My 2006 ss/sc sat for a while over the winter. I tried to get out and start it once a month to let it run. I know that might be too long, but I was being stupid and overworked. It started right up the first while, then it needed a jump. I drove it around a while to get a charge back and get it moving some. I let it sit another week and was ready to start driving it daily again.

It was dead and the charger didn't seem to help. I'm not sure what to think. It is acting funny when I try to turn it over. With the charger on it, the high beam indicator blinks and other odd things seem to happen when I turn the key. I checked my interceptor gauge for the battery and it is reading 14-18 with the cables hooked. Shouldn't this start the car even if the battery is dead?

I'm not really clear on that concept. Could it just be that I need a new battery? I was worried it might be the starter, but it clicks when I turn the key. I'm just not sure why it shows good power and is getting funny electrical abnormalities. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Are you jumping at the battery, or under the hood? I've found my car will NOT jump from the trunk for some reason lol.

Could be the battery has just gone bad.

 

I tried it from both places. It has worked from the front usually. I tried to trunk in desperation too twice though. Would the bad battery stop it from starting though? I might be wrong, but I thought if the power was there to start it wouldn't need the battery to run only to start again later.

 

14-18 when trying to start or when sitting, your voltage will go down when trying to start it,

i have jumped my car from the trunk before, but it wasnt completely dead

 

It falls down maybe to 10 as I turn the key and goes right back up on release. I would have to go out and check again for sure. If it isn't a downpour still I will look right now to be sure how low it dips.

 

by the way its not good for you to start your car during the winter every month, you build up water in the pistons and oil

 

Did you attempt a rolling start?

Also to the post above me, you can start it but it needs to be up to operating temperature for a good time to evaporate all the water. I'm more biased to the better off just letting it sit all winter though.

Joel

 

I didn't try a rolling start yet, but I would be sol if it doesn't and I get it half way down my long steeply sloped driveway. I might eventually when I have help to get it back from blocking the driveway. I did let it warm up twenty minutes when I was starting it btw.

I hooked the charger back up, but as I forgot, the gauge doesn't register when you turn the key. It restarts the gauge and shows nothing. I was seeing 14+ prior and after I waited for it to come back up it only dropped to 12.5. I have a 75 volt quick start on it. That holds it at 14+ and has the starter clicking right away, but I wanted to recheck what I was seeing. I still am up in the air if it is a power issue or an electrical/mechanical issue.

 

have you tried jumping it with another vehicle while running, that you know has a good battery, 75 amps isnt enough unless your battery has enough juice in it to add to that 75 amps to get it going

 

buy a new battery, worst thing is car still wont start and you have one posssible cause kocked off the list.

 

Thanks for all the advice. I'll try another car just to see. I was planning to get a battery because this one is like 5 years old now being a 2006. I figured it couldn't hurt to get a new one. They are like 100 dollars though, so I didn't want to waste the money either without more feedback. Getting older sucks. When I bought my car, I had hours to work on it and cash in the bank to spend on it. Now, I work 60-80 hour weeks and with my house bills/wife to support I have to budget in even a battery purchase. That is a big reason it sat so long while I got a ride in to work to save cash.

 

Next time you store the car for winter, take the battery out of the car, take it inside, and leave it sit on a trickle charger all winter. I did and mine's fine. Also throw some fuel stabilizer in the far, drive it for 20-30 min, then park it and leave it sit. Pump your tires up to like 40 psi and they won't flat spot.

 

I think dead battery.

 

dead battery. i used to have to replace my battery almost every year on a car i used to store over the winter.

 

If the battery turns out fine, check the connection on the ground cable under the hood.

 

Get a battery. All those lights flickering is because your battery can't handle the load of trying to start the vehicle while keeping all those accessories running. A five year old OEM Delco battery? Yea, replace.

 

I did a rolling start today. It started at around 15mph. I drove it about 35 minutes fine. I guess I am buying a battery. Still wouldn't restart after though. I was worried it wasn't going to be so easy to fix. I still have some other issues to address, but it is running again. Sadly, I can't drive it to get the battery in town safely since my inspection ran out while it wouldn't start. Thanks again for all the advice. Never hurts to have various input to learn from.

 

I had battery issues with my TA sitting for a couple months at a time when work got busy. Get a battery and as far as jumping it the reason it works better under the hood is when u jump in the trunk you have to get power to the started in the front and there is more wire which causes more resistance so if you batt is really bad a truck jump won't usually work.

 

hah ya. a 5 year old battery. probobly dead. most batteries have a life of 60 months (5 years) ha. so id say its time.