Advance Auto Battery replacement

[wayne50]

Have an '03 Accord that battery was dead. Dash lights would not even come on. Was able to jump start and drive five miles home. Left motor running and tested charging system and was getting 14.4 volts at battery. Terminals were clean and tight. Turned motor off and tried to crank and same thing, dash lights would not even come on. Took out the Autocraft Gold battery and carried to AAP. Store clerk put their tester on it and say battery was good. I insist they make some adjustment as battery is less than 3 years old. Clerk goes to manager and to their credit, they do replace battery. I take battery home and install and car starts right up.

I guess the point I am trying to make is that I don't think their tester is giving a good battery test and/or there was something really strange going on with that battery.

 

[MarkM66]

What were the volts when the car wasn't running?

 

[meep]

same here. 2 weeks ago. battery would crank friends truck, but slowly, steadily. auto zone tested battery as good, healthy CCA. Yet I measured 10.6 Volts, car off. 14.1 at idle. clearly a bad cell. Yet they passed it.

 

[JHZR2]

Your alternator could have a bad diode which lets it put out good voltage when running, but then bleeds the battery to nothing when its not running.

 

[bigmike]

Originally Posted By: MarkM66
What were the volts when the car wasn't running?


+1 This is the pertinent information that is missing.

 

[evanautumn]

In my 95 Audi the previous owner had purchased a Walmart battery which is absolute junk but has a 2 year warranty. They last about 6 months on average. I've done warranty exchanges a handful of times and each time the auto center people want to hook the battery up to their handheld unit...which always comes up with the result that the battery is good. You have to insist that they hook it up to the big machine...which always gives the result that the battery is no good.

 

[k24a4]

I have the exact same battery in my '04 Accord. Replaced the original last year. Hope mine lasts longer. How many miles on the car? Any major rwpairs? I4 or V6?

 

[wayne50]

When I tested voltage, it would vary from 2 to 12 + volts with the car off. The car has very low mileage for its age, about 42,000.

I did not know they had another tester.

 

[stroked93]

sounds like it had a broken connection inside to the lug. could give good or bad service depending on temp. see alot of it with terminals pounded on with a hammer.

 

[sasha]

We prefer to test batteries while still in the vehicle when ever possible to determine if it is the battery at fault. most cases its not.