2000 Chevrolet Impala LS from North America - Comments

I have a 2005 Impala with 77,000 miles on it that has been reliable and no problems in general overall except for one very frustrating problem that has left me stranded on 2 out of 4 occasions that it happened.

On these 4 occasions, my battery was mysteriously drawn down or dead.

As a side note, I have found that it is possible to pull the key out of the ignition switch without fully returning the switch to the off position... thereby leaving accessories on, draining the battery.

This is what I thought happened the first time.

However, I have been subsequently double checking that switch is off when leaving the vehicle.

The latest incident occurred yesterday.

I noticed slow cranking over the past couple of mornings.

My alternator gauge is indicating charging at normal rate.

Yesterday, I ate lunch out in the parking lot at work and started the car to warm up and it ran normally.

3 hours later, when work was done, I went out and car barely turned over... battery was drained in a three hour timespan.

It had barely enough oomph, but I got it started.

Battery was so low that the clock reset itself to 12:00 from the effort of cranking the engine with the low battery.

After running for a few minutes, I stopped and restarted it and it cranked normally... and much faster than it had over the past few mornings.

This morning I went out and started it and starter spun over nice and fast.

So it appears that I have some sort of intermittent short or draw somewhere that is draining down the battery.

It has happened 4 times in the past 18 months.

I was ready to condemn the battery last night until I went out to start it this morning and did not encounter the slower than normal cranking that occurred over the past two mornings.

Battery terminals are clean and tight...

I am considering purchasing either a spare battery or one of those portable emergency boosters that runs on stored power to keep in the trunk in case it happens again... since this problem is so random and unpredictable.

If you still have the original battery in a 2005 car, and now is 2009, it is a good idea to change out for a new battery anyway.

I also have the battery and SECURITY light flashing on my 2001 IMPALA. I am not sure the battery charges so I just disconnect the terminal when I won't be driving for a while. When the car heats up, it seems possessed and all the gauges start acting up. Here is a video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9qlLrQ6v5E

Here it is once more: