So many of you read and commented on my blazer problem. Check this out. The tow truck driver who picked up the blazer said "10 to 1 it's your security system not letting you start the car". I shrugged.. and almost agreed since the car wouldn't even CRANK but the voltmeter was at 12-13.
The dealership calls me, after having the Blazer all day, and says that the electrical check and "computer reset" went fine.. and that my battery is DEADER THAN DEAD. I said.. huh??? the batter is FINE! We tried to jump the car and it wouldn't even attempt to start... which didn't make since.. no clicking.. no nothing.. but plenty of juice on the battery. My battery tester at home said the battery was fine.
They said the battery replacement would be $182.50 .. I said.. uhh.. I'll do it... and they said and also there would be a $35.00 charge for the electrical check/computer reset and of course the $55.00 for the tow.
So I drive down there.. and guess what.. the battery is now showing LOW on the voltmeter.. but the car at least TRIES to start now... it makes the standard CLICK of a battery that's low. They jump me on the dead battery, and I'm on my way! I drive home.. replace the battery from O'Reilly's and the car is fine now.
Dead battery a result? I don't think so...
Computer related problem of some kind? I think so. Just my opinion I guess.
Bottom line, it cost me:
$ 55.00 - tow $ 35.00 - electrical check $ 60.00 - new battery ------- 150.00 - SHEESH.
(Anyone else agree it probably wasn't the battery)??? Especially considering the very first time I got out and tried to run the car.. it was completely fine battery wise and never once tried to even start? NOTHING.
Posted by poSSum (Member # 119) on :
Your warranty is up because of miles, not time, right? I would also doubt it was the battery.
Posted by J.R. Mayer (Member # 713) on :
Yeah,
I have 36800 miles on the Blazer.. owned for 2 years.
Posted by 2002Z4CSS (Member # 1393) on :
I still think the clicking of the starter may have been a bad battery cable connection or starter connection. Did the dealer try to charge the battery and load test it? Posted by 35th_camaro_ss (Member # 1738) on :
Here is a coincidence...Last week when I was on 3rd shift, my supervisor came in to talk to us (he only works days)...He just was on his way home from hockey game to drop his kids off then come see us at work...as he turned onto his road, the engine cut out and he was just coasting, no click no turn over nothing, it isn't even a year old and its a Blazer also, he was driving it yesterday, I will have to ask him tonight to see what the problem was with his...I will see him, I am on 2nd.I hate to admit Chevy's break down too. Al
Posted by Doug Harden (Member # 1796) on :
If it's a Delco battery......there's a well known problem amongst GTP owners (wife has one) that the bolt that holds the battery cables on is too long from the factory and literally pulls the lead anchor out of the side of the battery.....when the corrosion builds up or the post wiggles far enough out...you'll get intermittent non-starts...one time it'll fire right up....next time it'll act like the battery's dead......happened to her car and many others too.....
Check for battery fluid leakage around the positive terminal and in the battery tray......try wiggling it vigerously too...had to replace the battery in her car.
Posted by 35th_camaro_ss (Member # 1738) on :
Well I guess was just a coincidence, My supervisor's Blazer had died due to Fuel Pump. Al
Posted by Steve da Wrench (Member # 1301) on :
I vote for a loose connection or corroded connection at the battery. It could have been a VATS problem too, but you will have to wait and see if it does it again to know for sure.
Good luck JR! Posted by Hawkeye (Member # 88) on :
In July of 2000 I had to replace the Delco battery in my 1999 Suburban. According to the GM dealer, factory batteries sometimes don't even last a year.
I put in a "Die Hard" from Sears. Still going almost 3 years later.
Posted by GregP (Member # 1558) on :
Just a few ideas from an electronic engineer.
A bad battery can read 13+ volts, but will drop way down when you attempt to load it with a starter or other high-current load. So, the important thing to measure is the voltage when the battery is under load. Any Pep Boys or other auto parts store can test that.
However, that being said, if your car didn't even make a sound before and didn't indicate low, but DID at least try to move and indicate low when the dealer had worked on it, I'd say they might have scammed you ... fixed the computer problem and then tried to recover some cost by trashing your battery.
However, they really can't make your battery BAD easily. They can discharge it, but if they don't ruin it ... then it SHOULD charge right up and be fine after that.
So ... charge the battery. If it's OK after that, I'd go GET the bastards.
Posted by GregP (Member # 1558) on :
Oh yeah ... all above assumes you checked the battery connections as Steve Da' Wrench said above.
If you didn't, then think about carrying a small wrench that fits the battery connections and a wire brush to clean the connections next time.
Gotta' at least do the basics before you accuse the dealership. I probably forgot to mention that out of ... being an engineer.
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