The Battey In my 1995 Lincoln Town Car Goes Dead After a Few Days
Reader Question Hi, I have a freak of nature problem going on with my car, and I was wondering if you could please help me…
To start, I have a ’95 lincoln towncar and it’s electrical system is acting up. I live at school and come home on weekends periodically, like maybe every 2 weeks or so. I know when you let a car sit it’s not exactly good for the battery. So I went to start it up after having it sit for 2 weeks and it didn’t have the kick, so my old man jumped it and it was working fine from there. I know it wasn’t the alternator cuz we checked it. I drove it around the whole day after we jumped it just fine.
But ever since it was jumped, when the driver’s side of the car was opened and the engine is turned off, it would constantly beep as if a light was on or some kind of current was flowing. It never did that before, but I didn’t think much of it, but the next day the battery was completely dead and I couldn’t start it at all. So I get the battery replaced and installed it myself (the battery did have a dead cell), but there’s still some kind of current flowing even when the car is turned off.
My old man was looking around the inside of the car, and apparently a penny or metal gumwrapper in the garbage or cigarette lighter was draining it, but we don’t know…when we tried cleaning it out, there was sparks as if there’s some sort of short going on.
I know electrical problems are difficult to troubleshoot, but if you have any idea what’s going on here, your insight would be much appreciated. Thanks for listening.
Hello my troubled college student
If you had a penny or something like that in the cig lighter, and you made a spark….you probably blew a fuse, so check the fuse panel for a blown fuse. The door chime thing, you might have a problem with the “key reminder” which tells you the key is still in the ignition…I THINK there is a fuse and or relay for it as well, I do not have a wiring diagram here with me for your year model.
I would also check to make sure all the hood and trunk lights are not on, or the antennae motor or electric seat motor is not running with the key off which would cause a drain in the battery system.
Let me know what you find.
Blessings,
Austin C. Davis
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thank you so much for your quick reply. we have since figured out the problem, which was some kind of connection in the fuse box. again thank you very much.
I am having the same exact issue with my car and it is driving me insane. we replaced the alternator, and the battery twice. we are at a complete loss.
You most likely have an electrical drain somewhere sucking the battery down when the engine is off. Have your mechanic check for an ignition key off electrical drain.
Common sources of “drains” are
1. Radios that are bad and draw too much power with the key off
2. Dome and glove box lights on
3. Electric seat motors that continue to run (listen under the seat for the motor running)
4. Trunk and hood lights on
5. Electric antennas that continue to run (listen to the fender for motor running if you have an older electric antenna located in the front fender)
6. External alternator voltage regulators, older vehicles use these which are flat looking boxes usually on or near the fender under the hood
7. Aftermarket installed CD players, amplifiers and TV’s
8. Under hood relays which are not shutting off when the key is off