Battery Question
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Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 71
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From: Bixby / Glenpool OK
Battery Question
Okay, I got my Sound Dampening kit in Monday, and decided to start pulling out the interior today. Other than finding out I am incredibly out of shape, all went fairly easy. I disconnected the wiring to the selective ride controller, gas door button, both cigarette lighters, and both power seats. I will start installation tomorrow. I got my tire learning magnet in the mail a few mins ago, so I went out to try to get my tpms to show and I insert the key and get a low voltage on the dic. I have only had the car for a couple of weeks, I pop the hood to look at the battery. It is an optima red top with a white sticker that says 6/11 on it. The temp was down to mid 30's last night, with highs in the 40's the past 2 days with rain. Is the battery just finally giving up, or did I screw up something with disconnecting things? I am assuming the 6/11 on the battery is the sell date, so 6 years out of that battery is pretty decent in my opinion. Anyone have any insight?
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Disconnecting those things should not have caused your problem - I have disconnected all those things except for the selective ride controller (do not have that on my car) and have not had that DIC message.
You can start by getting your battery checked for a weak or dead cell. Do you keep it on a battery maintainer when it sits for a while? Five years or more out of a battery is not uncommon anymore (my DieHard Platinum is going on 7 years now), but sometimes they do give up the ghost sooner than others do. I had a Red Top that lasted almost exactly three years while another one was over 7 years old and still going strong.
And if your car sits for any extended period of time, consider using a Battery Maintainer if you do not already do so. It will keep your battery in a good state of charge. The C5 does have some parasitic drain that can draw down a battery before you know it.
You can start by getting your battery checked for a weak or dead cell. Do you keep it on a battery maintainer when it sits for a while? Five years or more out of a battery is not uncommon anymore (my DieHard Platinum is going on 7 years now), but sometimes they do give up the ghost sooner than others do. I had a Red Top that lasted almost exactly three years while another one was over 7 years old and still going strong.
And if your car sits for any extended period of time, consider using a Battery Maintainer if you do not already do so. It will keep your battery in a good state of charge. The C5 does have some parasitic drain that can draw down a battery before you know it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6,774
Likes: 363
From: Midland TX
Disconnecting those things should not have caused your problem - I have disconnected all those things except for the selective ride controller (do not have that on my car) and have not had that DIC message.
You can start by getting your battery checked for a weak or dead cell. Do you keep it on a battery maintainer when it sits for a while? Five years or more out of a battery is not uncommon anymore (my DieHard Platinum is going on 7 years now), but sometimes they do give up the ghost sooner than others do. I had a Red Top that lasted almost exactly three years while another one was over 7 years old and still going strong.
And if your car sits for any extended period of time, consider using a Battery Maintainer if you do not already do so. It will keep your battery in a good state of charge. The C5 does have some parasitic drain that can draw down a battery before you know it.
You can start by getting your battery checked for a weak or dead cell. Do you keep it on a battery maintainer when it sits for a while? Five years or more out of a battery is not uncommon anymore (my DieHard Platinum is going on 7 years now), but sometimes they do give up the ghost sooner than others do. I had a Red Top that lasted almost exactly three years while another one was over 7 years old and still going strong.
And if your car sits for any extended period of time, consider using a Battery Maintainer if you do not already do so. It will keep your battery in a good state of charge. The C5 does have some parasitic drain that can draw down a battery before you know it.
Have the battery checked first!
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 19,980
Likes: 74
This winter, I've left it in the garage since December. No battery tender. I do start it up and let the engine run for 10-15 minutes every weekend (1 day per week--every week) just to let the fluids warm up and keep the engine parts moving a bit. Is letting it sit 6 days each week and turning it on for 10-15 minutes once each weekend over a 4 month period bad for it? Will that drain the battery or damage anything?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 6,671
Likes: 38
From: Newark DE
What do you consider "extended period of time"?
This winter, I've left it in the garage since December. No battery tender. I do start it up and let the engine run for 10-15 minutes every weekend (1 day per week--every week) just to let the fluids warm up and keep the engine parts moving a bit. Is letting it sit 6 days each week and turning it on for 10-15 minutes once each weekend over a 4 month period bad for it? Will that drain the battery or damage anything?
This winter, I've left it in the garage since December. No battery tender. I do start it up and let the engine run for 10-15 minutes every weekend (1 day per week--every week) just to let the fluids warm up and keep the engine parts moving a bit. Is letting it sit 6 days each week and turning it on for 10-15 minutes once each weekend over a 4 month period bad for it? Will that drain the battery or damage anything?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 3,399
Likes: 1,339
From: Havre de Grace Maryland
After having many auto batteries just die on me w/o warning (hotels/restaurants/work/vacations/etc) over the 55 years of driving, I finally learned (the last 15 years
) that a battery replacement is a normal maintenance replacement item like oil changes/air filter/ fluid changes BEFORE they fail or cause issues. I now replace our car batteries every 4 years and I have no more battery issues. If your battery sale date is 6-11 as you indicate (almost 6 years old), it may be time to just get another battery. 
) that a battery replacement is a normal maintenance replacement item like oil changes/air filter/ fluid changes BEFORE they fail or cause issues. I now replace our car batteries every 4 years and I have no more battery issues. If your battery sale date is 6-11 as you indicate (almost 6 years old), it may be time to just get another battery.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 220
Likes: 62
From: Nova Scotia, Canada
Okay, I got my Sound Dampening kit in Monday, and decided to start pulling out the interior today. Other than finding out I am incredibly out of shape, all went fairly easy. I disconnected the wiring to the selective ride controller, gas door button, both cigarette lighters, and both power seats. I will start installation tomorrow. I got my tire learning magnet in the mail a few mins ago, so I went out to try to get my tpms to show and I insert the key and get a low voltage on the dic. I have only had the car for a couple of weeks, I pop the hood to look at the battery. It is an optima red top with a white sticker that says 6/11 on it. The temp was down to mid 30's last night, with highs in the 40's the past 2 days with rain. Is the battery just finally giving up, or did I screw up something with disconnecting things? I am assuming the 6/11 on the battery is the sell date, so 6 years out of that battery is pretty decent in my opinion. Anyone have any insight?
I am asking how long the doors and hatch were open for? Interior lighting would be on for the entire time you were working?
Which is a draw on the battery reserve, if you didnt start the car after this work, it wouldn't have been charged up for you.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,054
Likes: 120
From: AZ
5+ years is not too bad, but after 3 successive poor experiences with Red top Optimas, I'm done with them for good.
I 2nd the maintainer over the weekly restarts. One bad experience I had was a maintainer that fried a new battery, apparently detecting the constant drain of the '99 ML430's electronics and constantly overcharging. Disconnecting the car/battery solved that issue.
I 2nd the maintainer over the weekly restarts. One bad experience I had was a maintainer that fried a new battery, apparently detecting the constant drain of the '99 ML430's electronics and constantly overcharging. Disconnecting the car/battery solved that issue.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,700
Likes: 298
From: Ft. Lauderdale Fl
Batteries are an inconsistent product....had a DieHard AGM platinum die in two years, Sears replaced it free but had to pay the tax on the exchange. Hope I get some time on the new one.