Why does the battery keep draining on my 2010 Ford Fusion?
(2011-12-06 15:20:23) 1. Says: I have a 2010 Ford Fusion. Bought the car new and have had it for about a year and a half. About a week ago, I removed the external hard drive. Yesterday, I put the the hard drive back in, and turned the ignition key so that the radio would come on, but not the engine. I did this so that the car's computer could index the music on the usb drive. After about 10 minutes I came back and tried to start the car, but it wouldn't turn over. Radio still worked. I used a charger to get a fast charge on it and got it running pretty quick. Drove it around while running errands and everything was fine. This morning I came out to start the car, and it barely turned over. I had to hit the gas to get it going. Then I came out a couple hours later and it wouldn't turn over at all, but the battery still worked. I live in Arizona, and batteries don't last long here due to the heat. But this still seems extreme for it to be a problem with the battery. Anyone have any ideas?2. Says: You will need to replace the battery, which likely has one or more bad cells. The battery's good cells will have enough of a charge to run accessories, but not enough to power the starter motor (which takes everything your battery has to offer). This is a common issue with ANY new vehicle about 12-24 months after purchase, as the original OEM batteries provided are not designed to last very long, especially in harsh climate areas (very high or very low seasonal temperatures). I have never seen an OEM battery last more than 24 months.Most auto parts retailers that sell batteries will do a free test for you, and can recommend a more appropriate battery for your vehicle and the conditions it is operated under.3. Says: Take your battery to the auto store and get it checked. BUT, Is your car not still under the warranty? If so, they should fix it free of charge.
Also check the battery itself, see what make it is and record the date on it. See what the warranty is on the manufacturer of the battery. either the dealer, or the battery dealer will maybe stand over it for you.4. Says: I know this is pretty basic, but did you or somebody maybe turn a light on inside the car and not turn it off? Or, (this happened to me) your radio is not shutting off with the car do to cross wiring?5. Says: I know how you feel, here is what you do:
1.If you disconnected the battery cables
-disconnect and use a big wrench with teeth to scrape polls until new led -shiny- is showing.
--reconnect and try again.
--make sure starter wire (red) is still tight or re-tighten - more likely than not it will help.
during the winter the led polls corrode faster and when you disconnect cables it exposes the fresh led, and when you reconnect you probably didn't tighten all the way. And even then, the stater wire comes loose when messing with the cables, but the starter wire will be obvious and usually does not corrode. Corroding of the starter wire will result in green build up (a lot).
2. if not 1, have your alternator check - O'Reilly's does it for free both alternator an battery.
Other possible problems
spark plugs (car doesn't hit)
exhaust manifold thermostat (car wont start or turn over) //rare
solenoid in starter (doesn't start) // is a little extensive to do work though
hard drive (disconnected red lead or ground wire) more often than not is ground wire, safety issue
It usually takes more than a couple of minutes to start a car that has been drained completely or dead. If the car starts right up, then it's not the battery LIFE. Also, The alternator will run the car without a battery, but the battery WILL NOT run the car without an alternator by which I mean driving long distances. Before the alternator completely dies, the car way stall while driving - that is a good indication.6. Says: Hey Kuzich.rm,
Car issues can be so irritating, can’t they? Good thing for your Fusions warranty. As your fellow poster suggested, take it to the local Ford dealership, they will be able to locate the problem and provide you with a solution, as well as inform you if the work is under warranty coverage.
Check out the following site: http://Owner.Ford.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Owner/Page/HomePage for available coupons and service discounts you can use at your next maintenance appointment.
Good Luck!
Noemi
Ford Customer Service Division Tag: Why does the battery keep draining on my 2010 Ford Fusion?