Now that I have the commuter car for my work trips, I'm really not using the truck until the weekends. However twice now, when I've gone to start it up after sitting for five days, the battery is drained. I've had to jump it both times and then it's fine until the next long layoff. Anyone else have this problem? I have an aftermarket Clifford two-way alarm/remote start hooked up, but I haven't been activating it with it sitting in my driveway. I've just been locking it up with the factory remote.

Thanks

 

You've definately got something going on.
Mine sits for a week or more at a time and no problems. Of course I don't have an alarm. Maybe there is still something there causing you the problem?

Besides, don't these trucks have rundown protection?
I left my domelight on once and it still started a couple days later.

 

Hmmm...maybe my rundown protection has run out? I am pondering three solutions:

1. Sell the truck since I rarely use it anymore it seems. (I'm working on the same tank of gas for a month now and I don't think it's 1/2 empty yet.)
2. Remove the remote starter/alarm.
3. Drive it to work every Wednesday to keep the battery charged throughout the week.

 

If you asked me, then given the age of the truck, and being ignorant of the age of the battery: Your battery is bad. Get a free check at Advance, or whatever parts chain you prefer.

 

Get a battery tender to keep it charged while sitting so you will not have to worry. It may be too late for your current battery, but at least it will keep the next one going strong for years

 

Mine had this problem from the get go. By the time the warranty was up the truck had gone through 4 motorcraft batteries. I also have a beater car that I drive to work during the week and had the exact same problem you're having. I even went to the extent of disconnecting the battery during that week in the garage. and guess what? It still discharged. Had the stealership guys do all thier tests more than once and came up with bad battery every time. Couldn't find anything else wrong.

Here's you're fix. At least it was my fix. Go get an optima yellow top. Had mine for about 8 months now and not one no start even after letting it sit for two weeks on occation.

I know lots of people like motorcraft batteries, swear by them, etc... But I "personaly" have never had a single one that didn't die a very premature death.

I second the battery tender thing though. Don't have one on the truck but love the ones I have on my quad and had on my boat.

 

Try this before you spend any money.
Set your alarm.
If your start disable relay is energized in the disarmed position, it may be draining the battery over a weeks time.

If you want to spend a little bit of money but keep your stock battery, try one of these.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...5091_200305091



They work great. Anything bigger and you'll need a charge regulator. Anything smaller and I dont see the purpose.

I only use my truck on weekends, but I can't sell it. Bought may 1st 2006 and under 18k. We drive it almost exclusively on weekend and road trips. If its right for you to sell it, make sure that you wont regret it.

 

I own several newer vehicles in storage. And being part of few car clubs with other members in the same situation, I can tell you a simple fix.

You wouldn't think that a week would be considered storage, but on newer trucks it is. After running into the same problems as you guys, I found out some things. All the electronics on these newer cars drains the battery. Maybe not enough to kill the battery every week, but then you start it and it recharges it. This eventually kills the battery.

Go have your battery checked. Then go buy one of these smart chargers. I have 4 of them and haven't had a dead battery or had to replace one in few years. It came with a kit to hard wire it the battery and has a connector on the end. I just plug it in to the charger when I pull in my garage. Battery minders I hear are good also.

http://www.pacificbattery.com/schauer.html

I did buy an Optima for one of my cars in flustration before I figured out what was going on and it has been a great battery, but if run one of these chargers it is really not needed. Motorcraft batteries kind of stink anyways, but now i got a few them still plucking along at 5 yeras old.

My .02

 

my truck was in a shipping container for over 1 month last fall from Seattle to Honolulu, started right up on arrival.

I've been reading about some of the 07+ trucks have had bad resistors somewhere under the hood. this caused the battery to drain slowly over 1-2 weeks. This might be the same thing happening in the older trucks


@ Jolly Green Giant: I'll bet you still have the problem. It's just that those Yellow Tops are deep cycle and can take a lot more discharge before going dead.