2000 LeSabre Battery drains

My elderly father only drives his 2000 LeSabre once a week and never at freeway speeds. Total annual mileage is 5,000. The battery keeps dying--both in the garage and also sometimes even when he stops during trip to the grocery. AAA confirms the battery is totally drained with no cranking power. The dealer's computer says the car's systems are okay. He bought a new battery even tho the other one was only 4 years old.Things were okay for a while but after a year, it is now doing the same thing. He requested all the security and memory draws be shut off, but the dealer said that can't be done. THe dealer has now told him he as to let it run in the driveway for 15 minutes twice a week. THis is unreasonable! Is there possibly a recall on some defective part that he missed?Is there something else he could have a mechanic check before selling this car? Is there a mimimum time or speed you need to drive to keep the battery charged? THanks so much for any advice you can give me.

My elderly father only drives his 2000 LeSabre once a week and never at freeway speeds. Total annual mileage is 5,000. The battery keeps dying--both in the garage and also sometimes even when he stops during trip to the grocery. AAA confirms the battery is totally drained with no cranking power. The dealer's computer says the car's systems are okay. He bought a new battery even tho the other one was only 4 years old.Things were okay for a while but after a year, it is now doing the same thing. He requested all the security and memory draws be shut off, but the dealer said that can't be done. THe dealer has now told him he as to let it run in the driveway for 15 minutes twice a week. THis is unreasonable! Is there possibly a recall on some defective part that he missed?Is there something else he could have a mechanic check before selling this car? Is there a mimimum time or speed you need to drive to keep the battery charged? THanks so much for any advice you can give me.


Hello

I agree the problem is lack of driving and security and memory draws.

Does your father keep his car inside or outside? The reason why I ask is if the car is keped outside, you could get a solar batery charger and leave it hooked up all of the time. If indoors, I would get a battery maintainer that when pluged in, will keep the battery fully charged without over charging.

As to amount a vehical should be driven?..... More? I think the dealer told you 15 mts twice a week.

Here is a link for a solar battery maintainer: http://www.batterystuff.com/solar-chargers/2.5Wframe.html

Regards

Dan

It seems there are many types cars that can sit for a week or more without being driven--I see them at the airport everytime I leave my car there for a vacation. Is this high battery pull specific to the LeSabre? Sue

It's not about the amount of time a car sits, starting a car drains the battery substantially, and short trips don't allow the alternator time to cathc back up. Perhaps a higher output alternator could help. I believe you have a 105 amp on it now and a 140 amp from Delco will fit. Most likely will not help. Short trips liek you've described are murderious in batteries. Longer trips need to be worked into the life of the car. I drive mine the 11 miles round trip daily to school, and I occasionally take it elsewhere. It's those long trips that help it.

My elderly father only drives his 2000 LeSabre once a week and never at freeway speeds. Total annual mileage is 5,000. The battery keeps dying--both in the garage and also sometimes even when he stops during trip to the grocery. AAA confirms the battery is totally drained with no cranking power. The dealer's computer says the car's systems are okay. He bought a new battery even tho the other one was only 4 years old.Things were okay for a while but after a year, it is now doing the same thing. He requested all the security and memory draws be shut off, but the dealer said that can't be done. THe dealer has now told him he as to let it run in the driveway for 15 minutes twice a week. THis is unreasonable! Is there possibly a recall on some defective part that he missed?Is there something else he could have a mechanic check before selling this car? Is there a mimimum time or speed you need to drive to keep the battery charged? THanks so much for any advice you can give me.
Get a cheap trickle charger and keep it on it when the car is not use , done.

I"m amazed more senior citizens don't have this problem! If longer trips are needed to charge the battery, then it sounds like just running it in the driveway for 15minutes is not going to help either. I don't live in the same city as he does or I would drive it and I can't encourage him to drive farther--it just isn't safe. Is there a comparable car that doesn't have so much battery-powered automatic stuff he could buy? I don't think he could handle fussing with a battery charger every time he gets the car out of the garage and puts it away.

It's not the act of driving itself, on a long trip the engine runs for a longer time, just like idling in the driveway.

THanks everyone for all your help. I wish there was a way to share a car with someone else. That would benefit both parties.

My uncle had the same problem. Eventually found that the trunk light was never shutting off.

It seems there are many types cars that can sit for a week or more without being driven--I see them at the airport everytime I leave my car there for a vacation. Is this high battery pull specific to the LeSabre? Sue

But those batteries aren't nearly drained when they're parked at the beginning of the week. So they are simply pulled down part way and then recharge on the drive home for 20 minutes and more.

Your father probably is running the car as little as possible timewise and has accessories like air conditioning or heater blower on at the same time.

If he's not able to connect a charger to a plug after driving a car and not able to drive enough to recharge a batter, perhaps it's time to take away the keys for his safety and for safety of others. There comes a time.

Guys...did you not notice the age of this thread? It is really annoying to see old threads posted in, generally because it clutters up current threads.