Why Did My Car Battery Drain So Quickly?
A reader asks why his wife’s car battery drained after just 10 days of standing.
Q. My wife has a 2013 Honda Accord EX-L, which is about 18 months old and has just less than 8000 miles on it. It is garaged in an under-the-house garage that is not heated but that does not freeze or get very cold. Recently, because of the weather, she did not use it for about ten days or less. When she went to start it, the battery was too dead to start the car. It started after a charge and has worked since then. After a little driving, the car was taken to the dealer, who checked it and found the battery to be mostly charged and with no drain when the power was off. The dealer said it was not uncommon for a good battery to drain in as little after 10 days of standing. Doesn’t sound right to me but is it? As an aside, my 2006 Subaru Outback sits outside and the eight year old battery, to which I have paid no attention, starts the car with no trouble.
A. In the case of your car I don’t think the problem was the car sitting for 10 days but more that in the past 18 months the car only has been driven 8000 miles. What could be happening is due to your wife’s driving habits the battery is not getting fully recharged after each start. Then combining the period of inactivity and some parasitic drain the battery became discharged to the point that the car didn’t start. Most cars have some constant drain on the battery but in general it less than 50 milliamps (0.050 ampere) drain. Considering the reserve capacity of an original equipment Honda battery it should stay charged for at least a month.
Q. We bought a 2014 Camry last summer, and have put nearly 9,000 miles on it. Our problem is that, with a mix of city and highway driving the average miles per gallon is barely 20 (as shown on the dashboard gauge and self- calculated.) At lower speeds, the car feels a little sluggish in its response. Could this have an impact on the mileage? Are there any other things we could look at to improve mileage? The dealer said there were no issues it could find, but we are frustrated with the poor mileage.
A. The EPA rates the Toyota Camry at 25/35 and 28 MPG combined for the four-cylinder model and 21/31 and 25 MPG for the six-cylinder model. Before I went looking for additional problems I still would want to see a few more miles on the car. I have seen some cars not become fully broken in until 12,000 miles. In addition the fuel available during the winter that allows for easier stating can result in up to a 10 percent reduction in fuel economy. At this point if the mileage isn’t where you think it should be I would ask the dealer to perform a fuel economy efficiency test to verify the miles per gallon. Although it is not uncommon to be unable to match or exceed the EPA MPG numbers, a 30 percent deficit seems excessive.
Q. I recently purchased a small camping trailer that I plan to use this summer for family vacations (if the snow ever melts). I plan to tow the trailer with my 2010 Honda CR-V and I’m considering a backup camera to make hooking up the trailer easier. Is there something you can recommend?
A. There are many DIY’er camera kits available that may fit your needs. Some are very sophisticated and will replace the rearview mirror; others have a portable display similar to a navigation unit. Some backup cameras are even wireless to allow for easier installation. Recently I was testing a unique system from Yada; it is a wireless backup camera that has an accessory camera. This system allows you to add an additional wireless camera to the rear of the trailer. This way you can use one camera for aligning the trailer or just general vehicle maneuvers and the second camera for backing the trailer into position. Seems like a very clever idea.
Q. I own a 2012 CRV that I love except for one issue. Occasionally, when I take my foot off the gas to slow down, then step on the gas again, nothing happens. The car does not accelerate for a couple of seconds, then when it does accelerate it jumps ahead because I’ve pushed too hard on the accelerator. I’ve had it to two mechanics, one being a Honda dealership, but they are not able to reproduce the problem and therefore cannot diagnose it. Any ideas from you would be greatly appreciated!
A. It is always difficult to diagnose and repair a vehicle when the problem doesn’t happen on a regular basis. I have checked for updates and technical service bulletins and didn’t find any that would apply. There are several possibilities but at best they are just guessing. I hate to say it but if there is no check engine light that comes on and all the data looks correct, time may be the best diagnostic tool. Perhaps keep a log of when and where the hesitation happens and at what seed and temperature. These will be clues to help the shop get the car repairs.
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