My mother owns a 2000 Toyota Camry with 78,400 miles on it. In October, I received a frantic call from her after work that the car was dead and she couldn’t go anywhere. She’d left the after-market seat warmer plugged in and it had drained the battery. AAA jump started the car and we went to Merchants Tire together, where they told her that since she’d been running the car, the battery was charging up (this was without running any tests).
Her battery died again in November. She took it to Sears and they replaced the battery that was still under warranty with a new battery.
This last week, Monday before New Years, it died again. Same place, same characteristics. She took it to the dealer. The dealer couldn’t find anything wrong with it. She was torqued at the dealer because they did not listen to what she was trying to say and didn’t explain what they were going to do.
She took the car to a mechanic at an Exxon station today and he said that the battery was low, but that there was nothing wrong with the electrical system. He gave her a printout.
She then took it to Sears and they said that it was not the battery that was the problem, but that something was draining it through the electrical system. Sears did not run any tests.
By the way, the after-market seat warmer was given the old heave-ho, after the first disaster. She does not leave her GPS plugged in (puts it away in case of thievery).
AAA came to her rescue each time. She always parks in the paved parking lot at the Regal Theatre down the street from work. No trees, no trash, no nothing around, except other cars.
Could you please provide us an assist on this problem?
Have someone run a test of the Charging system, it should be free at many auto parts stores. I would also make sure the battery cables (both ends) are clean (contact area) and tight.
If that does not turn up a problem, it is time to find a good independent mechanic to test and find what is running the battery down wit the car turned off.