Dead Battery at 1400 miles!

c5vetteman · March 19, 2004

Got in the truck this morning and got just clicking noises. Battery was so weak that the radio reset itself to 12:00.

Do I call the dealership and have them tow my vehicle in just to replace the battery with another AC Delco unit for free or do I spend $120 on an Optima Red Top?

I check the interior light switch and that was not on, so I am not sure if I just got a bad battery or did something short itself and caused the battery to drain. Would the OBD be able to locate a short in the electrical system?

blue2kzr2 · March 19, 2004

If you have the dealer repair the truck they'll also do a check of the charging/electrical system. Food for thought...

Machine · March 19, 2004

With only 1400 miles, this problem warrants a call to the dealer. Can you jump it rather than getting it towed?

JimG · March 19, 2004

Definitely the dealer. Let them pay for the tow and check every inch of wire in your starting/charging system.

If the battery drained because of an alternator or regulator fault, your new Optima battery won't fair much better.

And yes, let them toss a new AC Delco battery in there. When the warranty runs out then you can do whatever you want with it.

Edit - The OBD II system, to my knowledge, cannot locate a short in the electrical wiring. It will be able to detect a short inside a module, like the BCM or TCM though. This is why your truck needs to take a ride to the dealer. Let them use their time and GM's money to fix it.

HendyPhoto · March 19, 2004

Same thing has been happening to my truck, but I figured out that it only drains when I set the alarm. When I push the door lock button twice on the remote to set the alarm, but if I push it just once the battery is fine!! SO somehow their is a short in the alarm or something. WHO KNOWS! LOL

c5vetteman · March 19, 2004

UPDATE:

I ended up calling the dealer this morning and had it towed in.

I just got off the phone with the service manager and they told me that the battery had a bad cell in it. He said that after lunch they will complete their OBD tests and make sure that everything fires back up with no problems. I also reminded him to unlock the radio for me.

So, I am crossing my fingers that everything will check out and I'll plan on picking up the truck tonight after work!

c5vetteman · March 21, 2004

Another UPDATE:

When I got home from the dealer I opened the hood to take a look at the battery they put in. It is a new AC Delco battery with the hydrometer eye. However the "eye" was not green, which leads me to wonder how well they tested the new battery and my electrical systems? The label states that the "eye" must be green before testing. In any event I am going to throw the charger on it today and let it charge up.

I guess I shouldn't of expected so much effort from the dealer to properly charge a battery before installation.