Battery service active on at start
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,960
Likes: 1,106
This can happen with a battery at low charge AND very heavy electrical demand (rear window defogger, seat heater, headlights, etc.) on and drawing power. If it remains on after the vehicle has been running for awhile then there may be a problem.
If your car has been sitting for some time without a battery maintainer plugged in it is basically telling you it had enough power to start the car but is nearly drained and needs to be fully charged via extended vehicle operation or an external charger. If you aren't driving frequently pick up a battery maintainer to avoid this message along with the severely shortened battery life that comes from a battery that is discharged heavily between operating events.
If your car has been sitting for some time without a battery maintainer plugged in it is basically telling you it had enough power to start the car but is nearly drained and needs to be fully charged via extended vehicle operation or an external charger. If you aren't driving frequently pick up a battery maintainer to avoid this message along with the severely shortened battery life that comes from a battery that is discharged heavily between operating events.
Thread Starter
5th Gear
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Thanks , Wish they would put in the book--"messages without detail sure is not good" in this day and age.
I had the car in neutral off rear tire raised checking for leak. As you know lights stayed on, thought they would go out-Time out- but had the key in my pocket so proximity seemed to keep on. Total time around an hour, thus first start "battery service active came on , and came on after the next two starts within ten minutes- total driving time ten minutes battery gauge showed normal range. After sitting off for thirty minutes,tried start again -- message was off. So I guess the message told me that I or something else ran the battery down. Why couldn't they have put that in the book!!!!
Like my old programmers of years past , they would code error messages but no one but them knew what they meant-- JOB SECURITY.' Thanks again Now maybe someone else checking the "forum" might find some answers on "Battery Service Active".
I had the car in neutral off rear tire raised checking for leak. As you know lights stayed on, thought they would go out-Time out- but had the key in my pocket so proximity seemed to keep on. Total time around an hour, thus first start "battery service active came on , and came on after the next two starts within ten minutes- total driving time ten minutes battery gauge showed normal range. After sitting off for thirty minutes,tried start again -- message was off. So I guess the message told me that I or something else ran the battery down. Why couldn't they have put that in the book!!!!
Like my old programmers of years past , they would code error messages but no one but them knew what they meant-- JOB SECURITY.' Thanks again Now maybe someone else checking the "forum" might find some answers on "Battery Service Active".
Last edited by SGIFL; Feb 15, 2016 at 03:30 PM. Reason: Spelling
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,960
Likes: 1,106
You are welcome and I agree that the quality of information in most car manuals leaves a lot to be desired. Often it isn't difficult to find boilerplate copy from prior/other manuals that doesn't even apply to the present vehicle.
The Cadillac CTS I bought in 2008 had the same power demand management system and warning message but the manual did a much better job of explaining it.
Glad there was nothing really wrong with your Z51 since there is always something more fun to do than going in for a service visit.
The Cadillac CTS I bought in 2008 had the same power demand management system and warning message but the manual did a much better job of explaining it.
Glad there was nothing really wrong with your Z51 since there is always something more fun to do than going in for a service visit.
