I just installed a new battery in my 1996 Chevy Lumina. The car sat for several weeks and now the battery is dead. How do I go about trouble shooting what is draining the battery?
There is a small and normal drain on any car battery. If a car sits for several works it may very well lead to a battery charge too low for starting. In other words, there may be nothing wrong with your car.
Of course, you never told us why you needed to replace the previous battery. Maybe that’s relevant, maybe not.
The old battery was replaced because it “didn’t seem to hold a charge”, which now I feel was really this other problem.
Use and amp meter to measure the current (not voltage) and start pulling fuses one at a time until the current reduces to a very low level. Then find out what is on that circuit.
Of course checking for glove box and trunk lights first might be a good idea.
Are you sure the new battery was fully charged when you parked the car?
Remove the light bulbs from the glove box, trunk and hood and then see it the battery goes dead again. These are the 3 items most overlooked and usuallyh stay on when they should go off.
I would connect the AMP meter directly to the battery and look to a decrease a I start pulling fuses?