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1999 Dodge Intrepid Parasitic drain

526 views 9 replies 2 participants last post by  Jules Indy car 
#1 ·
Hey guys,
I am new to the forum. I have a question for you all. Two weeks ago I replaced my Alternator & battery In my 1999 Dodge Intrepid 3.2. I drove it for two days & it would not start. I took the car to Firestone they said I had a bad battery. After replacing the battery the car wont start again after two days.
I purchased a Automatic jump box & the car still will not start. What is it that is draining my battery. Can a bad stater drain my battery? Do I have a Parasitic drain somewhere?
Thx.
Jules Indy car
 
#2 ·
You know that it is drain and not an intermittent bad connection or intermittent starter? Have you made any voltage measurements to verify low battery voltage under load?

Does it consistently start for a day or so after fresh charge and then is consistently dead after 2 or 3 days?

Verify that your brake lights aren't staying on. The brake light switch on these cars can get out of adjustment, and when it does, the brake lights stay on all the time. (It can be intermittent if the switch adjustment is marginal. The brake light circuit is "hot" even with the ignition switch off.)
 
#4 ·
Regarding the starter, it's not that the starter is causing a drain on the battery when the car is sitting unused. I'm suggesting that there could be a loose (intermittent) connection between the battery and starter, including worn out starter solenoid contacts providing poor current flow between battery and starter rather than battery being low in charge (having been drained by leakage).

But IF you are saying that it consistently starts fine for a day or two, and then by 3rd or 4th day consistently doesn't start, resolved consistently by charging the battery, then that would suggest that the starter solenoid contacts or a weak connection between battery and starter are not the problem, and that a leakage is in fact draining the battery. Bad starter solenoid contacts or loose/weak connection typically manifest themselves by random failure to turn over by the starter, consistently unaffected by letting it sit or by charging the battery up. (Batteries can develop internal shorts, either constant or intermittent, that drain it over a period of days, or get to a point where they just don't hold a charge.)
 
#8 ·
Part 3 I went to get my oil change today. 190,000 miles. After which I stop at the car washed. I vacuum my car out , I go to turn the ignition & it wont start. I get it jumped it starts up fine an 1/2 hr later same thing. I had to call a towe truck to have them jump it again. MY ABS & TRAC OFF light came on my Dash board & my Battery light is on.
I just replace my alternator & battery 3 weeks ago.
Could this be a bad Starter?
Best
Jules ~Indy Car
 
#9 ·
I don't see how a bad starter could cause the battery light to come on.

Someone is going to have to troubleshoot for battery voltage and bad connections with a meter to get anywhere with this.
 
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