I need help figuring out why my car battery and alternator keep dying

Asked by Guru97M6DR Jun 17, 2023 at 04:08 PM about the 2012 Ford Escape Limited AWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I have a 2012 ford escape and no matter how
many times I've changed the battery and
alternator they both end up dying again this has
been happening the last 2 years and I don't have
the money to take it to the shop. Any ideas?

1 Answer

157,615

You have a power draw from something. If you have an aftermarket stereo or other added on accessories I'd check them first. Check to make sure none of the lights are staying on after you turn the vehicle off. Interior lights, underhood light, and rear compartment lights are prime suspects. If all that checks out, disconnect the positive battery cable and hook up a 12 volt test light between the positive battery terminal and the disconnected battery cable. Because the computers are always drawing power the test light should glow dimly. It it glows brightly you have a problem. The begin removing fuses, one by one until the test light glows dimly or goes out altogether. That will be the circuit where the power draw is. From there you can check individual components on that circuit to determine which one is the problem. Remember, you want to remove one fuse, look at your test light, then put it back in. You don't want to have a bunch of fuses laying on the ground. Hope that helps! Jim

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