Highbeamz

So once again, my car failed to start this morning. Unless there's another underlying issue going in, it seems these cars don't start if the voltage is "too low?" When I try to turn it over the engine clicks (until you quit turning the key) and while clicking with the key turned the CEL is lit as well as the security light. Once you quit turning the key you get about a billion messages show up on the DIC like Check ESC, Check ABS, etc etc. I was told this was a low voltage issue, but my tester showed the battery to be 11.76 volts, which should start it in my opinion...my old Daytona started with the battery at 8 volts...

Ideas?

onefstgtu

Well I would start by having you battery tested. Having 11 volts does not mean you have the amps to turn the starter over. I have tested batterys at work that show 12-13 volts but only put out 100 or less CCA's.

Chevycobaltss3

iTrader: (2)

i am having a issue with my car not wanting to start,has great voltage, you try to start it, i get a click inside of car from a relay, and secuity light comes up for about 5 sec and then goes away, i can push start it and it runs great other then the security system going off when i push start it, i have no idea, but what it sounds like to me in your car is a dead cell, replace battery and youll be good.

myfakeevo

its cold outside, thats why batteries die in the winter, they put out less amperage to turn your motor over.


also, you need atleast 12 volts to turn the car over, and it stays at a constant 14 volts.

how old is your battery? most need to be changed after 4 years.

myfakeevo

its cold outside, thats why batteries die in the winter, they put out less amperage to turn your motor over.


also, you need atleast 12 volts to turn the car over, and it stays at a constant 14 volts.

how old is your battery? most need to be changed after 4 years.

BlackSS185

iTrader: (1)

your car ignition needs 12v to work anything less you're a sitting duck.

Highbeamz

Ok, so I'm not trying to contradict you guys because I DO believe that the car probably needs 12V to start, but I am left to questions why is this with new cars? My old Daytona started on only 8V of power when I ran the battery low when the alternator died...Just seems stupid to me.

I called roadside assistance, they sent a truck and we were able to boost it to get it started. I drove it to the dealership and let them know the problem, hopefully they can fix it (whatever is wrong). Seeing how the car is less than a year old, they will cover whatever is wrong.

BLAZIN07SS

iTrader: (7)

at 11.9V, a battery is already 50% discharged. todays vehicles are very picky about voltage.

myfakeevo

+1

also vehicles now run on a lot more electrical components then ever before

Highbeamz

Ok, well SOMETHING drained it last week (when it didn't start the first time) in a span of less than 24 hours. When they tested everything, it showed no parasitic loss or any reason for voltage drop (was showing 50mA per 1/2 hour which was deemed acceptable for an OnStar equipped vehicle). Can anyone think of an explaination as to why it drained, or could just the COLD do it, (it was -27*C this morning)...it was only sitting for 10 hours this time. I don't know how many mA of drain it takes to drop 0.1v...


I guess I should add some possible contributing factors. I have a remote start installed (which does not show any noticable loss in battery power when being set to standby) but when I shut the car off, I set the seat warmer on high (fuse is 7.5A, i think it's 50W). Either way with the remote start kicking the car in to the 10 minute residual power mode (after the key is removed) I still can't see the stereo and seat heater draining much of the battery over the span of 10 minutes. I know the car shuts everything off after 10 minutes.

myfakeevo

do you have a volt meter?

when a car is running, ofcourse it wont have any loss because the alternator keeps it constant.

turn the car off, and have everything set the way you would normally set it, and hook a volt meter to the battery and see if its getting drained.

your still not saying how old the battery is

blackbolt89

ehem. look in his sig. he has on 09. since MY 09 was available at the end of 08 i would say his car is no older than a year and MAYBE a quarter.

buuuuuuuuuut he does live in Canadia, that could be killing your ****.

OP you need to get a Optima battery!

myfakeevo

optima batteries are gay and not quality anymore.

get an odyssey battery, they are lighter and better

Highbeamz

I guess I could try a voltage test when it's in that 10 minute mode. I know RIGHT after I shut the car off last Monday (after I got it back from the dealership) it showed 12.4 volts or something like that when the car is OFF, and 14.4 or so running (which I know is normal). I have yet to check what it's at overnight.

The battery is about 11-12 months old. The car was manufactured in November 2008, I bought it January 2009. It has enjoyed some sitting in the winter before I bought it as well. Maybe it's a bunk battery? I hope the dealer swaps it out today...no fun having a car you can't start and get to work in.

BLAZIN07SS

iTrader: (7)

i sell a **** ton of optima's. they are still good stuff. i was expecting quality to go way down when production moved to mexico

myfakeevo

then theres a good chance something is drawing power, or even though its a new battery it could have a bad cell. **** happens.

i bought two optimas, one broke when i was setting it down in the battery tray, and then next that was sent to me wasnt even for my car. So i told them to never send me one again and give me my money back

kylewalton2007

agreed

outtamymind

bet money its a bad cell and your CCA's aren't recovering. OP when the dealership tested your battery did they tell you what your volts and CCA's were at after a charge. and i've seen battery's on brand new vehicles with 5 km on them have bad cells and need replacement.

Coblasts

From now on check the battery voltage with a load on it .
A good check is to try and start the car while doing a voltage check,if it holds around 12 v while cranking the battery is most likely good.
You 11.76 volts would of dropped to 5 or 6 volts if you would of cranked the starter while you were checking it.

Highbeamz

That makes sense. It seems 11.76 volts is not as much as it sounds. When the car was boosted all the locks and everything sounded normal, but when the battery was "low" they sounded really sluggish (low power).

Oh well. They determined the battery needs to be changed (like I told them...) so hopefully it won't happen again. If it does I guess there's some other underlying problem. At least this time around they didn't give me a base Cobalt for a loaner, they gave me a GMC Canyon much better.

myfakeevo

it probably had a bad cell. like i said, oh well **** happens.

Nightmare9

Take it back to the dealer and get them to replace it, isn't there like a 3 year bumper to bumper warranty? A 0.1v drop isn't that big of a deal, if dropped 1-2v then your battery is shot, 0.1 could just be the battery stabilizing (if you checked the voltage RIGHT after shutting the car/charger off it'll be higher than when the battery has sat or there's been a load placed on the battery).

Batteries die in the winter due to low voltage usually because they freeze (higher concentration of water with a discharged battery)

However, I was able to start my car when the battery was showing 11.5v (wish the dealers would charge the batteries...) I left it on a trickle charger for 2 days after that though...

KillerBee

Need a new battery. I had mine replaced under warranty when it was doing the same thing. Mine had a bad cell!