# Dead battery charges but then dies

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/dead-battery-charges-but-then-dies/1910>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** integra, batteries, acura\
**Created:** [July 18, 2007, 7:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dead-battery-charges-but-then-dies/1910 "2007-07-18T19:32:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Love\_Acura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Love\_Acura](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Love_Acura)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 7:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dead-battery-charges-but-then-dies/1910/1 "2007-07-18T19:32:18Z")

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I have a 1992 Acura integra (150,000 miles) as a spare car. I use it about once a week for very short local trips. I didn’t start it for 3 weeks and battery died. It charges up but first time it died in a few minutes. Second time, it died a few minutes later after I tried to put it in drive to give it a spin around the block. Anyone know what’s up with it?

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**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 7:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dead-battery-charges-but-then-dies/1910/2 "2007-07-18T19:33:58Z")

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How old is the battery?

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**Author:** ![jayhawkroy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jayhawkroy/32/33_2.png) [@jayhawkroy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jayhawkroy)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 8:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dead-battery-charges-but-then-dies/1910/3 "2007-07-18T20:25:18Z")

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Check alternator output also. Could be a bad alternator hastened the demise of this battery.

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 8:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dead-battery-charges-but-then-dies/1910/4 "2007-07-18T20:27:44Z")

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If that is the original 5 year old battery, it most likely is dead and needs to be replaced. Most auto part stores will check it and the charging system for you.

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 8:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dead-battery-charges-but-then-dies/1910/5 "2007-07-18T20:30:30Z")

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What you are seeing is a surface charge only, the battery has lost most of its capacity. Sometimes, they can be brought back but it is probably better to just replace it.

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 10:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dead-battery-charges-but-then-dies/1910/6 "2007-07-18T22:17:29Z")

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It’s probably 3-4 years old. Someone suggested to me that I need to leave the clamps from the battery charger on longer when I jump start the car.