I have a 2006 C6 with 15k. I bought the car 2 months ago when I test-drove the car the battery was dead a quick boost from a charge box and fired right up.
If the car sits for more than a week the battery goes dead. I heard that the there is a draw on the battery at all times is this normal or should I replace the battery,

The gauge shows the battery is being charged when I drive it.

Thanks

 

Put an Optima battery in it or it will keep going dead on you. We had that problem several times at the dealership.

 

Optima Yellow Top D34 in my '07 Vert!

 

Thanks
Anything I need to know when swaping out the battery will the raido lock or anything

 

Your windows may need to be re-indexed by doing the following:

 

good to know thanks

 

Your battery is probaby shot. A full discharge (or several) is deadly for a wet cell battery. They often never fully recover. I doubt you have a draw issue, just a battery that was probably killed before you got the car. You're due.

 

Yep sounds like it is time fora new battery.

 

I had that problem with my 99. Put optima yellow top in and still with it sitting for a couplw of weeks battery would be dead. Replaced optima with new one again same problem. Was told to leave car in reverse to eliminate draw still same problem. Bought standard battery and put it on tricle charger no more problems.

 

2 things to consider:

1) Optima batteries weigh about 10 pounds more than the OEM battery (or most other lead acid replacements). 10 pounds doesn't sound like much, but if you race (either road course or drag) you will be a little slower.

2) Your 06 is probably still under warranty and GM will replace the battery for free.

 

Checkout Bugman's website for great battery info.

http://www.bugmanweb.com/c6/c6index.html

 

Test the battery to determine if it is OK or not. If not OK, replace it. Also, test the charging system. Repair as necessary. Also, test for a high parasitic current draw on the battery while the car is parked.

 

Did the car have any prior history of starting/battery issues or electrical problems prior to purchasing it? Have your battery tested. If necessary, replace it. Batteries are a relatively inexpensive maintenance item...they just need replacing from time to time.

The battery on my 2005 MN6 finally 'went' after 3+ years of faultless service. A mechanic I know and even the guys at the auto parts store (where they sell Optima batteries) didn't think the Optima was worth the extra cost. Their opinion was it really doesn't work any better than a conventional battery.

I'm spitting into the wind on this one but I replaced my OEM battery with a conventional battery and not just to save a few dollars. Maybe the Optima is better...I don't know. I do know that even after sitting idle for weeks at a time, my car always started fine; even after the dealership completely discharged my battery it took a charge and continued to work well; I've never used a battery tender...never used a priority start and I've never had a problem. My OEM battery lasted over 3 years which I feel is above average. I didn't see any need to change to an Optima battery.

 

IPERNA -

You might want to edit your profile: Plainfeild to Plainfield

 

My guess is "your" (Tucson, Arizona) average ambient temp plays a big part of extending your battery life. When you get temps below freezing for weeks on end it greatly shortens a batteries useful life span.

My trucking company didn't have much luck using Optima batteries in our heavy equipment. Frankly they seemed to wear out about as fast as much less expensive batteries. A batteries ability to hold a change is usually in direct proportion to the amount and purity of lead used. All else being equal the heavier the battery the better and longer it lasts if properly manufactured. There is no substitute for the amount of lead used in a high quality battery.

We've had the best luck using Odyssey batteries which are even heavier than Optima. I mean a lot heavier but they have proved to be the best battery we've ever used in our equipment. They are used almost exclusively by the military because of their ability to withstand extreme conditions and hold a charge. Very expensive but they out last by a factor of 2 or 3 times any battery you can buy. The weight factor however is something to consider when using one in a vette that's going to be raced.........

So far my 06 has been trouble free. I only use a battery tender when the car is stored for the winter. It's gone as long as 6 weeks and still started just fine. I still wonder why some vettes have these battery issues while others don't.

 

Just got my 05 out of the dealership and he found that when he pulled the stereo fuse the draw when waaaay down. If it's under warranty have them chase down the draw. You shouldn't have to buy a deep cycle battery. GM really dropped the ball on this one big time. I agree with the other guys, once you completely discharge a battery that's not designed for that type of application the cell will short out and go dead. I went through three of them bringing them back and when they would check them out they would say that it was a "bad" battery. Well sure it's bad, because my car converted it too the dark side ! Anyway I finally to heck with it and brought it to dealer. He disconnected the neg and put a meter inline and right away saw that my car was drawing some serious milliamps. So he just started pulling fuses, simple as that. YOu could do it if you have a amp meter. but if your under warranty let them do it. Hope you get it repaired. I know there's nothing more frustrating than chasing an electrical problem.

big shout out to our troops.
Land of the free BECAUSE of the brave!

 

I'm not really convinced that the Optima is a better battery, but for this thread, lets assume it is and that it will last TWICE as long under load. All this means is that the battery will still die if you don't drive the car...it will just take twice as long. Don't go after the symptom, (dead battery), fix the problem...something is draining the battery when the car is sitting in the garage.

 

Need a new battery

 

What apparatus do you use to test the above, or can one visit an auto parts store and get them to do it for you? Thx

 

If one has an extended warranty is the battery still covered.....? Have an 05