2014 dead battery out of nowhere

[Silverado-Hareek]

If it's the original battery, 4 years old is about right for it to need to be replaced.  Every vehicle I've ever had needed a new battery around the 4 year mark, cars or trucks.  The testing results are weird though.  I would get the battery tested one more time by a different shop to be sure.

[cbrsilv15]

So far, so good.  Still no more battery issues.  I am seeing about 50/50 for 12v vs 14v while driving.  Maybe its been at 12 on the gauge for a while and I never paid that much attention than I am now since I'm paranoid.  Lol.  Still no slow cranks, so the battery is doing okay. 

[Silverado-Hareek]

10 minutes ago, cbrsilv15 said:

So far, so good.  Still no more battery issues.  I am seeing about 50/50 for 12v vs 14v while driving.  Maybe its been at 12 on the gauge for a while and I never paid that much attention than I am now since I'm paranoid.  Lol.  Still no slow cranks, so the battery is doing okay. 

 

My voltage fluctuates too below 14 and past 14.  I'm fairly certain it always stays within the acceptable range that's noted on the gauge so I don't ever worry about it.  The manual talks about the voltage fluctuating as well and it being normal to do so.

[Spendit]

Crap - after one week of zero issues with the new battery installed the truck "clicked" at this mornings start up and faulted the radio out to AM again. Charged fine on ride into work.....guess I'm a candidate for the negative cable replacement next.

 

I'll get more meter readings once the sun comes up here in Michigan and the next couple of days

[da90]

Crap - after one week of zero issues with the new battery installed the truck "clicked" at this mornings start up and faulted the radio out to AM again. Charged fine on ride into work.....guess I'm a candidate for the negative cable replacement next.
 
I'll get more meter readings once the sun comes up here in Michigan and the next couple of days

Replaced my battery and mine did the exact same thing. I am sitting at the dealer buying a AC condenser. Pretty sad to have all these problems out of a 60k mile truck!


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[Tx_operator87]

I had a cell go out on my battery a couple weeks ago. I would turn the key to accessory and the battery gauge would be around 8v, this happened each time I turned the truck off. Jumped the battery and drove to back home from downtown Houston to oreillys auto and got them to test the battery and they told me it was my voltage regulator and that my alternator was shot. Almost positive the voltage regulator is on the alternator so I didn't think that could be the issue, I had just drove an hour with a bad alternator? I don't think so. So I took it to the dealership and they put their reader on the battery, the guy showed me that my alternator was charging the battery just fine. Turned the truck off and tried to turn it back on with his reader still hooked up and it showed a bad cell. Bought a new battery and my gauge was doing the same thing, 12v here, 14v there, I was worried at first but after a few days I quit worrying, as long as my truck was starting I was happy. So yeah, don't always trust the auto stores reader, and the voltage going below 14 is fine as long as its in that window on the gauge itll start.

[Colossus]

the bounce between 12 and 14 is normal.  The alternator is not a battery charger but rather a battery maintainer.  it will top things off from time to time. 

[TJay74]

Correct, 12v-14v is normal for the charging system and the BCM turns the alternator on/off to charge only when needed. Another byproduct of the Corp EPA fuel numbers and the manufactures trying to eek out every last bit of MPG they can. When the BCM turns the alternator off it reduces load on the engine and improve theoretical fuel mileage.

[cbrsilv15]

Knock on wood, still going strong. If I do have another issue, I’ll replace the cables. My battery tested good, just low so I never replaced it. 

[Rosedog]

I just had a "dead" / critically low battery in my 2016 Silverado.  Started fine Saturday morning went to use it Saturday evening and it barely turned over.  It did alot of clicking before it cranked.  Once started, everything read fine voltage wise, got home rested 15 min. and it was sluggish to start again. Next morning barely started.  Used the my SyncUp app to read the voltage when off it dropped down to 10 volts.  Had the dealer replace it under warranty.  They said there was a service bulletin out that dealt with the battery but my truck wasn't included in it.  They also told me that it could be my Philips backup lights and their frequency could be causing the battery to drain. Never hear of that before.

[Bikemobile]

My father in law just had the battery in his 14 replaced while visiting Colorado in June. One morning we had to jump it to get it to the shop. 

 

I use one of these digital volt guages in my 17’ when towing / camping with my travel trailer. I know its not 100% accurate because its in the cigarette lighter but its handy to see where the charging system is at after a few days of camping. 

[Spurshot]

I believe a fully charged battery should be 12.6-12.7 v after it has stablilized from charging.  My recollection is 12.2v is about a half charge or less.  Driving voltage of the electrical system should be at least 13.7v. and will fluctuate with charging cycles.  My recent experience with my 14 Camaro and 14 Truck was that the batteries went south at the 2 - 3 year mark in both.  Same battery spec for both.  Some batteries I've had go twice as long as these.  But it seems common for these OEM batteries to fail around 2 years these days.  Everyone wants to be the guy that can come on these forums and say they had a battery go many years.  But that just hasn't happened to me in a long time.  I have had better luck with premium batteries going longer.  I think the 2 DieHard batteries I put in my 2008 truck in 2010 lasted with my brother until a couple years or so ago.