I've read quite a few posts on here about batteries draining from parasitic loss, most blame the shaker radio. One thought I had to stop this for short or even long term storage.....most marine applications (boats) have a battery isolater/disconnect that can be manually turned off to completely disconnect the battery from the electrical system. All it would take is a little wiring ingenuity and popping the hood to turn the switch. One downside would be the cars computer would have to relearn everything on start up. Just a thought that may be the answer for long term storage issues.

 

But they're hideous.

Welcome to the forums, good post!

/I've thought about such myself recently for Awesome, as she doesn't get out as much nowadays... but I just... can't.
//I should get her out waaay more.

 

I'm too lazy to search, but wasn't the factory CD player causing this years ago, or was it an aftermarket unit?

 

yeah there were rumors of the CD player indexing through the CD's endlessly, and/or the Shaker not turning off and using power and draining the battery

 

I know they aren't the best looking thing under the hood, gut there is bound to be somewhere under the battery out of sight that is still accessible it could be mounted I would think

 

I guess Houtex was thinking of mounting it on the dashboard or on the hood, LOL

also I guess a switch would be a bit easier and safer than disconnecting the battery the old-fashioned way, the effort to mount and wire the switch would pay off eventually?

 

According to the info posted on the thread links provided below, if CD's were left in the shaker 500 units, they had a tendency to cycle through continuously even if the power was turned off before turning off the ignition. If no CD's were left in the shaker units, they would only cycle through when the battery is nearly completely discharged. This process is designed to protect the PCM from any potential damages.

https://themustangsource.com/forums/...-night-543994/
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...-issue-542688/
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...ptions-540683/
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...541132/index2/
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...-issue-502696/
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...ustang-494090/
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...-drain-524316/
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...427426/index3/
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...-today-493191/
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...roblem-479609/
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...427426/index2/
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...lready-446863/
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...system-491870/
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...-comes-482828/
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...estion-473567/
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...solved-468583/
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...estion-476309/
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...oughts-470744/
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...464397/index2/
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...issues-466089/
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...oblems-462025/
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...y-gang-461725/

 

All I know is I drove my '06 for nearly 15 years. It had eight batteries in it during that time.

 

Well, if we're doin' "all I know"s, here's mine:

All I know is that I drove a '96 HoopTBird for 4 years, and I dunno who drove it before that, but that thing had the original Motorcraft battery from when it was brand new in it when I traded it in in 2008, which would make it a 12 year old battery, and nary a concern. Alternator went out in 2006, thought it was the battery, nope. Still goin'.

I attribute it to the position of the battery being in the engine bay, tucked in the corner, all the heat from the right manifold, and no air movement, hot battery, dies. The HoopTBird was driver side, front mounted, air, no exhaust heat.

But what do I know... except all I know.

 

My battery lasted 7 years in my pony.

 

wow, how the heck did that happen? two or three years seems to be about typical life in these cars . . . do you keep it on a tender? was it some kind of super high end battery?

 

It was a stock Ford battery which I tender every winter and it's garage kept.

 

I got about 4 years with my first one in this car. It was doing just fine and then it wasn't. Did not notice any extra effort in cranking until it was just dead.

I did realize that the battery had an issue with keeping the battery acid at levels to cover the plates. Not sure if it was the charging over the winter months or if it was the heat as @houtex pointed out. So, I have been watching and maintaining that much closer on the latest battery. Doing fine so far, but as the last one, it could quit anytime. Coming up on that four year mark again, we will see how long this one lasts. Did not go with an OEM on number 2. Got a Die Hard, but I am sure those are not what they use to be.

 

Holy cow!

 

Going on 4 years by keeping it on a tender with OEM Motorcraft 96R battery.

Mine is also garage kept on a battery tender whenever not being driven.