It seems when I don't start my 05 convertible for a few days it won't start without a jump. All the bells and whistles inside work including the roof so I know I have some power. I took it to a mechanic and he put a load test on it and the battery though old was still in good shape. Wait else could be draining it?
I also have an issue with dash light indicator which says that I have a bulb out. Well I have checked them all and they seem fine. Help! Since I am new to this forum and don't have a mechanical bone in my body I could use all the help I can get.

 

Well, you are gonna need a semi-mechanical bone for this unless you can find a RELIABLE mechanic.
The proper method for determining a battery drain is :
1. disconnect the negative battery cable.
2. connect a milliamp meter from the negative battery terminal to the connector on the negative cable.
3. the normal reading should be around 30 milliamps or so.
4. if it measures much higher, start pulling fuses in the box under the hood on the drivers side one at a time while watching the meter.
5. when you see the meter drop, you have located the AREA of the problem.

Get back with the fuse number in question and we'll go from there.

Hope this helps.
BTW: you can pick up a el-cheapo multimeter at Radio Shack if you don't already have one.

 

Well I had a local mechanic I trust do all that you suggested and he couldn't find anything! Drove it home and two days later it wouldn't start or even take a jump. So off it to the dealer it went under tow and now they say that the ECM is bad and hand over 2400 dollars! Have I been bent over?

 

I think sometimes batteries look good, test good and are in fact NO good.
Before I paid that money I would put in a new fully charged battery and start it, let it sit for a few days and start it again. I'm thinking you may have been had. If the car comes back with a new battery then you definitely have been had.
I just changed my battery in my DD as it is seven years old, my wife said it was a bit slow starting the car the other day, so it is gone.

 

It pays to listen to 180. He's our Automotive Guru.

The "stealership" probably replaced the car's battery with a battery that was "sitting on the shelf" in the shop. If you are replacing your battery start here first:

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...placement.html

 

I usually keep a spare AGM around, I usually buy a size that will fit anything and has dual terminals but a friend needed one temporarily (think that means like the temp buildings in DC from WWII).

My experience with AGMs is that they cost more but are likely to outlive me.

I use the DVM trick but modern computer cars have a habit of running a few things for a few minutes before settling down so I connect the DVM initially with a shorting wire between the leads, wait a bit, then remove the shorting strap for a true reading.

Frankly, I never heard of so many battery related issues before this forum, in other cars if they'll crank, they are OK to run.

 

Most "mechanics" have no clue what current is or how ohm's law works.

This applies to dealerships as well. I'd bet you $50 the ECM is not draining your battery.


Also, if the light out indicator keeps coming on - try to notice WHEN it comes on. Mine came on and I could not figure out why - turned out, it was a brake light.

 

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I beleive if the key is left in the ignition it will eventually drain a battery. If daytime running lights have been activated (mine have been) the bulb out indicator light is always on. Rose

 

no the key won't drain the battery as long as it is in the off position. The battery can test fine, but did he put a "load test" on the battery to see if the cranking amps are still good? Probably not. Look for one of the license plates lights to be out. That is usually why the bulb out indicator is lit. Put a new battery in and move on....