Battery help!

[Jerry321]

Car is 06 evo ix. I purchased a duralast gold 600 cca battery at autozone less than 2 yrs ago. Just last month on different occasions I've had hard start or rough start in the mornings. When it got worse I noticed my voltage gauge a tad bit under 10V and my clock dimmed more than normal, after a slow crank it started fine. The worse was when I started it to park in my driveway to wash it, after 20-30 min I was ready to pull it back in and the volt gauge was under 10V again but this time it wouldn't start only heard the started struggling to turn.

To end the story took the battery to autozone to warranty it but after being recharged it passed their battery test... Any ideas.

I've done parasitic draw test and it shows .50 mili amps. And shows 12.40V on the battery with the car off, and 14V on the car volt gauge with the car idling.

I only have 2 aftermarket gauges, sound system which I unplugged during the parasitic draw test and nothing.

Input is appreciated!

[evo_jfa]

Clean your battery terminal. Any recent electrical work done? Do you have aftermarket electrical parts installed?

[Jerry321]

Only these things defi boost gauge, UEGO gauge, sound system, led strip lights in trunk and cathode tubes. But not a problem in the 2 yrs I've had this battery.

Is .50ma a high draw? I didn't notice a lowering when I unplugged the gauges or the sound system.

Are the autozone it's just being d***s for not wanting to warranty the battery? It seems weird it arts fine this morning and all of a sudden the batt. drained in 30 mins...

[evo_jfa]

Do you have all aftermarket electronics with ignition switch?? But my theory is your battery is going death soon

[Jerry321]

No, one gauge on headlight fuse, another on cig fuse.

So what does it take for the guys in autozone to replace it!??? I swear they gave me a blank stare when I told him I did a parasitic draw test! They had no idea what I meant.

[LakaiorDie]

I have the same issue changed the alternator twice and the battery even have 2of 3 gauges shut off just so my headlights wont flicker.

Your alternator could be frying out but also yeah check your terminals.

[Chips]

^ohhh yeaa daniel the mechanic

[Jerry321]

I've been thinking, I drive my car 2-3 times a week maybe less. And every now and then I move my car but it runs for only 10-30 secs, just enough to park it. And I cycle my aem wideband so it warms up the sensor.

Can me not letting the engine run longer not giving enough time for the alternator recharge the battery from cycling the aem gauge? Some times I do this multiple times a week.

[snowsnake]

.50mA or 50mA? If 50 that makes more sense and is a lot + only moving the car and not letting it charge, also you unplugged your sound system while doing the test?

I know it takes a lot from your battery to start the car and if you're only moving it for a few seconds it's likely that it's not charging the battery enough.

[Jerry321]

It shows .50mA. Maybe the battery is going bad after a year of this type of use. I'll have to keep an eye on it before my warranty goes out. Especially when auto zone guys just wanna recharge it...

[Jerry321]

Update: battery has been charged like I said before. Now the car has been sitting for a week since that charge now the car won't start, it's at 10volts. What could it be now??

[Macky]

my first guess would be the battery. fully charged and it wont start in a week? I dont drive my evo for a couple weeks at a time and it fires up every time I start.

[evo_jfa]

Update: battery has been charged like I said before. Now the car has been sitting for a week since that charge now the car won't start, it's at 10volts. What could it be now??

if you still have warranty, then ask for replacement.. Escalate with store manager.

[kambodianboi]

When I storaged my EVO for about 3 weeks, my battery was dead. I would charge it, and the car start up fine again, but I had it in storage a few time. The battery seem to be less reliable after each time I had it in storage. ( I didnt hook up a battery tendor to it, was used on my other car ). In the end, the battery seemed good, but couldn't hold a charge or produce enough crank amp (idk why). Probably same scenario.

If anything, swap battery with someone and see how it goes. (unless you can buy another battery, like from Costco)

[Jerry321]

Update: Solved!

Ok. After doing much monitoring and testing. I found the led strip lights I installed in the trunk (lights the whole trunk btw) would stay on after locking the car. But even this wasn't enough parasitic draw, so I took the battery for a 2nd time to autozone and finally failed and relieved a new battery.

Sooo the problem was the battery all along! So thanks to everyone that contributed to finding my problem.

[evo_jfa]

good to know