Battery dead again!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 423
Likes: 3
From: GA
Battery dead again!
The GS is headed to the dealer in the morning for battery maintenance! This is the second time the battery died in the last 3 months. The last time, the dealer recharged the battery and it was ok for 3 months. I had not started the car for 3 weeks and now its dead again. Should i expect a new battery or a lecture on starting the car at least once a week? Are there any key statements to make to the dealer to get a replacement? I leave the car in reverse while partked (what's up with that).
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 5,253
Likes: 50
From: Sandy Eggo Calif.
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12, '16
Take to Sears. They'll test it for free. If it's bad, take the slip to your dealer, and get a new one.
If it going to be parked longer than a few days, use a Battery Tender. It's also good for the battery.
.
If it going to be parked longer than a few days, use a Battery Tender. It's also good for the battery.
.
Last edited by TommyV; Feb 3, 2012 at 03:21 AM.
Moderator
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 40,877
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From: Lakewood Ranch, FL
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 4,024
Likes: 13
From: Loveland CO to Central Coast CA
You're killing your battery by letting your C6 sit so long. And if you mostly take short drives, your battery is headed for an early grave. 
Don't start it once-a-week... you'll have to run the engine ~20 minutes or so just to replace the energy used in starting the car. And you'll have to run it even longer to replace energy lost by the parasitic drain of dis-use.
Bottom Line: Use a good battery maintainer regularly. It will keep your battery well-charged. And its maintenance cycle will give you max battery life.
You can get the "official" C6 Battery Protection Package for under $100:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...11-models.html
Or shop around for the best price on the nearly identical CTEK 3300.
More info from another thread:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...post1579601497
BTW, lots of other cars suffer dead batteries when used infrequently.
Don't start it once-a-week... you'll have to run the engine ~20 minutes or so just to replace the energy used in starting the car. And you'll have to run it even longer to replace energy lost by the parasitic drain of dis-use.
Bottom Line: Use a good battery maintainer regularly. It will keep your battery well-charged. And its maintenance cycle will give you max battery life.
You can get the "official" C6 Battery Protection Package for under $100:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...11-models.html
Or shop around for the best price on the nearly identical CTEK 3300.
More info from another thread:
...it's easy to hook-up the CTEK with their cig adapter:
http://www.amazon.com/CTEK-56-263-Co...=pd_sim_auto_1
Either outlet works fine. And you can run the cord thru a notch in the door:
Just make sure you don't crimp the cord -- it should move easily when the door is closed...
http://www.amazon.com/CTEK-56-263-Co...=pd_sim_auto_1
Either outlet works fine. And you can run the cord thru a notch in the door:
Just make sure you don't crimp the cord -- it should move easily when the door is closed...
BTW, lots of other cars suffer dead batteries when used infrequently.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 4,024
Likes: 13
From: Loveland CO to Central Coast CA
For extended storage, the owners manual also suggests disconnecting the negative battery terminal. See the section titled "Battery" (pg 5-50 in my 09 manual).
Be sure you don't lose the cone-shaped terminal nut -- replacements are almost impossible to find. In fact, there's no need to remove the nut. The terminal clamp design is such that you only need to loosen the nut.
Of course, I'm assuming you know how to get into a C6 with a disconnected battery.
Be sure you don't lose the cone-shaped terminal nut -- replacements are almost impossible to find. In fact, there's no need to remove the nut. The terminal clamp design is such that you only need to loosen the nut.
Of course, I'm assuming you know how to get into a C6 with a disconnected battery.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,836
Likes: 9
From: Rushsylvania Ohio
Have to use a battery tender. Two weeks is about the max most can go without driving the car before the battery goes dead. You are doing nothing wrong and there is nothing wrong with the car.
Since your battery has went completely dead twice now, you for sure need a new battery. Letting one go dead just kills the life of a battery.
Since your battery has went completely dead twice now, you for sure need a new battery. Letting one go dead just kills the life of a battery.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
good advice above from all 4.
btw, how'd your '08 do without a battery "maintainer" such as the suggestions above? mine, I've been using one since nov. '07. and just got one of those cteks with the lighter plug in option. works great!
btw, how'd your '08 do without a battery "maintainer" such as the suggestions above? mine, I've been using one since nov. '07. and just got one of those cteks with the lighter plug in option. works great!
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Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 10,447
Likes: 1,144
From: Wayne Township WI
Have to use a battery tender. Two weeks is about the max most can go without driving the car before the battery goes dead. You are doing nothing wrong and there is nothing wrong with the car...Since your battery has went completely dead twice now, you for sure need a new battery. Letting one go dead just kills the life of a battery.
For any Corvette sitting longer than a week-10 days a battery tender's an absolute must.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,050
Likes: 2
From: New Bern NC
Some advice similar to one above, if the battery dies even once, it will never be the same as new. It can be recharged but will never hold the charge as well. These lead acid batteries are very old technology. If you drove your car every day, you would never notice a loss in capacity. But with your situation, you cannot handle it. I second the battery maintainer solution. If you want a reliable standard battery for its life, never completely discharge it.
Larry
Larry
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,465
Likes: 309
From: Murrells Inlet, SC (formally New Windsor, NY)
The battery tender is your best option for the amount that you use your car. Simple to use and you will alleviate the paranoia of coming out to a dead car. Also, leaving your GS parked in reverse does nothing for the drain on your battery. That was only relevant to the 05 model year. 06 and newer do not require that action.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,083
Likes: 68
From: Carrollton GA
W. GA Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14-'15
Seems every car has its “Achilles Heel” and the battery life seems to be it for the Corvette. Even before I purchased my C6 I heard about the systemic “Battery Problems” with them. It’s well documented on CF and there are plenty of others who have had the same problems that you have encountered. There is some background power drawn on the Vette that will zap the battery if left unabated.
Car batteries by design are meant to be recharged on a reoccurring basis. Be it a Vette or another car, boat, riding lawn mower, if the battery sets for an extended period of time it will lose its charge.
I have 2nd and 3rd Gen Trans Am’s I show and don’t get many trips during the year….both (along with my Vette) have battery tenders and even after months of setting start right up.
As noted, the common fix is a Battery Tender. There are several out good ones out there and a few threads on which is the best to purchase.
Car batteries by design are meant to be recharged on a reoccurring basis. Be it a Vette or another car, boat, riding lawn mower, if the battery sets for an extended period of time it will lose its charge.
I have 2nd and 3rd Gen Trans Am’s I show and don’t get many trips during the year….both (along with my Vette) have battery tenders and even after months of setting start right up.
As noted, the common fix is a Battery Tender. There are several out good ones out there and a few threads on which is the best to purchase.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,823
Likes: 2
From: Anthem AZ
What in the car is drawing so much current that the thing has to be kept on life support?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 5,394
Likes: 281
From: cumming ga
I had this issue because my car had set from aug to march was alright for about a year.
At the end of about a year I started having issues they said was okay not. I got up one sat. and it was dead again charged up drove to ac delco warehouse got new batt got in car to come home they jumped me off. When I got home put new battery in never had another problem.
Took old batt. to dealer to have it check it was dead they got me reimbursed for the batt. Oh and I don't use a tender on my cars. My 2012 sat for 6 weeks while i wore a boot on left foot started right up.
z51vett
At the end of about a year I started having issues they said was okay not. I got up one sat. and it was dead again charged up drove to ac delco warehouse got new batt got in car to come home they jumped me off. When I got home put new battery in never had another problem.
Took old batt. to dealer to have it check it was dead they got me reimbursed for the batt. Oh and I don't use a tender on my cars. My 2012 sat for 6 weeks while i wore a boot on left foot started right up.
z51vett
Last edited by z51vett; Feb 3, 2012 at 09:52 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,116
Likes: 5
From: Livonia MI
Your problems may have started the day you took delivery of the car. If the car was sitting on the dealer lot for a couple months before you got it, then the battery was probably run down to total zero, and is a goner now. Might hold bit of a charge, but not like it's supposed to. I'd look into this. As mentioned, late model car electronics always pull a slight battery drain when sitting, so not a good idea going more than a couple weeks without a maintainer on it.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,983
Likes: 1
From: Seguin Tx
Had repeated problems with mine (2 Delco replacements) till
I replaced the second Delco that was failing again with a Optima yellow top
HAVE NOT HAD A PROBLEM IN THE TWO YEAR SINCE I DID SO
no tender what so ever and has sat for over a month without starting!
I replaced the second Delco that was failing again with a Optima yellow top
HAVE NOT HAD A PROBLEM IN THE TWO YEAR SINCE I DID SO
no tender what so ever and has sat for over a month without starting!
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 4,194
Likes: 305
From: Lake Havasu City Arizona
SoCal Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor '12
Like many others here, this problem pisses me off to no end and its just been acceptable to everyone and chevrolet. But we love our cars and accept it as a fact of life for corvette owners. It'd sure be nice if chevrolet would be able to address this problem on the C7's but my guess is that they will just ignore it again.
My Trans Ams (3) will sit for 6 months and always fire right back up but leave a corvette untendered for 2 weeks and you get a dead battery and the dealership runaround?
My Trans Ams (3) will sit for 6 months and always fire right back up but leave a corvette untendered for 2 weeks and you get a dead battery and the dealership runaround?
