I have a 93 Mazda 626, and a few days ago the battery was dead, we got a boost, ran it for about 15 min then I tried to use the power windows, the car stalled. So I went out and bought a new battery. The car started right up, used it all day, came home turned it off, later that night started right up no problem. The next day went to start the car in the morning and there was nothing again. Its deffently not the altinator, but what could be draining the battery? I noticed when the car was running the interior lights would not go one and the radio was on but no sound, I just need a few suggestiond to check out, before I take a big *** hammer to the whole thing lol

 

How do you know it isn't the alternator? I'd start there if you already replaced the battery (local auto parts store can test your alternator for you.) Either pull it out to test, or get a jump start and drive down there.

Other possibility is a short in the system causing drain, those can be a bitch to track down. If you have some systems that aren't working right, I'd definitely start with the wiring of those systems.

 

Well if it was the altinator then the car would have stalled while driving it after it drained the battery but during the day, in and out, the car would start fine it was only after being parked over night. When using a multi meter, were would I go to check the radio and interior lighs to see if those are the problem, and could they have fust fried the fuses by getting a bad boost?

 

Not necessarily....If you started with a brand new battery, and didn't drive all that far, it wouldn't completely drain the battery immediately and may drive fine for a while, but when you go to restart it, there wouldn't be enough juice to crack it over. I've had faulty alternators let me get through a couple of days before they drain a battery completely depending on how far you drive.

If the fuses were blown, the systems wouldn't work at all. Not sure where your fuse box is (check LH side of Instrument panel, or possibly in the engine compartment.

To use the multimeter to diagnose the systems, I would think you need a manual that tells you what the expected voltages/currents are for those systems. Maybe babyhuey can give you a hand.

 

Here is another post with good info...Dead Battery

 

Hi..Did you clean the contacts with a wire brush going to the new battery?Esp. the positive terminal. The car is old so you might want to disconnect the rusty grounds going to the chassis and clean them up as well with abrasive teflon pad preferably but wire brush and/or sandpaper or even a file if need be.

Here are a few other things to try. One, remove the negative cable from the terminal and put a test light (12 Volts) between the cable and the battery post. If the light glows, there is a drain. To find what circuit is causing the drain, remove one fuse at a time until the light goes away. Then, install them one at a time. When the light glows there is a drain, when the light is off, the bad circuit was removed. You may not get the light to turn off. In that case, it means that there is a drain in some other circuit that does not run through the fuse panel. First place I would look at is the starter. Starters have been known to short out at the solenoid and cause a constant drain to ground. Also the diode in the alternator could be the culprit.Good Luck with it! F'ing cars!