My GS4 doesn't start if I don't drive it for a week and then starts right up with a portable booster, it will then start no problem unless I don't drive it again for say a week. The very odd thing is that my radio stations and the clock remain in memory fine. I've experienced dead batteries before and would have to reset my radio and clock.

Autozone says battery is fine. What gives?

 

Oh, battery is less than two years old and tested fine at Autozone. In fact they replaced my old one.

 

Sounds like you have something draining the battery while it's parked. If you let it sit long enough most likely the radio and clock will need to be reset. Maybe something as small as your glove box light stays on.

 

I definitely checked glove and trunk and dome lights several times.

 

Battery terminals might be loose or need a good cleaning. Make sure if you clean them you take them of the battery and clean inside them too.

 

do you have an aftermarket alarm?

 

No aftermarket alarm

My terminals were old and they were replaced

So if terminals were loose or corroded, why would a portable jumper make it start right up?

 

Jumped it two days ago. Got it warmed up and drove for an hour. Two days later, this morning, got the dreaded Click, Click, Click.

Terminals look tight.

Interior lights and door locks still work.

 

What is the output of your alternator at idle?

 

Clamping jumper cables/pack to loose or coroded terminals can cause them to shift and make enough contact to start the vehicle and appear to be working properly. Then after time they shift again and lose contact.

 

So I will go back to Autozone. Items to check are:

Battery
Alternator output at idle?
Draining?

Is that the list, or what else?

Thanks.

 

Battery voltage / health. Don't discount a bad battery even though it was a fairly recent purchase. Many are simply reconditioned / refurbished and an old label gets peeled off and a new one slapped on. Alternator might be the culprit too. Hopefully you don't have a short on the brake lights or somewhere else. That's where I've always found a vampire drain on past cars.

 

If you have a digital multi meter you can check the draw yourself.

DO NOT do it with anything in the car on including the key or lights.

Disconnect the neg. terminal and insert the meter in series.

You will see the amp draw (typically only a few hundred milliamps, if more than say 2-300, or say 500 MAX mA then you have a drain and you can start pulling fuses till you find the offending circuit.

Even 500 mA will drain the battery eventually.

 

Forgive me, I know what in series means, but not in this context. So there are two ends to the multimeter. Where exactly do I place them?

Secondly, how do I test alternator? (Assumedly with car running)

Thanks

 

Wouldn't check engine light come on if alternator is bad?