I have a 2000 S-type, about three weeks it got very cold at night, the next morning my car wouldn't start. I pulled out the battery and took it into Advance Auto Parts. They put it on the tester/charger and it said it was low, they topped it off and I went on my way. Today, same thing. It was cold, car wouldn't start. Thinking the battery is bad and has something to do with the cold. I jumped the car and took it down. They tested it again, battery low. Charged it up put it in the car and ran some tests, alternator was fine. Turned everything off and noticed it was draining 2.68 amps while off. What could be some possible things that could be causing this that I could check and maybe fix before taking it in somewhere. (The amount of amps being drained has to account for something, shouldn't it?) Somethings that I know are currently wrong with the car. - Fuse to cigarette lighter is blown. - Driver side heater doesn't work. (stopped working in October) - Left tail light out. Putting new one in, still says its out. Haven't really messed with it to see if its placed correctly (been like this since the summer) I dont see any of them really contributing to this, since they have been there for some time before this battery incident.

 

not sure what happened to my formatting, doesn't seem like new users are able to edit their own posts.

 

Measure current after 40 mins of NO items on or activated. Bypass trunk open switch so car thinks trunk lid closed. Current won't drop low till about 40 mins and only then if car fully off. Any activity and restart the 40 mins. Read other threads & JTIS if you want to know more as this has been covered before (a few times every year).

Don't forget an intro in the newbie forum.....

 

40min, so the 3-5min test they ran at the auto store I shouldn't go by, there's a chance I have a bad battery?

I currently don't have time to have it tied up in the shop. To save the battery I have been disconnecting the negitve while I have it sitting in the drive way.

I have a question about battery disconnect / cut off switches.
Something like BATTERY MASTER DISCONNECT CUT OFF ISOLATOR KILL SWITCH | eBay
This seems a lot easier then getting tools out and unhooking, like I'm currently doing.
How well do they work, is there a different type that would be better?