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[jerry113]

I left my car parked and unused for 8 days in my garage. Today, I tried turning the engine on but the engine would not ignite. The dashboard lights came on and I could still turn the cabin light on, but my engine would not turn on (I'm assuming there's not enough juice left in the battery to ignite the engine).

I know that there are certain things that are forever turned on in the car, even when you're not using it, that will drain the battery, such as car alarms.

8 days seems like a pretty darn short period of time for the car battery to die on me like that. For some reference, this is a new fresh battery that had been installed 2 weeks ago.

I'm curious how long your car can last undriven before the battery dies on you? What's a normal duration of time?

 

[nabe_shogun]

8 days is shorter than it should be. You're battery is either on its way out, or you have an electrical draw somewhere.

 

[Little Green Yoda]

A new battery shouldn't die in a little over one week of disuse. Are you sure you didn't leave any lights on?

 

[RumblingRosco]

I think I've left my car off for a month at least and not had it die. I agree with the first couple of replies, something is wrong.

 

[emrober5]

I've left my truck for over two weeks and it started up just fine.

I'm no expert, but 8 days is too short.

 

[FUBAR McDangles]

Cables to the battery were probably not installed correctly or they were a bit dirty or something. Try to clean them out and try again.

 

[jerry113]

8 days is shorter than it should be. You're battery is either on its way out, or you have an electrical draw somewhere.

This isn't the first time it's happened too. My previous car battery died after 5-6 days so I replaced the battery with a new one, thinking that I just had a bad battery.

I then drove to the subaru dealership (my car is a subaru outback ti 2.5) and had the mechanics there check if the parasitic battery drain was in spec, if there was somethign wrong with the alternator/alternator belt - basically anything I could think of that could affect the rate at which the battery drains.

They said they found nothing wrong and sent me on my way. Then I had to leave town for 8 days, and when I came back today, the car wouldn't start.

I'm a little befuddled now. Maybe the mechanics missed something? Or maybe there's something else I should've asked them to check that I didn't know about.. I'm not a car expert, I asked a friend for his advice on what to do.

edit: Yeah, lights were all turned off before I left on my trip.

 

[Nafai1123]

8 days is way too short, especially for a new battery. You say the lights come on and everything. Do you hear the starter motor trying to turn over?

 

[Brianimaniac]

Mine sat unused for six or seven months while I had a back injury, had surgery, and recovered. No battery trouble.

 

[B-Dubs]

This isn't the first time it's happened too. My previous car battery died after 5-6 days so I replaced the battery with a new one, thinking that I just had a bad battery.

I then drove to the subaru dealership (my car is a subaru outback ti 2.5) and had the mechanics there check if the parasitic battery drain was in spec, if there was somethign wrong with the alternator/alternator belt - basically anything I could think of that could affect the rate at which the battery drains.

They said they found nothing wrong and sent me on my way. Then I had to leave town for 8 days, and when I came back today, the car wouldn't start.

I'm a little befuddled now. Maybe the mechanics missed something? Or maybe there's something else I should've asked them to check that I didn't know about.. I'm not a car expert, I asked a friend for his advice on what to do.

edit: Yeah, lights were all turned off before I left on my trip.

They definitely missed something. Take it to another shop.

 

[Jedi2016]

Shit, I had my old car sitting in the parking lot for about three years and it turned over. That's not normal, though, I was quite surprised that it did anything.

 

[jerry113]

8 days is way too short, especially for a new battery. You say the lights come on and everything. Do you hear the starter motor trying to turn over?

The dashboard lights and the cabin light turns on, but the headlights and brake lights don't turn on. I don't hear the motor starting at all when I turn the key, but I do hear a faint "clicking" sound coming from the direction of the dashboard.

They definitely missed something. Take it to another shop.

I think I'll have to do that. Thanks.

Cables to the battery were probably not installed correctly or they were a bit dirty or something. Try to clean them out and try again.

After installing the new battery, I did drive the car for a few days before I left on my 8 day hiatus. The car worked fine and acted normally the week before I left.

 

[nabe_shogun]

This isn't the first time it's happened too. My previous car battery died after 5-6 days so I replaced the battery with a new one, thinking that I just had a bad battery.

I then drove to the subaru dealership (my car is a subaru outback ti 2.5) and had the mechanics there check if the parasitic battery drain was in spec, if there was somethign wrong with the alternator/alternator belt - basically anything I could think of that could affect the rate at which the battery drains.

They said they found nothing wrong and sent me on my way. Then I had to leave town for 8 days, and when I came back today, the car wouldn't start.

I'm a little befuddled now. Maybe the mechanics missed something? Or maybe there's something else I should've asked them to check that I didn't know about.. I'm not a car expert, I asked a friend for his advice on what to do.

edit: Yeah, lights were all turned off before I left on my trip.

What year is your car? Also, anything aftermarket on it that uses electricity, like a stereo or something?

If the battery drains when the car is just sitting, there is definitely something that is draining your battery.

 

[jerry113]

What year is your car? Also, anything aftermarket on it that uses electricity, like a stereo or something?

If the battery drains when the car is just sitting, there is definitely something that is draining your battery.

It's a 2012 subaru outback.

I didn't install anything on the car after getting it. It didn't have problems at all the first year I got it (in 2012). I'd say I started noticing this problem (on my previous battery that I have since replaced) sometime during 2014, but back then I just assuemed I had a defective baterry. I only just recently replaced that battery and noticed I still have these premature dying problems.

 

[turtle553]

I had a battery that kept dying in my truck once. I used an amp meter on each fuse to see where the draw was. Traced it to the stereo circuit and eventually found one on the transistors in the stereo amplifier had blown and was shorting out. Cut it out of the circuit board and that fixed the battery issue. Only had three speakers though.

 

[jerry113]

I had a battery that kept dying in my truck once. I used an amp meter on each fuse to see where the draw was. Traced it to the stereo circuit and eventually found one on the transistors in the stereo amplifier had blown and was shorting out. Cut it out of the circuit board and that fixed the battery issue. Only had three speakers though.

Ooh, I'm going to borrow my friend's amp meter. Thanks for the idea.

 

[QualityPixel]

Sometimes new car batteries need a full charge before use. Beg/borrow/buy/steal a charger and hook it up for 8 hours or overnight and you'll probably be fine.

 

[painey]

I have to unplug my battery every time I park after work because it drains in a day. Can't wait to upgrade.

 

[Tesseract]

this is why i take my car for walks every week. it always honks when it's horny, such disgust.

 

[99hertz]

It could be the new battery. Did you have any problems before you got the new one?

Edit: Woops

It's a 2012 subaru outback.

I didn't install anything on the car after getting it. It didn't have problems at all the first year I got it (in 2012). I'd say I started noticing this problem (on my previous battery that I have since replaced) sometime during 2014, but back then I just assuemed I had a defective baterry. I only just recently replaced that battery and noticed I still have these premature dying problems.

Well, that sucks. Search around the internet, there's usually forums about specific models. There's obviously something wrong with the car so I don't know how those mechanics can say there's nothing wrong :/