Battery test
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,221
Likes: 554
From: Tallahassee fl
Battery test
I'm chasing a few issues that are pointing to the battery... Service Column Lock and my key fobs keep needing to be reprogrammed.
The battery is an Optima red top less than a year old and the car starts right up. Is there an easy way to test the battery before I dive into all the grounds?
The battery is an Optima red top less than a year old and the car starts right up. Is there an easy way to test the battery before I dive into all the grounds?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,221
Likes: 554
From: Tallahassee fl
Car starts right up. It was running just fine when it suddenly did this.
My Dad bought the car new and I bought it from him last Thursday. It has been his daily driver since new and it currently has 91k on it.
The car started doing the key fob thing early last week. He thought it was the key fob battery and changed it but the same thing happened. My brother brought it up to me and on Saturday the Column lock issue started.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Please have the battery tested at the autoparts store.
Have them test the Cold Crank Amps and REASEVE CAPACITY.
Reserve capacity is When you sit in the parking lot listening to the radio for XXX period of time waiting for someone to return from shopping. If you have GOOD reserve capacity, it will crank just fine when your ready to go home.
Bad Reserve capacity is it wont start cause the battery voltage dropped off to 8 VDC when you turn the key!
Once you rule out the battery, I have other things to check.
BC
Have them test the Cold Crank Amps and REASEVE CAPACITY.
Reserve capacity is When you sit in the parking lot listening to the radio for XXX period of time waiting for someone to return from shopping. If you have GOOD reserve capacity, it will crank just fine when your ready to go home.
Bad Reserve capacity is it wont start cause the battery voltage dropped off to 8 VDC when you turn the key!
Once you rule out the battery, I have other things to check.
BC
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,221
Likes: 554
From: Tallahassee fl
Certainly you should get it load tested but you can measure the voltage across the battery posts with the neg battery cable disconnected (No Load voltage). If the voltage is 12.5 or less the battery is low. The car will start with 12.2 volts No Load but the electronics in the C5 is NOT happy with voltage that low. Certainly the voltage at 12.5 or less will cause the Column Lock messages to rear their ugly head.
Charge the battery fully. A good battery at full charge will measure 12.7 to 12.9 volts or more. If you can't charge the battery to greater than 12.65, get your Dad to buy a new battery. He sold you a car with a bum battery.
I'd never sell my kid a car with a bum battey...... 
Charge the battery fully. A good battery at full charge will measure 12.7 to 12.9 volts or more. If you can't charge the battery to greater than 12.65, get your Dad to buy a new battery. He sold you a car with a bum battery.
I'd never sell my kid a car with a bum battey......
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,221
Likes: 554
From: Tallahassee fl
I took it to autozone and they said the battery was bad. Gave them my receipt for a new one and they informed me I was at the wrong store (receipt was for Advance). Doh! names are too similar.
Take it to Advance and the tester says it is good. However the voltage reads at 12.3 and it needs a charge (just charged it last night and removed it from the car).
So... I think the battery is fried. They asked me to take it to another place they work with that is testing it now. I'll run back over there in a bit to get it and the results which hopefully are I need a new battery. Advance was pretty cool about it to a degree... they put another optima on charge for me to make sure they had one fully ready to go when I get there.
At least my old '66 is getting a workout running all over fixing its much younger brother!
Take it to Advance and the tester says it is good. However the voltage reads at 12.3 and it needs a charge (just charged it last night and removed it from the car).
So... I think the battery is fried. They asked me to take it to another place they work with that is testing it now. I'll run back over there in a bit to get it and the results which hopefully are I need a new battery. Advance was pretty cool about it to a degree... they put another optima on charge for me to make sure they had one fully ready to go when I get there.
At least my old '66 is getting a workout running all over fixing its much younger brother!
