Strange Battery Failure
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 672
Likes: 1
From: Scottsdale AZ
Strange Battery Failure
Yesterday I was using the 2008 Vert for business and had about 75 miles to drive with 5 stops. No issues whatsoever.
At 4:30 I stopped the car to show a client a lease listing. We spent abut 15 minutes at the home and when I got back into the car and tried to start it all I got was clicks - "Dead Battery?"
The car is two years old, original battery and 27,000 miles. Used On-Star to get someone to jump the battery, that didn't work, so On-Star called for a flatbed tow truck. Finally got enough power into the car to get it out of park so we could load it up.
101 Towing did an excellent job in loading the car, no issues, and getting it to Legends Cadillac today for analysis.
I don't think I have ever seen a battery fail so quickly or so totally.
If you ever need flatbed towing for your car in Phoenix metro area call 101 Towing and ask for Tony. There are probably other good drivers but I think Tony was one of the most professional I have ever run into.
Will post results after diagnosis.
At 4:30 I stopped the car to show a client a lease listing. We spent abut 15 minutes at the home and when I got back into the car and tried to start it all I got was clicks - "Dead Battery?"
The car is two years old, original battery and 27,000 miles. Used On-Star to get someone to jump the battery, that didn't work, so On-Star called for a flatbed tow truck. Finally got enough power into the car to get it out of park so we could load it up.
101 Towing did an excellent job in loading the car, no issues, and getting it to Legends Cadillac today for analysis.
I don't think I have ever seen a battery fail so quickly or so totally.
If you ever need flatbed towing for your car in Phoenix metro area call 101 Towing and ask for Tony. There are probably other good drivers but I think Tony was one of the most professional I have ever run into.
Will post results after diagnosis.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,244
Likes: 122
From: st paul minnesota
The battery on my '03 'vert died the same way. Had driven it for about a half hour doing some errands, pulled it on the driveway to let it cool off and wash it. When I tried to start it after the wash, totally dead. I just pushed it into the garage and bought a replacement battery the next day. Car was three years old with 16,000 miles. No hint of any impending failure...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,655
Likes: 5
From: Brea CA
well..
I had it do it also on my C5... The battery can have a internal short, it discharges fast... and even a Tow Truck can't Jump. Then... you can install a new battery and it it all good, like it never happened... Lots of fun....
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,983
Likes: 1
From: Seguin Tx
I had the same problem...GM put a new battery in and the same problem occurred again months later.
I bit the bullet and put an OPTIMA battery in and now it starts every time....
My Vette sat all winter without starting and not on a charger...got in it in March and it started like it was meant to....
Its all a **** poor GM battery thing!
I bit the bullet and put an OPTIMA battery in and now it starts every time....
My Vette sat all winter without starting and not on a charger...got in it in March and it started like it was meant to....
Its all a **** poor GM battery thing!
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 14,555
Likes: 1,255
From: Saint Albans, WV
I had the same problem...GM put a new battery in and the same problem occurred again months later.
I bit the bullet and put an OPTIMA battery in and now it starts every time....
My Vette sat all winter without starting and not on a charger...got in it in March and it started like it was meant to....
Its all a **** poor GM battery thing!
I bit the bullet and put an OPTIMA battery in and now it starts every time....
My Vette sat all winter without starting and not on a charger...got in it in March and it started like it was meant to....
Its all a **** poor GM battery thing!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,503
Likes: 210
From: Las Vegas Nevada
2020 C8 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I had the same problem...GM put a new battery in and the same problem occurred again months later.
I bit the bullet and put an OPTIMA battery in and now it starts every time....
My Vette sat all winter without starting and not on a charger...got in it in March and it started like it was meant to....
Its all a **** poor GM battery thing!
I bit the bullet and put an OPTIMA battery in and now it starts every time....
My Vette sat all winter without starting and not on a charger...got in it in March and it started like it was meant to....
Its all a **** poor GM battery thing!
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,196
Likes: 107
From: Fairview, TX
It happens to me in my company vans every two years. If you are lucky (I usually am, except the last time) you will notice that the gauges are erratic and bounce around. When I see that I head straight to my nearest WalMart (remember it is a company van) and buy a new battery. The last time I stopped at one of those new WalMarts that are grocery stores only 
and found that they do not carry batteries and it would not restart.
and found that they do not carry batteries and it would not restart.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 672
Likes: 1
From: Scottsdale AZ
New Battery solved the issues. Legends Cadillac got the car at 9:00 am today from 101 Towing, I picked the car up at 11:00 am, all cleaned up and ready to run.
Great service from 101 Towing in Phoenix and Legends Cadillac in Scottsdale, Armand Slason is my service writer and Danny is the XLR/Corvette Tech. Great team and outstanding support.
Thanks for the help from On-Star support in getting the right service providers.
Great service from 101 Towing in Phoenix and Legends Cadillac in Scottsdale, Armand Slason is my service writer and Danny is the XLR/Corvette Tech. Great team and outstanding support.
Thanks for the help from On-Star support in getting the right service providers.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 27,420
Likes: 64
From: San Clemente CA
New Battery solved the issues. Legends Cadillac got the car at 9:00 am today from 101 Towing, I picked the car up at 11:00 am, all cleaned up and ready to run.
Great service from 101 Towing in Phoenix and Legends Cadillac in Scottsdale, Armand Slason is my service writer and Danny is the XLR/Corvette Tech. Great team and outstanding support.
Thanks for the help from On-Star support in getting the right service providers.
Great service from 101 Towing in Phoenix and Legends Cadillac in Scottsdale, Armand Slason is my service writer and Danny is the XLR/Corvette Tech. Great team and outstanding support.
Thanks for the help from On-Star support in getting the right service providers.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
kind of interesting that you can get your Corvette serviced at a Cadillac dealer. wonder if that would/might solve some of the issues people on this forum have....
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 672
Likes: 1
From: Scottsdale AZ
The Cadillac dealer advertises they service all GM cars, so I take advantage of it.
i left a voice message for my service advisor last night that the car was being flat-bedded to them and what we thought was wrong. The service advisior got there at 7:30 this morning and the car could not be dropped off last night, so he called to confirm I knew the status of the car and he would take care of it when it got there. That is excellent service in my mind.
On the battery replacement, everything was warranty, no costs at all to me.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,062
Likes: 9,825
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Yesterday I was using the 2008 Vert for business and had about 75 miles to drive with 5 stops. No issues whatsoever.
At 4:30 I stopped the car to show a client a lease listing. We spent abut 15 minutes at the home and when I got back into the car and tried to start it all I got was clicks - "Dead Battery?"
The car is two years old, original battery and 27,000 miles. Used On-Star to get someone to jump the battery, that didn't work, so On-Star called for a flatbed tow truck. Finally got enough power into the car to get it out of park so we could load it up.
101 Towing did an excellent job in loading the car, no issues, and getting it to Legends Cadillac today for analysis.
I don't think I have ever seen a battery fail so quickly or so totally.
If you ever need flatbed towing for your car in Phoenix metro area call 101 Towing and ask for Tony. There are probably other good drivers but I think Tony was one of the most professional I have ever run into.
Will post results after diagnosis.
At 4:30 I stopped the car to show a client a lease listing. We spent abut 15 minutes at the home and when I got back into the car and tried to start it all I got was clicks - "Dead Battery?"
The car is two years old, original battery and 27,000 miles. Used On-Star to get someone to jump the battery, that didn't work, so On-Star called for a flatbed tow truck. Finally got enough power into the car to get it out of park so we could load it up.
101 Towing did an excellent job in loading the car, no issues, and getting it to Legends Cadillac today for analysis.
I don't think I have ever seen a battery fail so quickly or so totally.
If you ever need flatbed towing for your car in Phoenix metro area call 101 Towing and ask for Tony. There are probably other good drivers but I think Tony was one of the most professional I have ever run into.
Will post results after diagnosis.
Bill
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 16,557
Likes: 2,108
From: Peoria/Phoenix AZ
C6 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
My '08 battery died in the garage (lucky me) last month with 63K on the clock. Jumping and or charging didn't work. I even charged up an old battery, or at least I thought so, and still no deal. So off to get a replacement.
As I was installing the new battery, I noticed a strange brownish discoloration on the inside of the positive cable end. It didn't look like regular white corrosion. I tried the wire battery brush, but it didn't clean out easily, so I switched to a dremel with a sanding drum. I don't remember my chemistry that well, but I'm thinking zinc oxide. By the time I was done, the copper was exposed.
I thought about retrieving by old battery just to see if that was the real culprit. I wish I would have.
Batteries don't live long in the AZ desert, but I'll be more investigative next time.
As I was installing the new battery, I noticed a strange brownish discoloration on the inside of the positive cable end. It didn't look like regular white corrosion. I tried the wire battery brush, but it didn't clean out easily, so I switched to a dremel with a sanding drum. I don't remember my chemistry that well, but I'm thinking zinc oxide. By the time I was done, the copper was exposed.
I thought about retrieving by old battery just to see if that was the real culprit. I wish I would have.
Batteries don't live long in the AZ desert, but I'll be more investigative next time.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 6,412
Likes: 1,295
From: Bluffton, SC
The battery on my 2009 went dead with no warning just two days after the car was last driven. The dealer recharged it and it tested fine. Three days later it was dead again. Still tested fine but it was replaced under warranty with no problems since then.
I think the OEM Delco batteries are very inconsistent; some being great and others being awful. I'm going in Monday and having an Optima Yellow Top installed just for the improved reserve capacity...I still don't trust the Delco.
I think the OEM Delco batteries are very inconsistent; some being great and others being awful. I'm going in Monday and having an Optima Yellow Top installed just for the improved reserve capacity...I still don't trust the Delco.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,074
Likes: 296
From: San Francisco CA
The battery on my 2009 went dead with no warning just two days after the car was last driven. The dealer recharged it and it tested fine. Three days later it was dead again. Still tested fine but it was replaced under warranty with no problems since then.
I think the OEM Delco batteries are very inconsistent; some being great and others being awful. I'm going in Monday and having an Optima Yellow Top installed just for the improved reserve capacity...I still don't trust the Delco.
I think the OEM Delco batteries are very inconsistent; some being great and others being awful. I'm going in Monday and having an Optima Yellow Top installed just for the improved reserve capacity...I still don't trust the Delco.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 672
Likes: 1
From: Scottsdale AZ
Dealer service tech says they typically fault with an internal short and are just dead. Lights, radio, etc.s worked fine for a while then everything just shut down. Hard to get the car out of park with a dead battery and you don't park thinking you need to load the car on a flat bed truck and must be lined up correctly.
New battery is fine.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,259
Likes: 1
From: Las Vegas NV
St. Jude Donor '10
I'd know what the "click, click, click" of a starter solenoid not getting enough juice sounds like.
It's when all the crazy warning on the DIC start is what makes me nervous. Same thing too....crappy battery.
I'm still using the original Delco in my '08 that just broke 32K on the clock. But as soon as I have a free day, I'm hitting the nearby Deka Battery manufacturing plant and picking up a new one. (Manufacturer of the ever popular, ever expensive Braille batteries.)
It's when all the crazy warning on the DIC start is what makes me nervous. Same thing too....crappy battery.
I'm still using the original Delco in my '08 that just broke 32K on the clock. But as soon as I have a free day, I'm hitting the nearby Deka Battery manufacturing plant and picking up a new one. (Manufacturer of the ever popular, ever expensive Braille batteries.)