help INTERMITANT dead battery. PLEASE
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,522
Likes: 32
From: Woodstock Georgia
help INTERMITANT dead battery. PLEASE
about 4 months ago i had 4 led lights installed under the hood. the next day the battery was dead. i jumped the car unhooked the lights and took it back were install was done. they hooked the lights back up ran some test and found no problem. but i noticed every time it went dead the power ant was up. i unhooked the ant and everything was ok started fine for 3 months or so. 2 days ago it was dead again but i had not used the car for about 3 weeks.i charged the battery and it seemed fine. went to a show sat, had doors, hood and trunk open all day. it started fine. went to start it today its dead. please help i know if i go to a repair station they will spend a lot of time and find nothing its so intermitant.2002 convertible with 6 mos old battery. PLEASE i am not using a tender
the battery tested good at napa and autozone. (load test)
SORRY FOR THE LENGTH OF THIS BUT I REALLY NEED HELP
the battery tested good at napa and autozone. (load test)
SORRY FOR THE LENGTH OF THIS BUT I REALLY NEED HELP
Last edited by bigblueman; May 22, 2008 at 04:51 PM. Reason: additional info
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,887
Likes: 2
From: Macomb MI
St. Jude Contributor
Sounds like your battery is border line, I would replace it with a Optima Red Top or something similar. These cars are known to suck up battery when they haven't been driving for a few weeks. I always keep a battery tender on mine if I know it's just going to sit for a while.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 735
Likes: 7
From: Bucks County Pa
Need Maintainer
about 4 months ago i had 4 led lights installed under the hood. the next day the battery was dead. i jumped the car unhooked the lights and took it back were install was done. they hooked the lights back up ran some test and found no problem. but i noticed every time it went dead the power ant was up. i unhooked the ant and everything was ok for 3 months or so. 2 days ago it was dead again but i had not used the car for about 3 weeks.i charged the battery and it seemed fine. went to a show sat, had doors, hood and trunk open all day. it started fine. went to start it today its dead. please help i know if i go to a repair station they will spend a lot of time and find nothing its so intermitant.2002 convertible with 6 mos old battery. PLEASE
SORRY FOR THE LENGTH OF THIS BUT I REALLY NEED HELP
SORRY FOR THE LENGTH OF THIS BUT I REALLY NEED HELP
Good Luck
Last edited by bestvettever; May 11, 2008 at 01:44 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,522
Likes: 32
From: Woodstock Georgia
about 4 months ago i had 4 led lights installed under the hood. the next day the battery was dead. i jumped the car unhooked the lights and took it back were install was done. they hooked the lights back up ran some test and found no problem. but i noticed every time it went dead the power ant was up. i unhooked the ant and everything was ok started fine for 3 months or so. 2 days ago it was dead again but i had not used the car for about 3 weeks.i charged the battery and it seemed fine. went to a show sat, had doors, hood and trunk open all day. it started fine. went to start it today its dead. please help i know if i go to a repair station they will spend a lot of time and find nothing its so intermitant.2002 convertible with 6 mos old battery. PLEASE i am not using a tender
SORRY FOR THE LENGTH OF THIS BUT I REALLY NEED HELP
SORRY FOR THE LENGTH OF THIS BUT I REALLY NEED HELP
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,118
Likes: 1
Sounds like your battery is sulphated.... after multiple complete discharges batteries sulphate and won't take a complete charge....they work for a day or two...then fall flat.... each time you recharge you get less capacity.
From my experience, the Optima Red Top is junk...I went through 2 Red Tops and a Yellow Top in 18 months...... if your car sits for weeks at a time without a charge..... Optimas sulphate badly.
I bought a Bosch replacement...84 month warranty...36 month no cost replacement guarantee.....also they give you a free 36 month roadside jump start....no questions asked.
From my experience, the Optima Red Top is junk...I went through 2 Red Tops and a Yellow Top in 18 months...... if your car sits for weeks at a time without a charge..... Optimas sulphate badly.
I bought a Bosch replacement...84 month warranty...36 month no cost replacement guarantee.....also they give you a free 36 month roadside jump start....no questions asked.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Don't remember exactly where I saw it, maybe in this forum?
It discussed the weatherpack connector (that the negative connects to) requiring cleaning. I beleive the post showed before and after photos.
Noticed you have new battery. I have never used the Optima, always stuck with oem replacement.
Also, check your negative attachment at battery.
Go to the top of the C5 tech. and find the entry by Bill Curlee (9-3-2004) "Important Electrical Information" it discusses the ground issue with photos.
It discussed the weatherpack connector (that the negative connects to) requiring cleaning. I beleive the post showed before and after photos.
Noticed you have new battery. I have never used the Optima, always stuck with oem replacement.
Also, check your negative attachment at battery.
Go to the top of the C5 tech. and find the entry by Bill Curlee (9-3-2004) "Important Electrical Information" it discusses the ground issue with photos.
Last edited by 98viabuds; May 14, 2008 at 02:45 PM. Reason: additions
Pro
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 552
Likes: 0
From: Alton Illinois
red top?
i swear they are not made for us normal folk who accidentally discharge our batteries occasionally. this will toast a red top. since your battery is only 6 mo's old, take it back and have it checked and replaced under warranty if necessary. i would also check that the battery connections are clean and tight (10 ft. lbs torque i think). i went with autozone gold with 7yr warranty and left my battery problems far behind. I had a red top, never again. i am probably not smart enough to operate a red top
i swear they are not made for us normal folk who accidentally discharge our batteries occasionally. this will toast a red top. since your battery is only 6 mo's old, take it back and have it checked and replaced under warranty if necessary. i would also check that the battery connections are clean and tight (10 ft. lbs torque i think). i went with autozone gold with 7yr warranty and left my battery problems far behind. I had a red top, never again. i am probably not smart enough to operate a red top
Last edited by bluvette79; May 14, 2008 at 02:50 PM.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,303
Likes: 40
From: Edmonton Alberta
Check your battery with a load tester and check your battery voltage with a multimeter when it's running to determine if alternator can keep the charge up. If you fail step one (and I suspect you will) - no need for step two.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,522
Likes: 32
From: Woodstock Georgia
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
From: Florida
random dead battery
Here's a monkey wrench... but hopefully it'll helps someone with the C5 dead battery blues we all seem to get. My '02 coupe was having some hard starting and low battery issues for while... sometimes over night. Well... while sitting in the car one night waiting for my wife to get somethings at the store I noticed a random glow near the top of the windshiled (where the top latch is). It was a dark parking lot and I had turned the car off and pulled the key out so nothing electrical was on. Turns out the vanity mirror/light on the sunvisor wasn't closing completely and the lights were always on. I adjusted my sunglass clip to hold it tightly closed and the problem went away.... no more dead battery. The best part is a couple humid springs and hot North Texas summers and the clip no longer has to be on the mirror.
I'm thinking this probably isn't your issue... but sometimes it's "just that easy"...
I'm thinking this probably isn't your issue... but sometimes it's "just that easy"...
Pro
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 552
Likes: 0
From: Alton Illinois
check your current draw in sleep mode. the guys who installed the lights should have checked that so call them and ask. if they didn't, have them hook an ammeter in series with the battery and check the draw after the computer goes into sleep mode. it should be within 35 ma. so they say(mine was 75 with no problem). if draw is high, start pulling fuses until you find the offending circuit. check both panels until you find the draw offender. then you can check specific components in the circuit from there. mine was running dead with 80 ma but when i put in a new battery problem did not resurface.
good luck
good luck
Last edited by bluvette79; May 22, 2008 at 08:32 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,522
Likes: 32
From: Woodstock Georgia
when they load tested it (autozone) they said it needed hold 10.45 and it did. i hope this helps you help me i put everything back together and installed a ctek maintainer. you seem to still think the battery is ng
Last edited by bigblueman; May 22, 2008 at 07:32 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,522
Likes: 32
From: Woodstock Georgia
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 5,955
Likes: 161
From: PNW
... while sitting in the car one night waiting for my wife to get somethings at the store I noticed a random glow near the top of the windshiled (where the top latch is). It was a dark parking lot and I had turned the car off and pulled the key out so nothing electrical was on. Turns out the vanity mirror/light on the sunvisor wasn't closing completely and the lights were always on. I adjusted my sunglass clip to hold it tightly closed and the problem went away.... no more dead battery.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,788
Likes: 2
From: Tallahassee FL
I've had problems with my battery going dead if I let the car sit for about two weeks. I've replaced the battery recently with a red top.
I went out late at night to see if I could see any lights on anywhere, and the only thing I saw was the button below the left side of the steering wheel to pop the trunk open was lit. Is this normal or have I maybe found the culprit?
I went out late at night to see if I could see any lights on anywhere, and the only thing I saw was the button below the left side of the steering wheel to pop the trunk open was lit. Is this normal or have I maybe found the culprit?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 5,955
Likes: 161
From: PNW
I don't think that's normal .... strange that just the truck release button would be lit up when the car's off.