Starting problem

KAYLEB101

MEMBER
2008 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER
4WD
AUTOMATIC
130,000 MILES

Just bought this car and in the past month I've tried to start it and the battery has been dead two or three times. This morning the same thing happened but this time after trying to turn over and taking the key back out it started rapidly clicking and wouldn't stop unless I disconnected the battery for a minute or so every time I tried. I unplugged the relays and plugged them back in to see if that would help but no go. After jump starting it seems fine, until I wake up one morning and it's dead again. Any thoughts? I was thinking the alternator or starter? I don't know much about Mitsubishi vehicles so any help would be appreciated as I try to diagnose this thing as I already have to replace the ABS sensors which are crazy costly.

3 Replies

SCGRANTURISMO

MECHANIC
4,897 POSTS

Hello,

This sounds to me like a classic case of parasitic draw. Parasitic draw happens when you have an electrical draw somewhere in your vehicle so when you shut your vehicle off this circuit stays powered up and kills the battery. I have included a link for you to go to down below.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-battery-dead-overnight

Please go through this guide and get back to us with what you are able to find out.

Thanks,
Alex
2CarPros

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Wednesday, May 8th, 2019 AT 10:49 AM

KAYLEB101

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Out of everything the only thing that could be a problem would be the alternator, it does crank slowly even when the battery is charged, possibly the alternator is shorted out and drawing the power out slowly while the car is off? Another thing where the ABS sensors are shot could that make a problem with drawing power with the relay? I spoke with someone and they said the alternator wouldn't be bad if it's still holding charge, but I've noticed if I don't start it for a few days is when the battery is dead, if I start it regularly throughout the day while driving it's fine.

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Wednesday, May 8th, 2019 AT 12:19 PM

SCGRANTURISMO

MECHANIC
4,897 POSTS

Hello again,

Right. The alternator's job is to charge the battery. It is extremely unlikely that the alternator would be the cause of the parasitic draw. The parasitic draw is something that is not turning off when the vehicle is turned off and is consuming electricity until it drains your vehicle's battery, like leaving a flashlight on. The next time you go to use the flashlight, the batteries are dead. Same principal here. What we need to do is to find out what is draining your vehicle's battery and fix it. Please double check this guide for us down below and get back to us with what you are able to find out.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-battery-dead-overnight

Thanks,
Alex
2CarPros

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Wednesday, May 8th, 2019 AT 2:10 PM