My Battery does not keep a charge

Maintenance/Repairs
,
1

For two years my Chevy Lumina has to be re-charged ifit is not driven on the freeway for a period of 20 minutes or more then we have to charge it. We have gone through two batteries and several inspections and we can’t find out the problem. In our latest attempt we were told

that the alternator was faulty and was pulling energy from the battery. It was replaced and for a week my husband drove it to the bus stop. Finally, Friday the car was dead and we were back to our routine.

2

How far do you drive each trip, and how many trips per day?

3

You could have one of a few problems.

  1. your daily drive routine does not include sufficient operation to recharge the battery after starting.

  2. you have a parasitic drain. That’s a slow constant current draw that slowly drains the battery as the cars sits. Current draw while stationary is measurable. The couse could be a light left on, even a trunk light.

  3. both of the above.

4

He drives 1/4 a mile to the bus stop and then 1/4 to our home.

5

Thanks for the reply. We will check out the drains and double check the lights.

6

1/4 mile to the bus stop and then 1/4 mile home every day is insufficient to keep the battery charged. Other than taking longer drives or connecting a “trickle charger”, I know of no way to solve the problem.

7

Is the driver disabled?

8

Whoops!! I drove in my other vehicle and… it is 1.7 miles. I think in terms of minutes to a destination instead of miles.