khoeysr

Tried to start my 2013 ZR 1, can't open the doors, trunk, etc. Got in manually and connected my batter tender, and now the horn is going rhythmically (short bursts) and the dash cluster is flashing in rythmn.

My questions:

Any chance I might get enough charge to start it?

Can I hurt anything?

ufaj26

That's pretty dead but I don't think it's going to hurt. It should charge back but you might be better off to use an actual charger than a battery tender thing if you have one.

Or maybe just take the hot side completely off until you get it charged back up fully.

Mordeth

If it is the original battery, just replace it man. We are talking a lousy $150 for your $120,000 vehicle.

As for the horn and dash: The C6 does not like a weak battery. It won't hurt anything, but it will act crazy if the battery is weak. This behavior is normal for a weak battery and will not harm anything.

As for it taking a charge: Why not put a charger on it and find out? How is anyone supposed to know whether your battery can take a charge? It either takes a charge or it doesn't. Or just take 10 minutes and pull it out and bring it up to Autozone to be checked (after you charge it).

Patriot Six

Bring it to Autozone. They’ll charge it for you and do a load test on it.

Unreal

I'm with Mordeth, I would just change it. ~4 years is time for a replacement.

MTPZ06

Buy a replacement....tired batteries cause electrical gremlins, and why have something that may strand you one day.

SweetZO6

OP, These guys are right. Go buy a good AGM battery. Solid state electronics hate low voltage. I own a Ford 6.0l diesel and replace my AGM batteries every 3 years whether they need it or not. I tried the same thing you want to do and it fried my FICM that cost me $600 to replace. When I got my 2010 ZR1 in 2015, the first thing I did was get a new battery.

Ed

chatcher

If you are like me you probably have a bunch of toys that aren't daily drivers. I keep all of my toys on battery tenders when not in use. I have a motorcycle I bought new out of the crate in 2003 that still has the battery it came with. My m3 that I just traded in on my ZR1 had a 10 year old battery. I'll agree with everyone else here its time for a new battery but I don't think 4 years is old enough, with some care most batteries will last much longer.

ZR1Cat

OP, as has already be mentioned, don't waste any more time on that weak battery. It just isn't worth the trouble. Recently, i replaced the oem battery in my 2012 ZR1. It didn't display and signs of going bad. But at 5 years why take a chance? I chose not to chance it. I am not interested in trying to milk the last bit of life on an old battery. A fresh battery gives me peace of mind.

SIK02SS

Don’t bother taking it to Autozone, 3 hours isn’t nearly long enough to recharge that battery and their machine regularly tests new (good) Batteries bad

A battery tender won’t be enough to charge the battery, but should be enough to get it to start the car if you don’t feel like busting your knuckles changing it yourself. As others said, if it’s the original just replace it (Odyssey PC1200) is the recommended replacement from amazon. Otherwise you need to find someone who carries a 90/T5 in stock (not common). Either way you go, keep that tender on it regularly to prevent it from running down.

SweetZO6

OP, no need to bust any knuckles. Two pair of vice grips make an excellent ZR1 battery removal tool.

Ed

khoeysr

I am the OP.

Thanks for the input. Haven't been able to resolve it yet. Put a charger on it and it gets up to 100% charge with over 12 volts but won't crank. This charge has a setting that is supposed to serve as a jump but still nothing. One really odd thing is my aftermarket backup cam is on all the time.

Might just jump it and take it to the dealer to replace.

khoeysr

OK just installed a new Optima AGM battery. What a pain to do the swap. Anyway, fired right up. But I don’t see a way to vent the battery. Anybody have the answer?

StealthFRC

bring the optima back and swap it for a different battery. they are complete junk. I've had multiple fail on me, and once they drain, they never come back 100%.

SweetZO6

The Optima does not have a vent port. It is not a liquid lead acid battery that requires venting the hydrogen gas that is produced during charging. Either leave the hose open or plug it.

I replaced my OEM battery with an Optima yellow top (deep cycle) almost 3 years ago. I continue to have excellent results with the Optima in my ZR1 and AutoZone AGM batteries in my two other vehicles.

Ed

SIK02SS

Batteries are how I make a living; I agree with this. The new(er) manufacturing process they are required to use makes a hit/miss battery unfortunately. I seldom see an Optima go full term (including ones I've owned and kept on CTEKs)

FNBADAZ06

The OEM battery group size is a bear to get out of the tight battery cubby hole in the Z06/ZR1.....skinned, bloody knuckles every time you need to pull the damn thing, even with a battery strap.

I use two different batteries in my car now :

1) Racing events and general driving, I have a Shorai LFX36L3-BS12 Extreme Rate Lithium Iron Powersports Battery. 4.4 lbs and requires a custom battery hold down to secure it in the rear. The only downside I've experienced with this battery is the reserve power if/when you have a charging system failure. I only had roughly 5-10 minutes of reserve power to run the car and all the electronics, fuel pump, and cooling fans before the car died when the alternator died after 93K miles.

2) For long, out of town trips, I switch to my Optima Yellow top (group D35, IIRC), which is physically smaller than the OEM battery so it's still able to be removed from the cubby hole without bloody and skinned knuckles.

No matter which battery I use, when the car is sitting in the garage un-driven for a few days, I always put the car on the appropriate battery tender/charger (my Shorai requires a specific type of charger/tender).