I have a 2000 Accord 2D EX V6 w/65K on it, I have a sporadic problem that draws down the battery while the car sets with nothing on or running. This problem comes and goes and there does not seem to be a specific reason for the battery to die. I know that something is draining the battery, but I have no idea on what it could be? The battery has been replaced and when I check the voltage output when the car is running it is 14.5+ volts, which should be fine.

Any help or ideas will be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

did you check the alt?

 

^

yeap, and alternator would do that.

You don't have any aftermarket electrical items, do you? (sub amp, hard wired radar detector, etc ...)

 

I have checked the alternator and the output is fine. Actually, once the car is running after the discharge, the alternator charges the battery back up quickly.

Thanks for the idea.

 

the alternator may be putting out an acceptable amount of volts, but since your's should have a delphi alt on it, GM alternators are notorious for odd problems, one is killing batteries.

To check your problem quickly, first make sure you have your key in your pocket not the igntion.
Disconnect the battery negative terminal, put a test light on the post, and touch it to the negative cable. what does the light do? Very bright, and it doesn't dim to nearly nothing over about 15 minutes, you have a draw.

If it's dim, and stays that way, you'll need to put an ammeter in line, set on milliamps, you'll want less than 100ma.

If you have a draw, first start pulling fuses under the hood one at a time til the draw goes away. This will roughly locate where the draw is. If pulling fuses doesn't do it, unplug the alt's regulator plug and see what happens, if nothing, carefully take off the + feed to the alt to check as well.

Once you find that, you must go to that system or part to figure out where the draw is from.

You can't leave the doors open and pull bulbs from the door lights to get the draw from them away, as the multiplex system will "wake up" and pull power.

Anything non-stock in the electrical system, like your Alpine stuff or XM if hooked into the wrong place can keep the multiplex system awake when it's supposed to sleep drawing down the battery. Even ones with adapter harnesses plugged directly into the stock head unit's old plugs can cause problems.

 

How long was the car sitting when the battery died?

 

When I place a test light between the negative terminal and the cable, the light comes on for a second and then goes out, it does not stay on, nor is it very bright.

Do I still need to check for the ma if the light is not staying on?

I have an XM receive in the car. It is pulling power from the power mirror fuse, do you know if this would cause a discharge like you referred to?

Thanks.

 

Each time I have had the problem, the car has sat for over 6 hours. SO it is a somewhat extended period of time.

 

If the lamp goes out, there should be no draw.
I'd do the milliamp test just to be sure, it should drop to less than 100ma.

6 hours is not extended, if it sat for a month and went dead, I'd expect that.

Since you've replaced the battery, it should be ok.

The mirror fuse is switched with the ignition, so it shouldn't be a problem.

I'm going to go through my books and cds here to find if there's anything that jumps out at me that could cause this problem