problems with car

**05gtoautoX** · 03-15-2007, 09:27 PM

went out to wash/wax the car today, drove it down to the car wash turned it off and started vacuuming it, went to start it up, to pull it into the car wash, NOTHING, just a faint click, kept the key turned to the run pos. and it gave me a ABS and air bag error on system check, so I figured maybe I had left the head lights on and all the doors open while I was vacuuming and the battery went dead, sure enough jump started it and it fired right up, so I let it run for like an hour, and then drove it around some, it ran okay, but half hour later same thing, dead in the water. What do you guys think, alternator or battery? There is a little fluid around the pos. terminal now that I think about it, hmm, I hope it's just the battery.

**GOT1GOAT** · 03-16-2007, 02:50 AM

Get to the stealership on this. My 04 with 15,000 mi. has original batt. and I've yet to have any problem with it. I play cd's while cleaning/detailing my car for hours (this is with the power-save feature shutting it off) and still fires up quickly.

**Too Fast** · 03-16-2007, 02:57 AM

It is a battery problem.

**Naf** · 03-16-2007, 06:03 AM

Originally Posted by Too Fast

It is a battery problem.

Exactly, one of the cells in the batt died, thats causing you the problem...It happens to the best of us...

sometimes from the heat, the cold, and vibrations...

Give it a try, get one of those indestructable ones...They are pretty neat..You can stab them drop them, sink them float them, and they still have the power to run...and perform...

**05gtoautoX** · 03-17-2007, 01:01 PM

took it to the dealership today, had the battery replaced, runs good now, I checked it yesterday by pulling a battery cable while it was running to make sure it wasn't the alternator, sure enough it was the battery,thanks.

**Too Fast** · 03-17-2007, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by 05gtoautoX

took it to the dealership today, had the battery replaced, runs good now, I checked it yesterday by pulling a battery cable while it was running to make sure it wasn't the alternator, sure enough it was the battery,thanks.

PLEASE Please do not do this with today's cars. I don't want anyone else doing this, it can wreak havoc with the electronics, causing problems that were never there to begin with. That causes huge voltage spikes in the entire electrical system! If any car anyone suspects has a battery or alternator problem, and you car has a voltage gauge, an easy way to see if the alternator is working is to turn the key on, and see where the needle rests on this gauge after about 10 seconds. Then, when your car starts, see if the needle rises above this pointvery quickly. If so, your alt. is working. If you have even a cheap voltmeter, you want to see at least 13.5 volts with the engine on, usually closer to 14 give or take. There are rare exceptions, such as if the alternator has a bad diode (or 2, or 3) and then the voltage will slowly increase after a load on an idling engine. This would be a barely working alternator. Measure this voltage directly on the battery posts.

**Naf** · 03-17-2007, 09:28 PM

Strong words, however, it happens to the best of us...It took me a week to figure out there was a bad cell in my battery for my Tahoe...

And in my Caprice there is no voltage gauge, not even a oil pressure gauge...Its a 2006 model...It looks like GM decided it was not necessary to have them put in....And i have no space to install them without giving away that they are aftermarket..

**joegtox** · 03-21-2007, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by 05gtoautoX

took it to the dealership today, had the battery replaced, runs good now, I checked it yesterday by pulling a battery cable while it was running to make sure it wasn't the alternator, sure enough it was the battery,thanks.

DO NOT DO THAT!!! the electronics and computer can be fried like that i know my uncle done that with his 87 camaro and he had to buy a new computer and then he was like i dunno why it dont run well i was like u have to drive it like a couple miles?? im think its called legion mode?? were the computer runs different?? answer me if im wrong!

**05gtoautoX** · 03-25-2007, 05:58 PM

well you were wrong/\, the car runs and drives great, I mean the way I see it is if the battery is dead or has dead cells which was the case with mine and would not hold a charge, so jump starting the car and driving it around with a battery that's not holding a charge therefore it's not contributing to anything, would be the same as pulling a battery cable? Right?

/well to rest all your minds absolutely nothing went wrong, nothing was "fried" the car runs great.

**05gtoautoX** · 03-25-2007, 05:59 PM

Oh BTW, there is NO voltage guage in the G.T.O.

**tyxpx** · 03-26-2007, 08:40 AM

Buy a Opitima battery......

**05gtoautoX** · 03-27-2007, 02:33 AM

nice car there/\

**Too Fast** · 03-30-2007, 02:51 AM

Originally Posted by 05gtoautoX

well you were wrong/\, the car runs and drives great, I mean the way I see it is if the battery is dead or has dead cells which was the case with mine and would not hold a charge, so jump starting the car and driving it around with a battery that's not holding a charge therefore it's not contributing to anything, would be the same as pulling a battery cable? Right?

/well to rest all your minds absolutely nothing went wrong, nothing was "fried" the car runs great.

I am only warning people that it can and does happen, "frying" the electronics. It's not going to happen every time, but it will sometimes. Why take a chance when there are better ways of doing things? Glad to hear you have no problems!

**Too Fast** · 03-30-2007, 02:55 AM

Originally Posted by joegtox

DO NOT DO THAT!!! the electronics and computer can be fried like that i know my uncle done that with his 87 camaro and he had to buy a new computer and then he was like i dunno why it dont run well i was like u have to drive it like a couple miles?? im think its called legion mode?? were the computer runs different?? answer me if im wrong!

Called "limp in" mode, but limp in is when the PCM is using substituted values for a bad sensor. Some cars have to relearn some things when a new battery is installed (relearns how to idle smoothly) or if the battery has been disconnected. Some cars are worse then others. If the camaro had the 2.8 it will have to relearn its idle parameters at least.

**Naf** · 03-30-2007, 05:06 AM

Originally Posted by Too Fast

Called "limp in" mode, but limp in is when the PCM is using substituted values for a bad sensor. Some cars have to relearn some things when a new battery is installed (relearns how to idle smoothly) or if the battery has been disconnected. Some cars are worse then others. If the camaro had the 2.8 it will have to relearn its idle parameters at least.

Its now called "reduced power", ur PCM goes into the safest mode it can, retarded timing, excessive fuel and low speeds. Its a protective measure in which it doesnt know whats going on, but it has to get somewhere...

**Too Fast** · 04-02-2007, 03:00 AM

Welllllllllllllll,,,,,,,,,,,,,,if you want to really get technical, limp in is for when the PCM is really having issues and it controls almost nothing on the engice except to keep it running. Reduced power is usually for something like when the engine is overheating. The PCM will shut off half the cylinders, alternating which ones, like if some idiot has a big coolant loss and they keep on driving. Limp in can also be for transmissions, only allowing 2nd or 3rd gear and also reverse, so the owner can limp his vehicle to get some help.