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Is my battery dying?

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Old 09-24-2012, 10:36 AM
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sws1
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Default Is my battery dying?

Let me preface this by saying that the dealer just put a new battery in my '07 in the spring, saying it didn't meet the expected results of their tests. I personally had no problem starting the car, but I took their word for it.

Over the past few months, the car has been getting driven approx 1x per week. Not connected to a trickle charger. Each week, when starting it, I'd turn the key and have to wait a few seconds before I could get the engine to fire. All I'd hear was a single click from the engine. Dashboard was all lit up.

Over the past few months, the number of seconds I'd have to wait before I could turn the key and get the car to fire got longer and longer. Recently, I had to wait minutes before it would turn. If I drive the car, and then stop it, it's starts up much easier (as if the battery picked up a charge).

A few weeks ago, I connected up my Battery Tender Plus (1.5 amp intelligent trickle charger). Took about a day for the charger to say that it was at 80% charged, and eventually got to 100%. This weekend, despite the charger saying "fully charged", all I got was the click sound. Waited minutes, and still, nothing but click. Gave up. Put the charger back on, and low and behold, the charger showed far less than 80%, as if the little bit of trying to turn the engine over took all the life out of the battery.

I don't know exactly how the charger works, but it would seem like the charger thinks the battery has enough cranking amps, but it doesn't, since a simply turn of the key saps the life out of the batter.

FWIW - I was able to get the car started by leaving the charger connected when starting. Still took a few secs of waiting, but it worked.

Feels to me like my battery has gone very soft and can't maintain it's oomph. Sound right?

Anyway to get the oomph back in the battery, or is this now shot?

And why would this happen on a battery less than 1 year old?

Any chance dealer would give me a new battery?
Old 09-24-2012, 10:56 AM
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NorthVan
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I would take it back to the dealer, it sounds like the battery is the source of the problem. It may also be that you have something that is drawing a constant current and draining it while it should be in rest mode.
Old 09-24-2012, 05:16 PM
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DC640
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Originally Posted by sws1
Let me preface this by saying that the dealer just put a new battery in my '07 in the spring, saying it didn't meet the expected results of their tests. I personally had no problem starting the car, but I took their word for it.

Over the past few months, the car has been getting driven approx 1x per week. Not connected to a trickle charger. Each week, when starting it, I'd turn the key and have to wait a few seconds before I could get the engine to fire. All I'd hear was a single click from the engine. Dashboard was all lit up.

Over the past few months, the number of seconds I'd have to wait before I could turn the key and get the car to fire got longer and longer. Recently, I had to wait minutes before it would turn. If I drive the car, and then stop it, it's starts up much easier (as if the battery picked up a charge).

A few weeks ago, I connected up my Battery Tender Plus (1.5 amp intelligent trickle charger). Took about a day for the charger to say that it was at 80% charged, and eventually got to 100%. This weekend, despite the charger saying "fully charged", all I got was the click sound. Waited minutes, and still, nothing but click. Gave up. Put the charger back on, and low and behold, the charger showed far less than 80%, as if the little bit of trying to turn the engine over took all the life out of the battery.

I don't know exactly how the charger works, but it would seem like the charger thinks the battery has enough cranking amps, but it doesn't, since a simply turn of the key saps the life out of the batter.

FWIW - I was able to get the car started by leaving the charger connected when starting. Still took a few secs of waiting, but it worked.

Feels to me like my battery has gone very soft and can't maintain it's oomph. Sound right?

Anyway to get the oomph back in the battery, or is this now shot?

And why would this happen on a battery less than 1 year old?

Any chance dealer would give me a new battery?
my OEM battery (non -Li) lasted around 2 years. People say thats pretty good. I just got Interstate battery. More juice. Cheaper. Works the same way.
Old 09-24-2012, 05:36 PM
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F1CrazyDriver
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I believe your battery went below 20% discharge, hence it is dead and not taking in charge.

Same thing happen to be recently. I had an Optima Red battery, the car was at the shop for two months, I'm sure they discharged the battery. I have read once it goes under 20% their is no way of bringing it back and it is basically a dead battery just a matter of time.

You can get a Odyssey battery, much lighter and we make the bracket for it. You can read the my personal review here.

http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/g...-porsches.html



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