I walked out into the garage this morning, hopped into my '03 Vette to come to work, and ... nothing when I turned the key. Well ... it did "grunt" one time, but never really turned over. There were panel lights for a second but they quickly dimmed. I opened the hood to make sure the battery wasn't leaking, and the hood light glowed but was very dim ... so there's still a little juice left.

Yesterday when I came home, it was fine. Indicated voltage was around 14, so it's charging OK best I can tell. I suppose it just had a quick death.

Is the Optima Redtop still the battery of choice. Anybody know what size to get ... I don't have my manual handy. And ... what can I expect to have gone wrong with the computer, radio, etc., from the power loss?

Thanks.

 

you may have a loose connection or ground. If so, no battery will help you. And yes, Optima batteries are nice, but expensive (for a battery).

 

Make sure your cables aren't corroded!

 

Early on I made the mistake of leaving the radar detector plugged in for too long a couple times, leaving me high and dry... finally learned that lesson!

 

Optima Red Top 75/35 or 34/78.

http://www.optimabatteries.com/publi...cal_specs.html

 

My 03 did same thing last week. Easier for me out here to go to Walmart. Got the MAXX75 for $68. Solved the problem!

 

I have a radar detector in my car which automatically shuts off after 3 hours of non use, I believed that killed my battery. Heading to discount auto in a few minutes to purchase an optima red top for $109

 

Get it checked out and get a Red Top Optima,

 

Sounds like you have a drain somewhere that is not shutting off. May want to get the battery checked to see if any cells are going bad and if not, then try and find the source of the drain. If you decide to replace the battery, consider the Optima Red Top 34/78. That's what I have and it has worked great for almost four years.

 

I had the same on my 02 last year. Just died overnight.

Replaced it with an Optima Red Top.

Worth checking you didn't leave the panel lights on overnight. I made that mistake recently.

You may be interested in this thread. Its a common problem:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...0&forum_id=103

 

I find it very hard to believe that (1) a 2 yr old battery would die such a quick death, and (2) a redar detector could kill a battery even if left on for 2 or 3 days (let alone overnight)! I would suspect that there is something else amiss.

 

The last thing you should do is spend $100+ for something you may not need. I would charge the battery and then have it and the charging system checked.

 

Believe it... it happens all the time. The average life of a car battery is somewhere between 30-38 months. Google it. Worse in the south where he lives.

 

Mine did that last week... Car was getting oil changed, and upon finishing the oil change.. they started and pulled it out for me and turned off the engine. When I go to start it.. It didn't turn over at all.

They guy checked the battery w/ a volt meter and it was only reading 2 volts. So they took it and gave me a new one... Glad mine just died in front of the service dept...

 

 

Red Top Time.........

 

Optima Redtop

 

I did the same... left the dash lights on overnight and didn't see it 'cause I was in it in the daytime. Replaced with ORT and the next morning, dead. Went to Sears, they tried to charge it, couldn't, gave me a new one and tested it before I left. Took it home after work and there, in the dim light of dusk, I realized my dash/interior lights were left on... DOH!!!

 

Just to follow up ... I went to AutoZone yesterday at noon and bought an Optima Red Top 34/78 (checked Sam's club first and they didn't have them ... but some NASCAR brand they had was expensive, so there were no bargains there anyway). I paid something like $125 for it ... one with a little less rating was about $10 cheaper. I installed it last night, and everything has been fine since then. I took the old OE battery in for my core refund today, and had them check it. Sure enough, as soon as a load was applied it died. So it was the battery.

Last night, my radio wouldn't work so I figured I would have to go through the unlock procedure ... and I bought the car used and have no idea what the code is. But overnight the computer must've done some thinking, because this morning the radio was working fine.

And a note ... installing a battery in a C5 when it's hot and humid is no fun! There's not much room to screw the side mount cables in, and it's even worse when you're sweating all over your glasses and can't see. But I got it in ... and when I was locking it down, the socket fell off the end ... it's somewhere in the wheel well even as I type. Saturday chores will include removing the front right wheel, and then the wheel well liner, and trying to find the socket and short extension, unless it fell out somewhere.

 

Awesome Gary,

Glad you got it sorted. I suspected it was just the battery and glad it turned out that way.

Paul