I left my 93 accord unused for about two weeks. Then I went to start it and the seatbelt sound is delayed. When the key is turned to start, no start, no cranking, the dash lights go dim but brighten back up when you let go of the key.

Nothing was left on, no headlights, nothing. I'm not sure why the battery would die.

The car was left months for a stretch before I bought it and the battery was fine. What gives? I didn't know batteries could die just because the car wasn't used for two weeks.

At this point I'm at a loss as to what to do. I don't want to buy a new battery. I'm thinking I'm going to bring the battery to autozone and have them charge it but I'm not sure if it will work. I also heard they only charge it up to 77%. Is there any way I can find out how much the battery has been charged? Possibly by using a multimeter?

 

Autozone can perform a battery test after charging which will verify battery's ability to hold charge.

Batterys do fail from non-use. Some failure is caused by sulphate accumulation/hardening and shorting of plates. This happens due to lack of use. google "A Sulfated Battery".

good luck

 

Also, the battery could have been failing for a while. I know that I had my TSX battery, alternator, and starter tested when I was test driving it.

The battery came up as failed, even though there were no issues when I was driving it or starting it. I replaced the battery a month later, because turning on my stereo for about a minute would drain the battery with the car shut off.

 

Old age, I just discovered that my battery has been in there since Jan/2004 and still works great but i'm starting to smell the sulfer rotten egg smell from it..I tested it with a top grade battery tester and Yep! It said " Replace This Battery" yes it does talk also..

WheelBrokerAng

 

Messaround,

How old is the battery?

Another possibility is a short-to-ground with everything "off." If the battery tests good after re-charging it, put it back in the car and then measure current draw with the car off. I would say you should be drawing <= .3 amps

Roy

 

The battery was greater than three years old.

I think it's a goner. I think I caught it too late. By the time I caught it, it was a no start with all dash lights on and delayed seatbelt noise.

When I planned to pluck it and bring it to Autozone it now barely shows the dash lights and turning key to start shuts all lights off. Letting go of key brings them back to their weak state.

The temps around here are cold and I heard a sulfated battery in the cold is a goner. I thinkat this point it's too late, once sulfated there's no way to recharge it anyway. I think I'll bring it to AZ just because I can but I'm going to have to buy a new batt from Costco. I had no non-use could kill a battery. What if someone goes on vacation or they're seriously hurt and in the hospital? What if the car is just in storage?

Could an open hood have anything to do with it? I accidentally left the hood open, not fully open, just not locked down, the hood was still down. Maybe there's a light that alerts to an open hood and it was draining the battery?

 

Two weeks will not kill a battery. Every winter I mothball my truck; if I bother to move the battery to the basement I don't touch it for several months; if I leave it in the truck, I put the charger on it about once every month, or so. Never any problems with that battery.

Some batteries just don't last.

 

And... leaving the hood un-latched (but not actually open) won't do it either. I really don't thing 93 has a warning light for an open hood.