I have replaced the battery 2 times within 6 months. The alternator is good. Charges 14 volts. There seems to be a current drain after you turn off the vehicle for some time. It doesnt happen everytime.
2007-03-03 05:47:33 · 6 answers · asked by xray 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Car Makes ➔ Ford
It could be that one of your neighbors is siphoning off your battery's juice while you are at work. It would do you well to padlock your neighbor's house so he can't escape.
2007-03-03 05:56:07 · answer #1 · answered by Jennifer S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One..Ford doesn't make a Aerostar anymore as far as I know (I guarantee not in North America)
You may have a windstar?
Current drains can be numerous things.. For a good idea, you would have to take it to a mechanic shop as they have the tools to do it as the test light method the one mechanic said was good say 20 years ago but today is no good due to the normal drain on the battery.
It's tested basically like he said but instead of a test light, a real electrical shop will use a Amp meter to check on actual draw on the battery which after 1 hour should be no more than 50 milliamps or so.
But usually on the vans, I find the dome lamps stay on, the glove box is a famous one, and the radio not shutting off if the door ajar switch on the drivers door not working right (as it would take an hour for all of this stuff to turn off on a 2002.. on a 1992 Aerostar, the door ajar and glove box lights never turn off)
Another thing is if the vehicle has a aftermarket car alarm or if you leave your radar detector plugged in for a few days.. as a few days of draining without running he car can drain them really quick
2007-03-03 15:09:46 · answer #2 · answered by gearbox 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Must be a short somewhere that needs to be traced and eliminated. Or check all lights after you shut the engine off. Are any on? Including any inside the vehicle? Meantime to help prevent disconnect the battery until you find the source or the drain.
2007-03-03 13:53:03 · answer #3 · answered by gary o 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have a short somewhere. Are all your inside dome lights working? Had a similar problem when a bulb was burned out, but left the switch on. Took a couple of days to figure that one out. Check battery cable to insure that nothing is touching it.
If you have a voltmeter you can check to see if there is current flowing through your hot wire. Then go to the fuse panel an remove fuses one at a time to see which item is drawing the power. May need to get a mechanic to do it, but be ready to pay$$$$$.
2007-03-03 13:56:27 · answer #4 · answered by Cotton 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
intermittent electrical problem,s are the most difficult to diagnose.........remove your negative battery cable.....place a 12volt test probe between the battery & the cable........it should glow a little.....your computer,programable radio,etc.will continue to use power......but not much....if the test light burn,s bright....go to your fuse block......remove fues,s one at a time untill the light stop,s burning.......keep in mind....that if you have the door open the interior light,s will draw voltage.....turn everything off first.......if your lucky this will be one of the time,s that your problem will present it self!
2007-03-03 14:06:20 · answer #5 · answered by slipstream 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
possibly an electronic relay thats stuck ...had the same problem with a 1997 GMC and it ended up beaing a stuck relay to the air conditioner compressor
2007-03-03 20:30:05 · answer #6 · answered by Brit and Adam 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋