LS14ME2

Well, finally happened.... 2007 original battery died... and all of a sudden at that...

With old battery, DIC showed over 14 volts with engine running .... After replacement with engine running DIC shows around 13.6-13.8 or so....

Question is, with the new battery, alternator is not having to charge at over 14 volts now?... So, would DIC showing over 14V now be a sign of a weakening battery? IE needs more help from the alternator?

AORoads

14+ is normal. even for a new batt. don't worry about it.

LS14ME2

No worries.... but it was 14+ with the weak/bad battery....

the new battery is now showing 13.5-13.8V on the DIC.... just wondering why it dropped with the new one?

NORTY

The alternator "senses" what the battery needs to be replenished.

What was your original battery voltage with a load? This is the only way to test a battery's true health.

What's your new battery's static
voltage? Know how to check for it?


Might wanna replace your FOB batteries too. (Unless you like being stuck.)

sguido2

13.5-13.8 is correct, not sure why with old battery it was showing 14, but they are all good numbers.

wwwFLA

The dealer told me the dead battery problem occurs with folks that don't drive it much.

CMHScott

Good Evening All: New to this forum. I purchased by GS on Saturday & picked it up Monday Evening, and by lunch time today the battery was DOA. Battery replaced and all is happy now, but not the way I wanted to start my Corvette experience off.

Foxer55

Interesting how battery and electrical problems start showing up this time of year when the temps drop just a few degrees overnight. My Impala was acting up for a week or two with slow cranking and finally got really slow. I thought it was the alternator since the Sears Die Hard was only a couple of years old. One morning checked the battery cold and it was about 10.5V and after slowly encouraging a start I got about 13V across the terminals. Sears replaced the exactly 3 year old battery for $50 which included prorated return. Not bad. Yep, amazing what those temps do to a marginal part. I remember as a kid replacing starters and generators and batteries and solenoids this time of year.

Mad*Max

sounds normal

CO Lightfoot

Good suggestion.

But even if the fob battery dies, you're not stuck -- as long as your metal key opens the hatch/trunk and you know how to use the glovebox slot.

LS14ME2

Yes, replaced the FOB batteries a few weeks ago...

Thanks for all the info...I know space is tight but a larger battery would have been a bonus in these cars... the battery is pretty small for sure...

petermj

As long as within your voltage regulator specs, higher charging voltage is better than lower one and typical for healthy battery and low drawdown. Maybe your battery died because your alternator is on the way out? Check terminal connections because they can cause voltage drop as well. Also, make sure to put the new battery on charger to fully charge it up before using.

petermj

Only those who do not use battery maintainer while letting the car sit.

bearphoto

Jeepers op, your car is an 07 and the battery is just now going? You should be happy you got almost 6 years out of the thing. I'd be pretty happy if i get that out of my vett's.

Your battery issue is not like many have had where the battery fails pre maturely you got full life out of yours!

Did you use a maintainer to get that kind of life out of it? I keep maintainers on my vetts but did leave the trunk lid open on my 04 and the battery was dead and was never able to recover. It was 3 yrs old.

rgauchey

I used a battery tender on my '99 Plymouth Prowler and the original battery lasted 12 yrs. Sold the car last year and it was still going strong.

Bill Dearborn

The battery in my 08 finally went in August. The car sits for extended periods of time during the year sometimes up to 4 to 5 weeks in the winter and it always started without using a battery maintainer. Don't know if a maintainer would have given me a couple of years more battery life but I sort of doubt it. I have only had one battery that ever went past the 4.5 to 5 year lifetime and it was one that I moved from car to car since it just kept going. It was a Delco and lasted 7 years.

Bill

jimmie jam

My 07's battery is still fine @ 5 yrs. 9 months. I've had a Delco battery last 9 years in one of my Corvettes - the guys at the parts store were in shock . No "tender" was utilized either . They sent the battery to Delco.

LS14ME2

Funny thing is it was basically fine, and then it just would not start... When they go, they go pretty quick without warning... If she starts to spin a little slow... get a new battery...

I did notice the car re-adjusting everything computer wise after the install.... like it was re-learning.... although I am still waiting for my extra 20HP to kick in!!

petermj

If you do not use the tender, you are killing the battery, sulfation is a fact and it happens everytime you let undercharged battery sit for a period of time. Suflation results in permanent decrease in battery capacity, you will not notice this in the beginning but eventually, the capacity will diminished where you will run the battery down after starting up the car a couple of times. You can have surface voltage but no capacity, this is a fact. Heavily sulfated battery will charge up in a matter of minutes because most of the cells are pretty much shut. I had a car sit for over a year and it started right up and electrolyte was perfect upon testing it, the maintainer never let sulfation take place.

BTW, sulfation shows up on the terminals, good way to tell your battery is in trouble. Battery testing kits are cheap, good way to keep your eye on conventional battery through electrolyte testing. I mount maintainers in the car, this way it is easy just to plug it in.

LS WON

I am still on original 2005 battery which just passed the load test again. About 2 months ago I started to use a battery tender. Car gets driven at least once a week.