of all the times for a battery to die...

Joined
Nov 23, 2011
Messages
5,929
Location
Lima, Ohio, USA
a few hours ago, about 7pm, I went out to my car, was gonna make a last minute run into the store for...something(can't remember now) before the big snow came through tonight...
walk up to the car, try to open the door...it's not recognizing the fob in my pocket... i click the unlock button...nothing...it can't be the fob is dead, i just replaced it's batteries a few weeks ago...
back in the house, grab the spare...some thing... pop the emergency key out of the fob, and unlock the drivers door (only lock cyl on the car), try the emergency start (dead fob) procedure, nothing. pop the hood, go inside for a flashlight and my multi meter...check the voltage on the jump lug (battery is in the back of the car) 6-7 volts! WTH! the car worked just fine earlier when mom and i went to menards!

back in side, string out the big orange extension cord, hook up dad's old Schumacher automatic charger, get everything hooked up, and immediately things start to power up, and the alarm goes off...find my fob, hit unlock, and stop the alarm. go around to see the needle on the charger pegged and shaking above 15amps.
it stays like this for about 2 minutes, then the charger powers off. after about 2 more minutes, it goes back to 15 amps for 2 more minutes, shuts off I disconnect things b/c something ain't right...

of course this happens on a saturday night, ( shops closed on sundays), and right before we're supposed to get the biggest snow storm we've had in a year or 2.....
we don't have a portable jump pack. and dad is too afraid that he might fry a computer to jump start someone with his escape....

luckily, i don't have to be at work at 6am, but i do on monday!

of course, with the c-max, EVERYTHING is electric, and the HV battery only really runs the electric motor. everything else is on the good old 12v circuits.
meaning, i can't unlock the other doors (no pull knobs) or even open the rear hatch to physically access the battery until i can get the car started/or the battery charged....
looks like i'm calling AAA in the morning, and taking it to either Firestone, or walmart... YAY!

any idea who makes Firestone's Batteries? I'm a bit of a East Penn/Dekka snob...though beggars can't be choosers....
 
I have no idea who supplies Firestone with batteries in the Lima Ohio area, but I would give odds that any similar battery you would buy at Firestone will cost you at least 25 % more that the a battery with the same CCA and warranty from Walmart, and likely more than 50 % more than the Walmart equivalent. So if you want to save some money forget about Firestone. They seam to be overpriced on just about everything they do.
 
a few hours ago, about 7pm, I went out to my car, was gonna make a last minute run into the store for...something(can't remember now) before the big snow came through tonight...
walk up to the car, try to open the door...it's not recognizing the fob in my pocket... i click the unlock button...nothing...it can't be the fob is dead, i just replaced it's batteries a few weeks ago...
back in the house, grab the spare...some thing... pop the emergency key out of the fob, and unlock the drivers door (only lock cyl on the car), try the emergency start (dead fob) procedure, nothing. pop the hood, go inside for a flashlight and my multi meter...check the voltage on the jump lug (battery is in the back of the car) 6-7 volts! WTH! the car worked just fine earlier when mom and i went to menards!

back in side, string out the big orange extension cord, hook up dad's old Schumacher automatic charger, get everything hooked up, and immediately things start to power up, and the alarm goes off...find my fob, hit unlock, and stop the alarm. go around to see the needle on the charger pegged and shaking above 15amps.
it stays like this for about 2 minutes, then the charger powers off. after about 2 more minutes, it goes back to 15 amps for 2 more minutes, shuts off I disconnect things b/c something ain't right...

of course this happens on a saturday night, ( shops closed on sundays), and right before we're supposed to get the biggest snow storm we've had in a year or 2.....
we don't have a portable jump pack. and dad is too afraid that he might fry a computer to jump start someone with his escape....

luckily, i don't have to be at work at 6am, but i do on monday!

of course, with the c-max, EVERYTHING is electric, and the HV battery only really runs the electric motor. everything else is on the good old 12v circuits.
meaning, i can't unlock the other doors (no pull knobs) or even open the rear hatch to physically access the battery until i can get the car started/or the battery charged....
looks like i'm calling AAA in the morning, and taking it to either Firestone, or walmart... YAY!

any idea who makes Firestone's Batteries? I'm a bit of a East Penn/Dekka snob...though beggars can't be choosers....


And by the way.... You ain't forget nothing...

Everybody knows you were going to the convenience store to get either a few Mad Dog 20/20s or a case of beer...

:LOL:
 
apparently neither wally in town has my size in stock....
menards MIGHT have an Ac Delco in the right size, for a reasonable price, but I'd have to go there myself to verify,
napa sells the battery i'd rather use, but they're not open on Sunday,
AAP, nearest in stock is 30 mi away,
orielly has it in stock, for around $200...
I refuse to deal with auto zone...and none of the local stores show anything in stock anyway....
oh, and AAA doesn't carry my size(tried their online battery quote widget)

I dunno about stock and field... going out of business, everything UP TO 40% off...

head spinning at this point, still trying to figure that battery charger behavior out...
 
And by the way.... You ain't forget nothing...

Everybody knows you were going to the convenience store to get either a few Mad Dog 20/20s or a case of beer...

:LOL:
no... most likely I was just going in to double check my work schedule. I've been off for the last week.
 
Stopped in to menards, picked up the AC/Delco 96r, for $112 ( including core and tax)
Brought it home, put it on the charger, drawing 5 amps immediately. Gonna let it charge up.

It's the original to me battery, I just bought the car in Feb 19? When I looked at the battery last summer it had a 2018 build date.

Actually, it's a 2015 build date. So it was time anyway...
 
Last edited:
Well.. the new one doesn't fit without modifying the battery tub... Taking it back tomorrow after work, then down to Napa for the one I really wanted anyhow.


The old battery is a group 67R, which is what the battery books and sites say it takes.
The owners manual calls for a group 96R, which is what I bought... It's an about 1.25 inches longer.

Battery sits in a plastic tub that goes through the floor, and the tie down bolt goes through the tub to essentially a rivnut...
Which is out in the open under the car. Guess what was rusted together....

Got it apart with pb blaster, torch, and vice grips. Must remember the vice grips are still on it under the car.
 
Your old battery may have been fine. To be pulling a heavy charge like that suggests that it was still useful, and was severly discharged. How is that battery charged in the vehicle? Is there a 12V alternator, or does it use a ”converter” to juice the 12V circuit from the HV side?

DO TEST to make sure the new battery is getting charged.

-m
 
Sounds mostly like a reason to stick with a car that has conventional, mechanical locks and keys.
 
Your old battery may have been fine. To be pulling a heavy charge like that suggests that it was still useful, and was severly discharged. How is that battery charged in the vehicle? Is there a 12V alternator, or does it use a ”converter” to juice the 12V circuit from the HV side?

DO TEST to make sure the new battery is getting charged.

-m
no alternator per say, there is a DC/DC converter, and one of the electric motors doubles as a generator when the ICE is running. I believe that particular motor has a clutch between it and the crank...or maybe it's the other one.... one of the motors is clutched to the crank... too long since i watched the Weber breakdown video..

when pulled, the "eye" on the old battery is RED... I forget what that means....
 
Does your OM allow for charging of the battery in the car? I recall my Honda manual recommending against it...
 
Napa legend acquired. Dated 2/21.
Put it on the charger for S's & G's,

About 2 amps...
16122133289762305597046738295237.jpg
16122133717424101615247111870840.jpg


and a little while later, IT VORKS!!! IT's ALIVE!
no (12v) battery for almost 24 hrs, (6-7 volts for 24 before that) and I didn't even lose my radio presets!
 
Last edited:
Back
Top