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Old Mar 6, 2010 | 12:29 PM
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Default Need Help!!!

I went to wake up her up from hibernation and I don't like what I found.

The extension core for my tender shorted out and the battery is dead. I tried boosting and just a lot flickering and clicking from the engine bay (but the lights came on the dash and the radio is working fine). I hooked up a charger to it and the charger's meter looked like it was having a seizure. The needled was bouncing back and fourth and a couple of the fuses were clicking as well,the parking lights were flickering as well (not the headlights however.)

This didn't seem normal so I unhooked everything.

Any thoughts? it's still under warrenty so I was thinking I should just call roadside and get it towed to the dealer?

Thnx
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Old Mar 6, 2010 | 12:49 PM
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Sounds like the battery will need to be replaced. Even though the car is under warranty, if it was me I'd rather eat the cost of buying a battery myself than have my car towed to the dealer. Depending on your relationship with your dealer, maybe they'll give you a new battery to take home and install yourself; you could then bring them the dead one and if they confirm that it's defective they could cover the new one under warranty - otherwise they charge you for it. Just a thought.
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Old Mar 6, 2010 | 12:58 PM
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Originally Posted by mpuzach
Sounds like the battery will need to be replaced. Even though the car is under warranty, if it was me I'd rather eat the cost of buying a battery myself than have my car towed to the dealer. Depending on your relationship with your dealer, maybe they'll give you a new battery to take home and install yourself; you could then bring them the dead one and if they confirm that it's defective they could cover the new one under warranty - otherwise they charge you for it. Just a thought.


Just be VERY careful you don't drop/lose the special half-coneshaped nuts on the battery clamps... someone reported problems getting replacements.
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Old Mar 6, 2010 | 01:32 PM
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Originally Posted by mpuzach
Sounds like the battery will need to be replaced. Even though the car is under warranty, if it was me I'd rather eat the cost of buying a battery myself than have my car towed to the dealer. Depending on your relationship with your dealer, maybe they'll give you a new battery to take home and install yourself; you could then bring them the dead one and if they confirm that it's defective they could cover the new one under warranty - otherwise they charge you for it. Just a thought.
That was my first thought...was to just get a new battery. Roadside assistance will cover the cost fo the tow but time is money and it might just as easy to go and buy a bettery instead of towing the car and wasting a day?

what do ya think?
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Old Mar 6, 2010 | 01:34 PM
  #5  
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I'd call my dealer and ask them what they recommend.
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Old Mar 6, 2010 | 02:38 PM
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Originally Posted by 940CACC
That was my first thought...was to just get a new battery. Roadside assistance will cover the cost fo the tow but time is money and it might just as easy to go and buy a bettery instead of towing the car and wasting a day?

what do ya think?
I wouldn't want my car to be towed. I'd call the dealer and tell them what's going on. See if they'll give you a battery under warranty and let you install it yourself at home. If not, I'd go to an auto parts store and pony up for a new Optima.
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Old Mar 6, 2010 | 06:45 PM
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Default Try lower charge rate

If your charger is adjustable try a 1 or 2 amp charge rate. I have had batteries get so low they overload the charger set for normal charge rate. Switching to the 2 amp setting let them build up slowly without over amping the charger. Dconnect the battery from the car while charging to get that load off the charger as well.
LJ
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Old Mar 6, 2010 | 07:10 PM
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I'd replace the battery. Like the others have said once it's dead it will never be the same.
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Old Mar 6, 2010 | 08:50 PM
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Originally Posted by mpuzach
I wouldn't want my car to be towed. I'd call the dealer and tell them what's going on. See if they'll give you a battery under warranty and let you install it yourself at home. If not, I'd go to an auto parts store and pony up for a new Optima.
I agree. With the towe and any dealer visit, you open yourself up to potential damage. Hate to be paranoid, but its happened.

something like the battery is portable and easy to bring in. Even if you have to pay for it out of pocket, it is pretty minor compared to aggrivation of getting some body work touched up.
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Old Mar 6, 2010 | 09:25 PM
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Try charging it slowly, that will probably get it started, then you can get a new battery later if you want to.
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Old Mar 7, 2010 | 10:39 AM
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Try disconnecting the cables from the battery to the car before you hook up the charger. No need to remove the battery, just disconnect the + and - cables and then hook up the charger.

Worked on my '05 when the battery was down to 4.6 volts. The car wouldn't jump start and the battery charger wouldn't charge the car until I pulled the cables off the battery.
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Old Mar 7, 2010 | 11:57 AM
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Two Saturdays in a row I had a dead battery on my 2008 C6. Last week took to Auto Zone for a charge and test. The test indicated I had a good battery after charging. Yesterday I took the battery to a shop which had a Snap On Tool battery tester and it indicated a bad battery. They stated that a test immediately after a charge may give a false reading. I called the dealer and they wanted to send a service to jump start or a tow to the dealer, whatever I preferred. I decided to purchased a Optima rather than screwing with the car going back to the dealer under warranty. Tomorrow I will see if I can get a replacement battery from the dealer without taking the car to the dealer. Will put on Craigslist to try to recoupe my outlay. I had a trip with the Optima. When I was registering yesterday afternoon I decided to check their recommendation to what I got from Summit Racing. Summit gave me the wrong battery - Redtop 75/35. The right battery is the Redtop 35 - 9020-164 for the 2008 C6. They exchanged with no problem. They are a great organization in regard to customer service.
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Old Mar 7, 2010 | 08:15 PM
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Originally Posted by mpuzach
I wouldn't want my car to be towed. I'd call the dealer and tell them what's going on. See if they'll give you a battery under warranty and let you install it yourself at home. If not, I'd go to an auto parts store and pony up for a new Optima.
Thats what I did, dealer replaced the battery. all I had to do was return the old OEM battery to them. I think the whole thing cost me $40.
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