Recently I’ve started having a problem with my battery draining.

I bought my Vette new in 2002. It’s an automatic convertible and is still just the way she left the factory with the exception of an after market CD changer. Never been driven in real bad weather, barely even driven in the rain. With the exception of replacing the factory battery with a Duralast Gold, DG-75 battery. I’ve never had any problems until about a week ago.

Saturday morning she wouldn’t start. I checked the terminals and they were tight and clean. I charged it for a couple of hours while I took a shower. When I came out, she turned over and started without a problem. The ammeter on the dash read 13.5 to 14.0 the whole day and she started without fault as I ran my errands.

Sunday morning, she wouldn’t turn over. I threw the charger on and set it for “Start.” Turned right over and started. I drover her for about 45 minutes to a graduation party where she sat for about 4 hours. I had to get a jump to leave.

I disconnected the negative lead to the battery and let it charge for at 2 amps for about 24 hours. I took the charger off and read the voltage at about 12.5 volts. Leaving the negative lead off the battery, I checked it again about 10 hours later and found the voltage at about 12.0 or 11.9.

Using a hand-held multi-meter, I connected one of the leads to the negative terminal and the other to the lead. With the hood light removed, and after my CD changer finished shuffling, the amperage dropped to and stayed at about .001 amps as I pulled, one at a time, each fuse in the fuse box under the hood. I never got any indication of a short in any circuit.

I read Bill Curlee’s lengthy article entitled “Important Electrical Information” but have had NO erratic failure codes at all.

Could it be just as simple as a bad battery?

Thanx for your help!

 

The symptoms you've described are classic for a battery with a dead cell. Typically, everything's just fine and then BAM, dead as a door-nail.... I've had this happen with a battery less than 6 months old.

Take the old battery out and and throw in a new one, it won't go to waste and you'll probably have just fixed it without having sex with the dealer...

Bob

 

Bob,

Thanks for the quick response. I actually manage a Maintenance Department and have a couple of guys who are pretty handy shade tree mechanics, and they said the same thing... It just sounds too easy.

I'm on my way to Auto Zone to exchange my warranted battery - with my fingers crossed!

Thanx again!
Mike

 

get a new battery NOW.

 

Mike,

You're very welcome!!

Just let us know how you make out. This is what's the forum all about, exchange of knowledge and experience...

Bob