Battery issues

woody5119 · February 18, 2016

I have a 2013 Silverado that has gone through 3 batteries. 1 per year. Under warranty luckily . Just had one done.

Anyone have the same issues. Or answers.

Bought it in July 2013 and new battery needed in December?

The Zip · February 18, 2016

Alternator is a likely culprit, sounds like your battery is not being charged

bgbdwlf2500 · February 18, 2016

Factory batteries aren't designed to be cycled either as in disharged and then charged. Have a big radio that you use while the truck is off or anything like that? Also could be alternator as already said

woody5119 · February 18, 2016

dealer says alt is fine. i just use the stock radio when engine is off but not very often. I watch my gauges alot and when the battery is ready to go that's when the batt gauge shows something is starting. i have read on the internet that the radio could be drawing alot when truck is off??

txab · February 18, 2016

Do a parasitic draw test to find out what is drawing power. Have the charging system tested other than the dealer just to be sure. Do you have anything plugged into the cig lighter or aux power port when the vehicle is off?

rjgti · February 18, 2016

do you live somewhere damn hot.

Doug_Scott · February 19, 2016

Or somewhere cold? Batteries should not fail in one year. Having it happen three times should be telling the dealer that something is wrong. When the dealer replaces the battery, what is the battery doing? Are you actually having problems with it, or are you just seeing something odd in the volt gauge, then take it to the dealer, and the dealer is replacing the battery?

I can see getting a bad battery, getting two is getting hard to believe, the third one should be setting off alarms that the battery is not the cause. Your truck has a feature that will turn off accessories after 10 minutes. You can test this out by shutting the truck off, take key out of ignition, then listen to the radio until it shuts off on its own. If it turns off after 10 minutes, then you know that system is working.

An alternator can take a battery out over time if it is overcharging. Does not need to be overcharging by a large amount, especially if it is taking a year to kill the battery. As suggested, take it to a different place and have them test the charging system (used to be called an AVR test years ago).

woody5119 · February 21, 2016

It gets cold here but we have't had the snap like last yr of 3 weeks. I live in Midland Ontario. I don't think they have clue as to what is going on. They go by codes and i see them using laptops but haven't been there when mine was tested. i know some about electrons and home and car electrical. there is something going on. I took it in last fall and they gave me my truck back saying there is no problem. 3-4 mths later than this. I live in the country. I need a vehicle that is dependable.the next closet dealer is 40 min.

Doug_Scott · February 22, 2016

This winter in Ontario is a poor winter for cold weather. Temps should be in the -15 degree C area, and today it was +5 degrees C. You need to have the charging system tested by a different shop to see if they can see anything. Since it is taking a year to kill the battery, it is likely something borderline doing it. You could also have a talk with the service manager at the dealership regarding the number of batteries being replaced. This is not normal in any way shape or form, and the manager will know that. The idea here is to get the dealer to document this is an ongoing issue that obviously is not normal, and that they will continue to warranty the charging system until they finally find the CAUSE of the failure. The battery failing is just the symptom.

woody5119 · February 22, 2016

my gauge is always middle between 14 - 16. the only time i know something is wrong is when it moves as to which only when probs stert

Doug_Scott · February 22, 2016

The gauge is not for diagnosing. It is simply a guide. Like a "good/bad" gauge. If it was intended for diagnosing the scale would be more detailed than 1 volt between lines. A battery being charged at 14.9 for a year will be damaged, while a battery being charged at 14.5 will not be. Less than half a volt difference. Voltage can kill a battery pretty quickly if high enough, and can kill it slowly if just a little high. It was easier to catch with the older vented batteries, the cells would always need water when they were being slowly overcharged.

BTW, the little green "light" in the early sealed batteries did not mean the battery was good, it simply meant it was either in a testable condition, or there was enough liquid in that one cell to lift the little ball up.

You never said what the truck was doing when it started acting up. What does the truck do or not do once you begin to notice something wrong?

woody5119 · February 22, 2016

The battery is just plain dead . i Call roadside assistance. Get a boost and take it to the dealer. My gauge is the same as above but the last time closer to 15 -16 volts.

I am going to talk to the owner and get some movement I hope?

woody5119 · February 23, 2016

it doesn't act up. it just will not start. have to call roadside assistance go to dealer to get truck looked at. last time it was totally dead, would not start after running 1/2 hr. Gauge was real high. turned it off and went to start and watched gauge drop from 12 to almost 0.

last time I posted some of it got deleted of the post???