How Long Does Your Battery Last Between Starts?

[Blk04LS]

The Question: This is mostly for the members here that have LS's that sit for extended periods of time. How long can your car sit without having issues starting?


The Story: Prior to a mid-July, I was driving the LS daily. As of mid-July I have been driving a company vehicle home every night. As a result, the LS now sits untouched for an average of 6 days. I have noticed that about day 5 the battery is weak, but will start it. Day 7 it almost always needs assistance. Day 6 is a neutral day, sometimes it will start unassisted, sometimes not. To prevent the battery from being drained to much, I have taken to starting it on day 3 or 4 and letting it run to recharge the battery. The battery passes all tests done by Ford during regular oil changes/services.

I replaced the battery in my SUV 7-8 months ago for similar reasons. It was good enough to pass all tests, but not good enough to be considered reliable any longer. In this case it started out not being able to make it 2 weeks, then eventually dropped to this same 5-7 day mark. Since then, no problems at all for it.


I know the excepted procedure is to replace both the battery and alternator together and I am in no way disputing that. I am simply trying to figure out just how long the average LS can sit, without battery related starting problems. My SUV can go 3-4wks on average, the Gen1 Taurus I had could go about 3 weeks without issue, while my old Toyota pickup could make it well over a month.

 

[2000sport]

My LS recently say for 2 months in my driveway with the radar detector plugged in, and started right up. My battery is almost brand new though.

 

[G-RELL]

It really depends on battery brand, the car (draw while sitting), elements (temp etc.) and use between extended sitting.... starting it is ok, but driving it a few times at least around the block is better... I would invest in a good trickle charger though.

 

[JMT03LSV8]

Weather effects mine. Summer, maybe a week at best, 3 days tops if I leave my Sirius on. When it gets colder out, 3 or 4 days tops, 2 days tops if I leave my Sirius on. Old battery, new battery, Motorcraft battery, aftermarket battery, no difference.

 

[highmiles]

mine dies after about a week and thats with a fresh battery, ive checked every fuse and made sure nothing at all could be running except the security system i guess. Do you think its better to fully disconnect the battery if its being stored for a while??

 

[joegr]

Both of mine have been fine for the few weeks that they ever get to sit unused.

 

[Telco]

For those with a power drain: How did you check each fuse looking for a power drain? What you'd need is a clamp-on ammeter on the positive battery wire to see how much power is being used. If you show current flow, you start pulling fuses until you find the culprit, keeping in mind that you'll never see no current flow since the LS computer will wake up when it detects a voltage change and pulling a fuse on a sleeping system will constitute a voltage change. Sounds like something is staying on that shouldn't be. The first suspect would be anything aftermarket, as Lincoln will design their electronics to minimize power usage when the engine is off but aftermarket equipment builders don't care about that sort of thing.

Incidentally, my 2003 LS may go a week or longer without even being looked at, and will crank up fine the first time with the battery that was in the car when I bought it. No idea when the previous owner might have changed the battery.

 

[Kumba]

Longest mine has sat is a week at an airport. Cranked right up when I got back no problem. I've never had it go flat from sitting and I leave a cigarette phone charger plugged in all the time. Rest is all stock electronics.

 

[scjmc]

Mine can sit for weeks, no problem starting. My Gen I was the same way, but at the first hint of battery trouble I replaced it.

 

[LS4me]

Speaking of batteries..........

Ford is running rebates until the end of the year (lincolnowner.com or fordowner.com). I just got a new battery for ~$128 installed, minus the "mail"-in rebate. $108 for an installed battery ain't half bad!!

Oh yea...... Apparently streaming radio and charging an iPhone 4 for over an hour will kill a battery........

 

[Blk04LS]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Overall the poll seems to reflect that the LS's electrical system is either happy with the battery, or it's not. There does not seem to be a lot of middle ground, which this seems to fit with the gremlins that are said to appear when a battery begins to weaken.

It really depends on battery brand, the car (draw while sitting), elements (temp etc.) and use between extended sitting.... starting it is ok, but driving it a few times at least around the block is better... I would invest in a good trickle charger though.

Agreed on the above points. The current battery is a Motorcraft CCA650 #BXT-66-650 with no additional info/sticker on the sides. I also could not find a date stamp on it.
And although I said let it run, I do drive it at at least a few miles during this period.
I have been considering a trickle charger for both my vehicles since starting to drive the company vehicle home, especially now that we are headed into the colder months.

For those with a power drain: How did you check each fuse looking for a power drain? What you'd need is a clamp-on ammeter on the positive battery wire to see how much power is being used. If you show current flow, you start pulling fuses until you find the culprit, keeping in mind that you'll never see no current flow since the LS computer will wake up when it detects a voltage change and pulling a fuse on a sleeping system will constitute a voltage change. Sounds like something is staying on that shouldn't be. The first suspect would be anything aftermarket, as Lincoln will design their electronics to minimize power usage when the engine is off but aftermarket equipment builders don't care about that sort of thing.

Incidentally, my 2003 LS may go a week or longer without even being looked at, and will crank up fine the first time with the battery that was in the car when I bought it. No idea when the previous owner might have changed the battery.

This I will have to do, thank you.

Speaking of batteries..........

Ford is running rebates until the end of the year (lincolnowner.com or fordowner.com). I just got a new battery for ~$128 installed, minus the "mail"-in rebate. $108 for an installed battery ain't half bad!!

Oh yea...... Apparently streaming radio and charging an iPhone 4 for over an hour will kill a battery........

Maybe I missed it, but right now all I am seeing are coupons for set purchase prices. 99.95 for the Plus (84 month) and 119.99 for the Max (100 month).

 

[Nosjunke]

I've got a MK VIII with same issue. After about 1-2 weeks it's dead. Beyond two weeks not only is it dead, but bad and won't hold a charge. I just disconnect when it's going to sit.

 

[msgtusmc]

Any battery that reads less than 13.6 volts after 3 weeks or less sitting needs to be replaced!
Doesn't HAVE TO BE, but SHOULD BE ! The electrolyte and lead liners are wearing out if it will not maintain this voltage. Below freezing and sub zero temperatures during this time will magnify this problem. Most auto part stores will check the battery and complete charging system for free. I buy the highest CA (cranking amps) and CCA (cold cranking amps) rated battery I can find. Never been left along side the road with battery or starting system failure. Get free tests every 6 months. In the 70s I re-wrote the book on lead-acid battery repair and maintenance for the U S Navy & U S Marine Corps, for all aviation units. Very little has changed since. Most significant change/impact on lead-acid batteries in last 12 yrs. has been the lead sourced from China, it is not as pure as previous lead, therefore it doesn't hold up as long. The price of lead has gone up dramatically over this same period, world wide. JMHO/2cents.

 

[joegr]

Any battery that reads less than 13.6 volts after 3 weeks or less sitting needs to be replaced!...

Are you sure that's not 12.6 volts?

 

[LS4me]

Most significant change/impact on lead-acid batteries in last 12 yrs. has been the lead sourced from China, it is not as pure as previous lead, therefore it doesn't hold up as long. The price of lead has gone up dramatically over this same period, world wide. JMHO/2cents.

That explains a LOT!!!!!