RE: Battery question...

[Philip Rose <pjrose@servtech.com>]

I consider three years as _not_ particularly old for a battery, if your
charging system is working properly.  Have you checked to make certain the
alternator belt is properly tensioned? Sure, the battery could be bad, but
not _merely_ because of extreme age.

Before you write off the battery as a goner, at least check that the
connections to the battery terminals are clean and tight, and that the
cells do not need water.  If you have the automatic climate control panel,
you can easily look at the output of diagnostic channel 11, which shows the
battery voltage. Let me know if you need info, on how to do that. A fully
charged battery and properly functioning alternator should let you see
close to 14 volts, while the car is running (with lights, blower, radio and
fan all shut off). As Miklos suggested, you also need to assure yourself
that some hidden short or malfunctioning switch isn't draining your battery
while the engine is shut down.


>Date: Sat, 5 Jun 1999 05:02:38 +0100
>From: Decsi Miklos <MDecsi@pgsm.hu>
>Subject: RE: Battery question...
>
>I am sure it is the battery.
>There is the possibility that your battery is so old, it cannot keep up with
>the constant load (alarm, immobiliser, car audio, etc...) and it goes dead
>in some days. That is why it didn't even ligth up your dashboard.
>If you din't have those electric things, than maybe you should check the
>current on your battery when you switched off everything. I think it should
>not exceed 10 mA.
>A bad alternator can damage you battery, but your is so old that it isn't
>likely.
>
>DM

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