[awalp]

I have a 2003 SVT Focus, it sat for a couple months and now I can't get it to stay charged. I jump started it and let it run for a while and drove it around but it still won't turn over.

Both the alternator and battery are less than a year old.
Within the last year replaced by the dealer the alternator, ignition cylinder, and gauge cluster.

Any help greatly appreciated.

 

[lildudeinacar]

Get out your mulitmeter and start hunting, or Autozone does that alt and batt testing thing

 

[awalp]

I let it charge up for an hour and it started.

 

[Hillyard]

I let it charge up for an hour and it started.

Does it stay running? It will run until the battery goes dead or it will keep running off the altenator. If it keeps running but won't start then the battery is bad. I wouldn't run it too long like that because I think it is bad to run straight off the altenator.

Either way it sounds like the altenator or battery may be bad. I let my car sit for a few months when I was on the opposite coast and it killed my battery. It was the original motocraft battery too. I didn't have a problem until it sat.

 

[jbodin]

Look for signs or indications that there might be a wiring short somewhere. For example, does your hatch light stay on, has something electrical stopped working recently (rear defroster, rear wiper, tail lights, dome light, etc.)? ZX3s, ZX5s, and wagons have a history of cracks in the wiring bundle that goes from the body to the rear hatch -- Feral posted some good pics, and if you've got something associated with the hatch area that's not working (hatch release, rear wiper, rear brake light, etc.), then THAT could indicate a short, which could be draining your battery.