430 Where did I go wrong? 430 battery dead.

1. Was your battery less than 3 years old? If no, you're already on the downward slide.
2. Ferrari electronics are known for it. There is a draw even when parked.
3. Best is to remove the battery, take it up to your apartment and charge it then put it back into the car. Better yet, get a new battery.

 

If the disconnect is on the ground and complete.. I'd think a battery on the way out. Also do me a favor and when you get the new one installed, check the alternator output with a voltmeter. I put a new battery in my 360 every 3 years or so. It saves my alternator and the car has NEVER not started for me. Even after 6 weeks off a tender. Start with the battery then work backwards from that.

 

I had an '07 F430 Spider and I could go as long as 4 weeks at a time without putting her on the tender. Now the 458's and the 488's need to be on the tender all the time, but the 430's should be good to go. Side note: I drove my F430 at a min of once per week,,,

 

Is the radar detector hard-wired to the battery, such that it avoids being cut off when you use the disconnect? If not, I agree with the others about needing a new battery. BTW, starting a car and only running it a few minutes depletes the battery. It can take 10-20 minutes of driving to restore the drain from a cold start.


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For a start the switch in the front which you used to disconnect the battery is on the negative side, not the positive and does not disconnect everything.
The negative battery clamp has some aux cables that are not in the line to the switch.

 

Better to have the battery on a tender than to switch it off I would say. I've never switched mine off. My battery is over 4 years old and perfect. If the car sits for over 2 weeks it goes on the tender for a couple of days. Never gone flat or not started.

 

+1
I think the Alarm circuit is still powered which is probably what eventually killed the battery

He cannot as he indicated that he lives in a high rise apt with no outlet

5 years ago I kept my car at my daughter's condo (I wanted to keep it in a heated environment) and ran into the same problem. So I bought the largest battery (960 CCA/110 AH) I could find and ensured that it was fully charged. I would then connect it with charging cables to the large (+)ive and (-)ive behind the driver's seat (I have a 360). I DID NOT TURN OFF THE MAIN SWITCH which kept all my electronic settings the same as when I parked the car. Then once/week I would remove that additional battery, take it upstairs, re-charge it ( with a 10A Charger) and re-connect it afterwards. I did that for 3 years and it worked every time. My main battery never went below 12.5V. I the spring it would start right up with no drive cycle required. All the emission monitors would be at ready status.

P.S.: To transport that heavy a$$ battery I bought one of those Granny shopping carts. Worked like a charm

 

So today, you would buy a lightweight lithium ion battery (Antigravity, Braille) and NOT install it in the car, but use it like you did, back and forth, so as to save lugging the weight! I like that!


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Ever consider moving?

 

If you drive it weekly or every other week you'll be fine. It's the greater than 2 week periods that will really have a toll on it. Did you manage to test the voltage of the alternator while the car is running by any chance? I'd expect 13.5 to 14 volts...

 

Battery has a 4 year warranty. Mine crapped out after 2 years. FOA swapped it out no questions asked.

 

But, but don't you have winter (snow) in Seattle?
The process that I described was for me during the approx 6 months the car was in hibernation.
If you're not in snow country then yeah drive the car more often as suggested.