Hello all, I have a 2013 Honda odyssey and know next to nothing about cars, so I was just hoping for an estimate for when I take it to a mechanic and avoiding unnecessarily expensive work etc.
My primary issue has become noticeable over the past 4 months where an electrical issue is causing the battery to be drained to the point where it needs to be jump-started if too much time elapses between starts/drives. Progressively with colder temperatures (and perhaps weakening of battery and/or starter/alternator) it is now down to about 12-13 hours but the car struggles with signs of weak battery by that point. No noticeable issue if driven within 8 hours. I know it was bad for battery/alternator/starter to put it off, but in these few months, the car has been jumpstarted maybe 10-12 times. I know it’s not a bad battery (at least not originally and not the root cause) because the battery is new (about a year old).
Apparently this is due to a door/trunk not properly being closed, stemming from a minor accident years ago. [there is a long dent on the side adjacent the trunk and on the driver door from being slightly crunched against garage parking pillar. However it’s been years since without any issues]. But for some reason it’s become problematic in recent months. Earlier this year before realizing any connection, the car would indicated through sound that the trunk was not closed properly. A constant droning alarm sound for ‘door not closed’ would sound continuously for the trunk (despite the dashboard diagram not showing trunk or any door open). Sound could be stopped if I turned auto door setting off, re-close trunk and turn auto doors on. The first time I managed to re-shut the trunk and could drive with auto doors on, but then the last time trunk was opened I couldn’t get the alarm to stop, so I just turned off auto doors. After a few weeks driving with the auto doors setting off, toggling auto doors on/off now did not produce and still does not produce an alarm sound for open door. No dashboard sensors/sounds indicate a problem throughout this time. Driving with auto doors off has had no effect on battery life. I don’t understand why this issue would emerge after years without issue?
Can the sensor be deactivated/disconnected? Or is there something else that can be done inexpensively? I would rather avoid expensive body repair work if possible.
Lastly, this metal piece has sometimes been scrapping when I drive. Picture taken from under driver side door: www.imgur.com/a/X4DPduK … Can this just be screwed back on?
Since the last time I tried to jump was unsuccessful and the turning sound seemed absent (I think), I am worried I may have pushed the car too far and may need a new starter. I will update when I try to jump in a few hours. In this case, a quick google search says a new starter replacement should cost between $350-550 including labor. Is this fair and if I haven’t made any incorrect statments, how much more should I expect to pay a simple sensor disconnection fix for the battery? Is this something that all professional mechanics know how to do?
Thank you for reading and thanks in advance for your help.