Unable to start after a week or two

[2Dragons]

I have a v6 '95 4Runner. For some reason if I do not drive this car or do not have it run for 10 minutes or so within a week or two, this SUV will not start. I always haul a battery starter with this vehicle. I did have a mechanic look at it and he said it was the battery. Well, I replaced the battery with a brand new one and it still goes dead after a week or two. The coldness does seem to accelerate this issue. If let's say the vehicle is outside with temperature about 0-10 degrees for two or three nights, it would be dead. However, in the summer, it usually takes about two weeks before it goes dead. Seems like something is draining the battery. But if the battery is weak, when I got it started with a starter, the battery gauge should say low but nope, it's close to 18. I already put in a new alternator---if that does anything but nope.

Any suggestion on where to look is much appreciated.

 

[KidVermicious]

Sure sounds like a parasitic drain to me. If you don't have a multimeter, snag one from Harbor Freight, they're 5 bucks. Then turn everything in your truck off, close all the doors, etc., disconnect your positive battery cable, and measure amps between the positive stud on the battery and the terminal on the positive battery cable. I'm guessing you're going to read somewhere between .05 and .1 - that's enough to draw your battery down enough that it won't start, given a week or so.

I had a parasitic drain caused by some bad battery wiring. It was .23 amps, and sometimes would drain my battery over night.

 

[2Dragons]

Thanks for the tip. I'll check it out once the weather permits.

 

[GonOvr]

Sure sounds like a parasitic drain to me. If you don't have a multimeter, snag one from Harbor Freight, they're 5 bucks. Then turn everything in your truck off, close all the doors, etc., disconnect your positive battery cable, and measure amps between the positive stud on the battery and the terminal on the positive battery cable. I'm guessing you're going to read somewhere between .05 and .1 - that's enough to draw your battery down enough that it won't start, given a week or so.

I had a parasitic drain caused by some bad battery wiring. It was .23 amps, and sometimes would drain my battery over night.

Thanks for the tip. I'll check it out once the weather permits.

What Kid said plus while your are checking, start pulling fuses looking at the meter between each fuse pulled. One should cause the drain to stop if indeed you have a one. I have also seen alternators short internally and cause a drain too, so i would unplug it as well.

 

[2Dragons]

Well, it turns out the remote start is the main culprit in this. It takes a lot of battery juice. Anyway, I use a switch to disconnect the battery so that nothing can use the battery while the 4runner was not driven.

 

[77'911]

As others have said, check the fuse box with a voltmeter. I'm going to guess the ignition switch might be shot. Look around for worn areas around the wiring harness(ie where it might short out).
regards