My 2003 Accord battery drains if the car is not used for about a week. The problem surfaced about a year after I got the car. The battery sometimes has enough to try to crank the engine, but other times everything is dead, including the time and radio presets. (The lights all seem to be off when the car is not in use.)

It does not matter how the car was driven before it stayed in the garage. I've returned from a 150 mile trip where the lights and wipers were not used and the battery was dead a week later.

The car went into the dealer twice during the Warranty period and each time they said the "parasite draw" was normal and I should just use my car every few days. A couple of months after the Warranty expired, I complained again and got a new battery (for $110) - this did not help.

It is hard to believe this is normal performance. I'm sure other people routinely leave their car unused for a week or two. How could you leave it at the airport during a vacation? I've not had this problem with other cars.

Does anyone have an experience like this or any suggestions as to what the cause might be?

TxGreaseMonkey

Alarm system, clock, and small LEDs would be some examples of parasitic drain that readily come to mind. Depending on how your car is appointed, there may be anti-moisture heaters, sophisticated recognition sensors, and relays that are always on. There's always a cost to these features. You might look into an Optima battery and installing the largest battery that will fit.