New Dead Battery

RCP · Jan 7, 2014

I tried to start my 2005 Chevy truck last night, and it is dead. The battery was new at Thanksgiving and I have not started the truck for a couple of weeks. To make the things worse the hood is froze shut (-9F last night) and I can"t get to the battery. It supposed to warm up this weekend, so I will give it a try then.
On the plus side, my 2002 Ford Escort fired right up.

Rich

Carlyle hoffman · Jan 7, 2014

Your guess is as good as ours, as i have since owning vehicles, parked a unit at dark and the next morning, STONE DEAD. ??????? This has over the years happened at least 3 times i can remember. And then never happen to said vehicle again. I really wonder if anyone has an explanation.

ErnieD · Jan 7, 2014

Happened to me on my '98, could slide under the truck and put the charger on solenoid wire to the battery.

glennster · Jan 7, 2014

a lot of times it is the glove box light. my daughters z-71 would randomly have a stone dead battery. found out the latch would pop loose on the glove box door just enough to turn the lamp on. found it after i replaced the battery and alternator.

old · Jan 7, 2014

You may have something wrong with the truck like a bad alternator or other such low amp draw which can cause a battery to go dead over time or you may have a bad new battery. Seen more then one battery be bad right from the store.

Southern Ray · Jan 7, 2014

another culprit is the light under the hood.
it's suppose to turn off when the hood slams shut.

Allan in NE · Jan 7, 2014

Parasitic drain and now you need another battery. Once they've been frozen, they're never the same again.

Allan

notjustair · Jan 7, 2014

My brother bought a 07 Chevy pickup new when I bought my Tundra. He lives in the city so it really never gets used as a pickup.

When it was around a year old he would come home for lunch and come out 20 minutes later and it would be completely dead. Sometimes he could jump it and get it going, sometimes not. He had it towed to the dealer in their little town a bunch of times. They couldn't figure it out. Finally they flew in the boys from Detroit the next time it did it. Some computer something or other.

RWK in WI · Jan 7, 2014

I have a 05 Tahoe and the manual says that sitting for more than 2 to 3 weeks without running may / will result in a battery to low to start the car. The manual suggests using a battery maintainer if the vehicle is not used regularly. I have a maintainer attached to the battery and a cord running out the edge of the hood by the drivers door. I plug it in when it won't be used soon. Having an orange extension cord attached to the car and wrapped around the drivers mirror reminds me unplug before driving.

BhB · Jan 7, 2014

I solved the dead battery problem on two of my GMC truck and van by removing the fuse from the radio.

RCP · Jan 7, 2014

I understand the idea of parasitic drain and this reasonable. The frustrating part is the original battery could sit for 2 to 3 weeks and not have an issue.

I will return the battery this weekend to have it replaced.

Thanks
Rich

gene bender · Jan 7, 2014

New stuff has too many things drawing batt volts just setting there and not running and the batts will go down if they arent used for a few weeks.

NEKS · Jan 7, 2014

Just today had to get two new batteries for my 92 Chev diesel. The ones in there were only 27 months old. Was having trouble with dead batteries off and on last summer. Went out one evening and noticed the glove box light on. Jerked the bulb out, but I think the batteries had been run down too many times. Why does my son's 92 Dodge have only one and my Chev takes two? No room for one big one.

Anonymous-0 · Jan 7, 2014

My old battery made kind of a funny noise, yesterday, when starting the mazda p/u. This mornin, it made no noise at all. In 0 degree weather, I swapped over to a spare that I keep near the charger ( I am hoping for some parasitic charging, but never heard of that happenin, LOL) Took all of 5-10 minutes to swap batteries, and a half hour to thaw my hands out!

Ray · Jan 7, 2014

My 08 model did that when I let it set for a couple weeks.The computer uses power 24-7 and will drain a battery if not ran for a while.

Frank 41 · Jan 7, 2014

I put air bags on my 2011 F250. I don't use it hardly in the winter because of salt. The bags kick in and out all the time and ran the battery down. So I pulled the fuse.

Steve@Advance · Jan 7, 2014

I've had that happen four times in say the last 10 years, everything fine, then suddenly nothing, stone dead without warning.

Three of those times were with Walmart batteries, hecho n Mexico.

My theory is poor construction, a connection breaks/burns inside the battery causing an open circuit.

Russ from MN · Jan 7, 2014

Ours is sitting for a few weeks now, the dealer recommended pulling one battery cable.

RayP(MI) · Jan 7, 2014

Had one that about drove us crazy. Wife would drive our Bronco II to work, would go just fine. After her shift, would sometimes come out to a dead battery. I figured out that there was something discharging the battery, but what? Lots of research and I finally figured it out. She would stop the car, get out, and go around to the passenger door to get her stuff lock the door, and go in. Dead battery end of shift. Turns out, voltage regulator in alternator was being triggered by voltage drop due to dome light going on, and turn on alternator"s field, discharging battery. Took alternator back to back yard re-builder friend, and we went thru several VRs before we found one that worked right - actually, I selected one out of his scrap box. Worked just fine. He had rebuilt the alternator several weeks before and put a new VR in as part of the rebuild. Several brand new VRs in his stock were defective.

old · Jan 7, 2014

Tell him not me all I am doing is telling it like it is but why you answer me I do not know it sure does not help him or you or me

NCWayne · Jan 7, 2014

Had my Freightliner plugged in last night because that's the only way it will start when it gets down below freezing, and we set a record last night at 8 degrees. Anyways, I tried to start mine around 9 this morning and like yours the batteries seemed to be dead. Thing is I've got three relatively new, truck sized batteries all hooked up so I don't have any problems. I would up having to put the charger on it for nearly 3 hours to get it start right after lunch....still in the mid 20's at the time. It sat at the customers, while I repaired his tractor, from about 1:30 until 5:30 and started with no problems when I got ready to leave. Don't know what I'm going to do tomorrow, but it's plugged in again tonight and I also put a trickle charger on it to keep the batteries up. Hopefully, no problems in the morning if I do have to go out.

Ted in NE-OH · Jan 7, 2014

I vote with Glennstr.
There is a light on someplace,glove box or under hood.

320B · Jan 7, 2014

I had a problem with a relay on the security system on one of my trucks. Some mornings the battery would be dead other mornings not. Drove me crazy trying to figure it out. Got to the point I just disconnected the battery every night until I finally pulled the dash out and found the hidden relay.

GordoSD · Jan 8, 2014

My Tahoe would have a dead battery without any reason. I selected the "no interior lights ever" on the light panel and never had a problem after that. I can manually actuate them on the rare times I need interior lights. I keep scorpion lights in all vehicles.

NoNewParts · Jan 8, 2014

my 07 GMC got me too a few days ago.
half a turn....click, click, click.
Back-tracked in my mind.....whoops, 8 days since I went anywhere.
sub-zero temps....dang computers drawing power all the time.

also, on newer vehicles, I don't like the way things stay on for a bit,
lights, etc when you get out after shutdown.
I know my way to my back door, I don't need that voltage drain in this weather.

RCP · Jan 8, 2014

I was able to get the hood open, had to use a screw driver on the latch mechanism to fully release the cable.
I put the battery charger on for 6 hours on the 10 amp setting, but the meter never showed any charging.
I tried to start the truck, no crank, do have lights, I am going to return the battery tomorrow.

Thanks
Rich

john *.?-!.* cub owner · Jan 8, 2014

.....
I tried to start the truck, no crank, do have lights, I am going to return the battery tomorrow. Thanks
Rich

If the lights stayed on rather than going out when you tried the starter, you do not have a bad battery.

RCP · Jan 8, 2014

They went out and then came back on dimly, when I released the key.

Rich

Anonymous-0 · Jan 8, 2014

along with all what is said ,, make sure all the connections are clean and strong connectivity,, chek ALL the grounds ...

New Dead Battery

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