Battery Dead after 8 days sitting the garage

zoom · 07-18-2010, 09:52 AM

I have a 2010 manual 370z. The car has 3,000 miles. Original factory battery. I left the car in my garage while out of town, so it sat for 8 days without being started. When I returned the battery was so dead that the dashboard would not light. I verified that I didn't leave anything on (light headlights...etc). I took the battery out and headed to walmart to let them check if the battery was good or not...they came back and said the battery was fine just needed to be charged. Took the battery home put it back in car and the car started right up.

Anyone know what would be causing the battery to go dead? I find it hard to believe that you can't sit the car for 8 days without the battery going dead.

CBRich · 07-18-2010, 10:07 AM

My car is not my daily driver and has sat for up to 15 days with no battery issues. This is definitely not right.

Modshack · 07-18-2010, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoom

I have a 2010 manual 370z. The car has 3,000 miles. Original factory battery. I left the car in my garage while out of town, so it sat for 8 days without being started. When I returned the battery was so dead that the dashboard would not light. I verified that I didn't leave anything on (light headlights...etc). I took the battery out and headed to walmart to let them check if the battery was good or not...they came back and said the battery was fine just needed to be charged. Took the battery home put it back in car and the car started right up.

Anyone know what would be causing the battery to go dead? I find it hard to believe that you can't sit the car for 8 days without the battery going dead.

I once stepped out of the car, closed the door and the radio was still on....
Turns out I had accidentally double tapped the engine stop button when turning it off and it ended up in the Accessory position...Just a thought..

Something had to be on for it to completely drain..

6spd · 07-18-2010, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Modshack

I once stepped out of the car, closed the door and the radio was still on....
Turns out I had accidentally double tapped the engine stop button when turning it off and it ended up in the Accessory position...Just a thought..

Something had to be on for it to completely drain..

qft, this has happened to me before, but i caught it. this would be a likely scenario.

yellowgold · 07-18-2010, 10:14 AM

take off the battery cables next time, that's what i do with most of my cars when i leave, i never had any problems, just give the keys to someone who you trust and tell them to turn the car on every 2 weeks if you leaving it for a long time.

m4a1mustang · 07-18-2010, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Modshack

I once stepped out of the car, closed the door and the radio was still on....
Turns out I had accidentally double tapped the engine stop button when turning it off and it ended up in the Accessory position...Just a thought..

Something had to be on for it to completely drain..

This.

I accidentally did the double-tap and while the engine was off, the car was still in accessory mode so my dash and instrument panel was lit, ac was blowing, and the radio was on. I think I came back to the car after an hour or so.

zoom · 07-18-2010, 10:20 AM

Another interesting note...

When I removed the battery the water level in some of the cells was low...

Wondering if that would cause the battery to lose juice...

Cjanik · 07-18-2010, 11:02 AM

defective battery maybe?

ive left my car for 1 months when my son was born and it started right up.

errett · 07-18-2010, 11:54 AM

My 2010 Pathfinder did the same thing right after it was purchased. I put it on a slow charger and brought it back up to full and have not had the issue since.

My 370Z regularly sits for a week at a time without being started and I have not seen this happen.

Keep an eye on it, my H2 came from the dealership with a dead cell in the battery and left me stranded less than 1 month after purchase.

E

susu · 07-18-2010, 12:16 PM

I am not too impressed with the battery that came with my new Z. I had to boost it up twice in my first 2 months of ownership. The 2nd time, the dealership ran a check and said battery was OK. Granted mine is a roadster,with the added drain playing around the power top; this factory battery appears not to hold the charge too well esp with my daily driving being fairly short distances ( less than 10 kms ) each time on my daily commutes.
The first time it happen was after a week of ownership and I attributed that to having left it in the ACC. position; as I was in a hurry getting to work and then finding the battery almost dead 9 hours later.

drdre8424 · 07-18-2010, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Modshack

I once stepped out of the car, closed the door and the radio was still on....
Turns out I had accidentally double tapped the engine stop button when turning it off and it ended up in the Accessory position...Just a thought..

Something had to be on for it to completely drain..

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6spd

qft, this has happened to me before, but i caught it. this would be a likely scenario.

i'm pretty sure that after certain amount of time with inactivity, the car turns off in ACC mode.

spearfish25 · 07-18-2010, 12:20 PM

My battery has been fine, even with 2 week trips. There is no reason a battery can't sit a month or more and still hold a charge. I do a lot of boating, and the boat batteries (just car batteries) sit for very long periods when I can't get to the boat. No issues.

On a side note, it seems the hot weather has been killing car batteries in Chicago left and right. Had to jump my wife's car last week, a co-worker's battery just died, and my doorman said that three people have asked him for jumper cables this week as well.

PapoZalsa · 07-18-2010, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yellowgold

take off the battery cables next time, that's what i do with most of my cars when i leave, i never had any problems, just give the keys to someone who you trust and tell them to turn the car on every 2 weeks if you leaving it for a long time.

Unless your car is going to be in storage or sitting for a long time (6 months+) is no need for that.

zoom · 07-18-2010, 02:06 PM

My plan is to just watch it the next couple of days and see what happens. With the car placed in the ON position and not running the battery gauge reads roughly 13v. Once the car is started the battery gauge reads roughly 14v. I drove it around today and it seems to be doing just fine...holding steady at 14v all over town. I'm in Texas and we are having 100+ degree days so I'm thinking that might have added to the battery stress.

Question...sorry for going off topic a bit but I wanted to ask...

After the car starts up all my gauge needles peg out then go back to normal (this is with the car sitting still) ...it looks cool so I'm hoping this is for show. To my knowledge this has always occurred since I bought the car. Is this correct that its just for show?

6spd · 07-18-2010, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drdre8424

i'm pretty sure that after certain amount of time with inactivity, the car turns off in ACC mode.

yeah when the battery dies

07-18-2010, 09:52 AM	#1 (permalink)
zoom Base Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Dallas Posts: 5 Drives: 2010 370z Rep Power: 15	Battery Dead after 8 days sitting the garage I have a 2010 manual 370z. The car has 3,000 miles. Original factory battery. I left the car in my garage while out of town, so it sat for 8 days without being started. When I returned the battery was so dead that the dashboard would not light. I verified that I didn't leave anything on (light headlights...etc). I took the battery out and headed to walmart to let them check if the battery was good or not...they came back and said the battery was fine just needed to be charged. Took the battery home put it back in car and the car started right up. Anyone know what would be causing the battery to go dead? I find it hard to believe that you can't sit the car for 8 days without the battery going dead.

07-18-2010, 10:20 AM	#7 (permalink)
zoom Base Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Dallas Posts: 5 Drives: 2010 370z Rep Power: 15	Battery water level Another interesting note... When I removed the battery the water level in some of the cells was low... Wondering if that would cause the battery to lose juice...

07-18-2010, 12:20 PM	#12 (permalink)
spearfish25 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Naples, FL Posts: 4,117 Drives: to work Rep Power: 1856	My battery has been fine, even with 2 week trips. There is no reason a battery can't sit a month or more and still hold a charge. I do a lot of boating, and the boat batteries (just car batteries) sit for very long periods when I can't get to the boat. No issues. On a side note, it seems the hot weather has been killing car batteries in Chicago left and right. Had to jump my wife's car last week, a co-worker's battery just died, and my doorman said that three people have asked him for jumper cables this week as well. __________________ 2013 Cadillac V-Wagon, RIP Z

07-18-2010, 02:06 PM	#14 (permalink)
zoom Base Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Dallas Posts: 5 Drives: 2010 370z Rep Power: 15	Going to Watch It My plan is to just watch it the next couple of days and see what happens. With the car placed in the ON position and not running the battery gauge reads roughly 13v. Once the car is started the battery gauge reads roughly 14v. I drove it around today and it seems to be doing just fine...holding steady at 14v all over town. I'm in Texas and we are having 100+ degree days so I'm thinking that might have added to the battery stress. Question...sorry for going off topic a bit but I wanted to ask... After the car starts up all my gauge needles peg out then go back to normal (this is with the car sitting still) ...it looks cool so I'm hoping this is for show. To my knowledge this has always occurred since I bought the car. Is this correct that its just for show?

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07-18-2010, 10:07 AM	#2 (permalink)
CBRich A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: SC Posts: 2,464 Drives: 370Z Rep Power: 544	My car is not my daily driver and has sat for up to 15 days with no battery issues. This is definitely not right.

07-18-2010, 10:14 AM	#5 (permalink)
yellowgold Base Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Chicago Posts: 43 Drives: 04 maxima SE Rep Power: 15	take off the battery cables next time, that's what i do with most of my cars when i leave, i never had any problems, just give the keys to someone who you trust and tell them to turn the car on every 2 weeks if you leaving it for a long time.

07-18-2010, 11:02 AM	#8 (permalink)
Cjanik Track Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 578 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 17	defective battery maybe? ive left my car for 1 months when my son was born and it started right up.

07-18-2010, 11:54 AM	#9 (permalink)
errett Base Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Maumelle, AR Posts: 149 Drives: Z34 10 0111 Rep Power: 15	My 2010 Pathfinder did the same thing right after it was purchased. I put it on a slow charger and brought it back up to full and have not had the issue since. My 370Z regularly sits for a week at a time without being started and I have not seen this happen. Keep an eye on it, my H2 came from the dealership with a dead cell in the battery and left me stranded less than 1 month after purchase. E

07-18-2010, 12:16 PM	#10 (permalink)
susu Base Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: canada Posts: 73 Drives: 370z roadster 6mt sp Rep Power: 16	I am not too impressed with the battery that came with my new Z. I had to boost it up twice in my first 2 months of ownership. The 2nd time, the dealership ran a check and said battery was OK. Granted mine is a roadster,with the added drain playing around the power top; this factory battery appears not to hold the charge too well esp with my daily driving being fairly short distances ( less than 10 kms ) each time on my daily commutes. The first time it happen was after a week of ownership and I attributed that to having left it in the ACC. position; as I was in a hurry getting to work and then finding the battery almost dead 9 hours later.