I am a MORON! /Dead Battery

[wallymn]

Last night I posted (lost post?) about my dead battery experience.

After the car sat for 5 days the battery was completely dead.

without power I couldn't open the trunk to get to my jumper cables
(dealer showed me this morning where I can use the key for the trunk)
Since I couldn't get into the truck I tried to use a jumper battery.
It couldn't deliver enough power to start the car.
I didn't have another set of jumpers long enough so I bought another set.

Still couldn't jump the car (using a 3.5 Honda running at 4k rpm)....

but i was able to get the trunk open and used my charger to charge the battery...

started the car, ran it for 30 minutes, shut off, and restarted ok.

Fast forward to this morning, no power again.

repeat the charging process....

waiting at the dealer now for results of diagnostics...

Things I learned:

1. The lock for the trunk is under the H emblem to the far left..

2. I can't jump start this car...

3. I can't unlock the transmission when there isn't enough power to recognize the key.

 

[speakthetruth]

you could have also just charged it or jumped it from the jump relays underneath the hood.

 

[wallymn]

I tried to jump it from under the hood, My Wife's Honda couldn't generate enough power to start the car from the jump point.

Also you can't Charge the battery from the jump point.

The car attempts to "power up" when the charger is attached and the draw causes the charger to fault.

When I attached the charger to the battery it charged fine.

 

[Mark_888]

(dealer showed me this morning where I can use the key for the trunk)

I posted how to do that last night in the missing thread that was lost. Too bad, it could have saved you some time.

 

[ttsig]

I tried to jump it from under the hood, My Wife's Honda couldn't generate enough power to start the car from the jump point.

What gauge were the jumper cables? I'd be a little surprised if the car couldn't provide enough current to start your Genesis, but I wouldn't be surprised that the cables couldn't provide enough current to actually start the car with a completely dead battery if you happened to be using 8 or 10 AWG booster cables that seem to be so common these days.

 

[bilmat]

Hope you can determine what caused the battery to go south after five days and post it on this board. A few months ago a Genesis owner posted several messages on the Edmund's Genesis forum about his battery repeatedly going dead after the car had sat for a few days. As I recall, it was finally determined that a faulty relay (or something similar) kept the under-hood light burning 24/7, a problem that could be very difficult for an owner to diagnose on his own.

 

[wallymn]

The jumpers were a high grade 4 Gauge....

The dealer states there is no problem. The alt is fine and the battery still has 723 CC amps...

When I asked what drained the battery I was told I must have left the lights on.

When I explained the lights are auto, the tech shrugged and walked away...

I have no answer for the drain....

I am considering putting a meter on the battery each morning to see how much "drain" there is over night....

My next long trip is in three weeks... When I get back from India I hope I don't find a dead car in the parking lot.....

 

[ttsig]

I would think 4AWG would be enough. I guess you're right, it really couldn't turn it over. Makes me want to try jumping mine with my daughters Elantra just to see.

So did the dealer at least check to see if there was a current draw when the car was shut down? Doesn't sound like a great service experience.

 

[Mark_888]

My next long trip is in three weeks... When I get back from India I hope I don't find a dead car in the parking lot.....

No worries. If it dies it will be reincarnated (hope the new one is nice car like the Genesis).

 

[wallymn]

There was no test to check draw when the engine was turned off.

I did put a meter on the battery tonight, see where I am in the morning.

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[wallymn]

Ok I put a meter on last night when I got home.

battery reported 10.8v

this morning 10.6

not a huge drop....

 

[tdarlington]

"Ok I put a meter on last night when I got home.
battery reported 10.8v
this morning 10.6"

If your battery voltage is that low there is a DEFINATE PROBLEM !!!!
All of my cars keep the battery at 12.5 - 13.0 volts.
Keep in mind that it is a 12 volt battery.
The voltage should NEVER fall below 12 volts if the charging system is working properly.
When the car is running the voltage should be around 13 volts.

I recommend that you measure the voltage with the car running.
First put a battery charger on the battery for hours to bring it back to normal.
Then disconnect the charger and read the battery voltage.
Start the car and read the voltage again.
If the voltage with the car running is not higher than when not running your alternator is bad.
If the voltage is around 13 volts with the car running (and higher than w/o the car running) you have some excessive current draw. Maybe the trunk light.

Good luck.

 

[jake the snake]

I agree

Anything under 12.5 volts is not good

Maybe disconnect the battery and check the voltage with no draw

I think that you have a bad cell in your battery

Just my 2 cents

CIAO

 

[wallymn]

Voltage was 12.8 when I got home today.

(after driving a good 20 minutes).

something is draining.... I just need to find it.

 

[blasterguam]

My wife's Santa Fe had a bad cell in the battery - similar symptoms. Everything's been fine since it was replaced. I second the dead cell vote.

 

[dond13]

Wallymn, I had basically the same problem with my 4.6. The first time I had it towed in to the dealer and they replaced the battery, saying it was bad. About a month later,, it wouldn't start so I charged it using the connections under the hood. I don't know why you weren't able to do this.

I drove it to the dealer and after 3 days, they found that there was a rubber bumper under the drivers side of the hood that was missing. The bumper depresses a contact when closed that is part of the Theft Alert system. I'm not sure exactly what the function involves, but since they replaced the bumber, it has been fine. Check under the hood, drivers side, about 31 inches forward of the part of the hood by the windshield. The bumper is 5/8 inches in diameter. It wasn't pressing on the contact below it when the hood is closed.

 

[gipp]

A battery related discovery this past weekend- if you mistakingly turn the car off while "in gear" the electrical system stays active despite the engine turning off- I am sure the battery wil not last long with the stereo, nav, etc. all powered up.

 

[ctrcbob]

Wallymn, I had basically the same problem with my 4.6. The first time I had it towed in to the dealer and they replaced the battery, saying it was bad. About a month later,, it wouldn't start so I charged it using the connections under the hood. I don't know why you weren't able to do this.

I drove it to the dealer and after 3 days, they found that there was a rubber bumper under the drivers side of the hood that was missing. The bumper depresses a contact when closed that is part of the Theft Alert system. I'm not sure exactly what the function involves, but since they replaced the bumber, it has been fine. Check under the hood, drivers side, about 31 inches forward of the part of the hood by the windshield. The bumper is 5/8 inches in diameter. It wasn't pressing on the contact below it when the hood is closed.

I always wondered what that contact switch was for. I knew there was no underhood light, but what was the switch for. I was just looking at it a couple days ago, and also noticed that there was a rubber bumper that pushes down on the switch.

Now I know - however if the warning alarm uses the same pathetic horn that is used when you press the key fob horn button, it will be worthless.
Press your key fob horn button and you will see what I mean.

 

[wallymn]

Thanks for all the help.

I bought a new battery last night and installed (yeah I know make the dealer pay but it isn't worth hours of my time)...

this morning the battery reported 12.8 after sitting 10 hours. The oem never reported that high in the morning.

bad battery....

 

[Mark_888]

Thanks for all the help.

I bought a new battery last night and installed (yeah I know make the dealer pay but it isn't worth hours of my time)...

this morning the battery reported 12.8 after sitting 10 hours. The oem never reported that high in the morning.

bad battery....

Can you give us some details on the exact battery model you purchased? I have not looked at mine, but from what others have said I got the impression it was a non-standard size (or at least uncommon size).