 or 5 months ago. Happened the odd time before that. Now it's just becoming a pain. Battery is about 3 years old.

Probably just need a new battery. Not expensive.

Lee Snowflake

I don't think the battery is the problem. The electrics are draining power from the battery when the car is off.

YellowVanMan

if all your accessories are working without the key even in the ignition, then i'd say you have a live wire contacting other wires. have you checked the wires onto the ignition barrel?

Celly Smunt

alternator?

seamus

Many modern cars allow the electrics in the cabin to be used even when the engine is off and you've taken the key out. My car will keep heaters, radios, wipers, etc running until I open the driver's door.

If you can get into the car and turn them on straight away without putting the key in the ignition, then there may be a short in the ignition that a garage needs to look at.

Stheno

Lee Snowflake wrote: »

I don't think the battery is the problem. The electrics are draining power from the battery when the car is off.

Sorry didn't read that right

I'd that problem with the alarm drawing excessive current from the battery when the car was switched off and draining the battery.

Lee Snowflake

YellowVanMan wrote: »

if all your accessories are working without the key even in the ignition, then i'd say you have a live wire contacting other wires. have you checked the wires onto the ignition barrel?

I don't know a whole lot about cars so i wouldn't have a clue what to do.

pmcmahon wrote: »

alternator?

I thought that maybe it was the alternator too.

Celly Smunt

seamus wrote: »

Many modern cars allow the electrics in the cabin to be used even when the engine is off and you've taken the key out. My car will keep heaters, radios, wipers, etc running until I open the driver's door.

.

Fiats usually turn everything off when the engine is off

Capt'n Midnight

check for glovebox or boot bulb

if all else fails get a multimeter and measure the current coming off the battery as you remove and replace each fuse

had a tipo that would need a jump start sometimes on Monday mornings
Was a services fuse that would drain the battery but only over a full weekend. Apart from the heated rear window I never found out what else it did (don't forget to stick the fuse back in while doing the NCT )



If there is squealling from under the bonnet it could also be a loose alternator belt - is the car more likely to die the day after stop start driving ?

Lee Snowflake

If I leave the car for a couple of days without driving it, it won't start. If I drive one day, the car just about starts the next morning.

dgt

Lee Snowflake wrote: »

The battery on my car keeps dying. The electrics, ie. radio, windows, heater, etc. can be turned on without the key being in the ignition. Need help.

Aftermarket radio? Standard radio works with the key out. Windows and heater shouldn't work wit the key out.

What year?

Lee Snowflake

Aftermarket radio installed less than 2 years ago. Car year is 2004.