2000 Elantra Alarm Light and a Draining Battery

First, I do not have the keyless entry remote that came with the car, long
gone and as such the alarm has long not been used (like 5+ years not used).
This alarm came with the car when I bought it new from the dealer, had the
Hyundai H logo on the pendant so I'm guessing it's not aftermarket.

Problem started last night when I ran into Wal-Mart for 10 minutes. When I
came back to the car I tried to start it and it was dead, would not start.
I got a jump and she started right up. Weird since my battery is less than
6 months old. Then I noticed the red light on top of the steering wheel was
on. Solid red. Back when I used it, when the alarm system was "armed" it
would blink, when the system was off the light would just be off. I don't
recall it ever being solid red. So I stop by a friends house and just to
see what it'll do I turn off the car and try to start it again immediately,
nope nothing. Lights work but no radio and no start, and that damn alarm
light is still on above the steering wheel, will not go out. Fine, I pull
out my DieHard battery charger/tester and it tells me the battery is 100% as
is my alternator. So I jump the car with it and it starts up no problem
first go. I'm annoyed now so I just shut it off and go inside for awhile,
eat some dinner. I come back out to jump her again and head home about 30
minutes later, but now when I hook up the charger it comes on and says my
battery is at 96%. In a span of 30 minutes it's lost charge. Something is
now draining my battery and making me unable to start my car without a jump
every time. Any ideas? I'm guessing the damn alarm light that is now solid
has something to do with it? Is my alarm somehow going off silently and
draining power? Before that light came on everything was fine...

Thanks for any help,

A. Smith

 

The red lamp on steady indicates the alarm is in "valet" mode. If you'r
not using it, this is where you want it. If a tester shows the battery i
charged and in good condition, but your car requires a jump start, there'
either a problem with the cable connections to the battery or a proble
with the tester.

Save the more complicated diagnosis of a parasitic draw (something runnin
down the battery) until you work out the issue with the batter
connections/tester

 

That red light has never been on before and the car ran. Now that it's on
the car won't start and it's draining my battery, I do not want it there,
heh. I read online others have had this happen too so I know I'm not crazy.
Anyway, I've been told it's in "program mode" which is why it won't allow me
to start the car and why it's draing my battery, it's up and waiting for
commands I can't give it. I'm just getting the damn thing disabled as I
don't even use it.

 

Your alarm is not preventing you from starting your car. I know thi
because you can jump start your car. This wouldn't be possible if th
alarm were locking out the starter

 

In addition to your other suggestions, I'd check the ground and the starter
cable. Enough power for light sis very little compared to the draw of a
starter and a dirty connection can prevent turnover.

 

Think bad battery. Bad cell will result in both the inability to start the
car, and the supposed "instant" recharge. All the battery charger is doing
is measuring voltage, not putting a load on the battery. Also, the fact that
your charger says 96% after sitting off charge for a while does not indicate
much of anything. Think this through... Your meter in your charger says the
battery is fully charged. That probably means that it doesn't draw much
current from the charger, and it sees in the neighborhood of 14 volts at the
terminal while it is trying to charge. Supposed fully charged battery, but
it won't crank the car. You put a source of current with some oomph behind
it - the charger in jump start mode - across the battery, and the car
starts. Battery can't make enough current to start the car.

There is NO WAY that the little LED, or the support electronics for the
alarm will kill the battery in 10 Minutes. Get it to an Advance or Auto
Zone, and let them load test the battery. It will probably fail miserably.
The light is likely on because you've gone real low in bus voltage in the
car when you've tried starting it, and the alarm module is confused. It
might fix itself when you completely disconnect the battery in the process
of replacing the defective one. If it's only six months old, the new one
will probably be free.