Question about dead battery and alarm?

**windyctyaudi** · 10-31-2008 11:49 AM

I woke up today only to find that my battery on my car was completely dead, key fob wouldn't work, no lights the dash, nothing. So as soon as I jumped it my alarm starting going off. Is this normal? my battery has gone dead before but never has the alarm started going off as soon as I jumped it. Could my alarm have gone off last night and killed my battery?

**diagnosticator** · 10-31-2008 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by windyctyaudi

I woke up today only to find that my battery on my car was completely dead, key fob wouldn't work, no lights the dash, nothing. So as soon as I jumped it my alarm starting going off. Is this normal? my battery has gone dead before but never has the alarm started going off as soon as I jumped it. Could my alarm have gone off last night and killed my battery?

The alarm won't sound for more than a few miniuites, so that isn't the reason the batt was dead. The reason the alarm sounded off when you jumped the car, was because the system was armed when the batt died, and when power was restored, that was the state of the controller, armed. There is some other reason the battery was dead. If your battery has cell caps under the stickers on top, you should fill each cell with distilled water, but leave about 1/4" air space between the fluid surface and the lower rim of the cell port. Then, use a regluated battery charger and slow charge the battery for at least 24 hours. If the battery goes dead again right away, either there is a load on the battery with the car OFF, or the battery is shot.

You must also make sure there is NO WATER accumulation inside the ECU box. It is a known problem, if water leaks into the ECU box, it shorts out the electricals inside, and can drain the battery quickly.

**windyctyaudi** · 10-31-2008 07:30 PM

Do OEM batteries have caps for water? i looked at mine and it didnt look like the topa came off, i want sure i didnt want to mess with it.

**diagnosticator** · 10-31-2008 07:43 PM

My '03 has caps. The warning label stickers cover the caps. My batt has a Magic Eye that is one of the six cell caps. If your batt has the ME, then it has caps also. Peeling off a sticker partially will reveal the cell caps they have wide slots in the surface crossing, +, to use a coin to remove the cap. Most premature batt failures are due to needing a top up on the cells, but never get it, and are replaced instead.

**dirtybrd** · 10-31-2008 07:49 PM

How old is the battery? Did you have a recent cold front? That will kill a seeming good but on it's way out battery.

**tamaneri** · 10-31-2008 08:10 PM

my batter is effed up. I have an '03... any pics as to what I should do to try and revive it before I spend money replacing an item that is perfectly fine?

**windyctyaudi** · 10-31-2008 08:28 PM

Originally Posted by dirtybrd

How old is the battery? Did you have a recent cold front? That will kill a seeming good but on it's way out battery.

my car is a 02 but i got it used in 06 as far as i know its the origonal, yes it has been in the 30's here at night for the past week or so, i was thinking her time might eb up and i should just get a new one.

**PCYC** · 10-31-2008 08:44 PM

buy a optima yellow top D35

**dirtybrd** · 11-01-2008 07:04 AM

Originally Posted by windyctyaudi

my car is a 02 but i got it used in 06 as far as i know its the origonal, yes it has been in the 30's here at night for the past week or so, i was thinking her time might eb up and i should just get a new one.

Sounds like it.

**diagnosticator** · 11-02-2008 01:21 AM

Originally Posted by tamaneri

my batter is effed up. I have an '03... any pics as to what I should do to try and revive it before I spend money replacing an item that is perfectly fine?

"If your battery has cell caps under the stickers on top, you should fill each cell with distilled water, but leave about 1/4" air space between the fluid surface and the lower rim of the cell port. Then, use a regulated battery charger and slow charge the battery for at least 24 hours."

Performing the steps above, may save a battery that is low on electrolye, however, if it's been low enough that the top of the lead plates in the cell/s have been dry too long, the damage may be too extensive to recover. Doesn't hurt to try first regardless.

**windyctyaudi** · 11-02-2008 12:31 PM

Ok so an update to my battery problem. I took you advice diagnosticator and added distilled water to the battery, it was pretty much bone dry i had to add almost 2/3 of a gallon to the battery and afterwards. My CEL came on and i checked it and the code was for low voltage. Do i need to go get a batter charger and charge it up or could i just drive the car around for awhile and let it idle to charge it up?

**diagnosticator** · 11-02-2008 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by windyctyaudi

Ok so an update to my battery problem. I took you advice diagnosticator and added distilled water to the battery, it was pretty much bone dry i had to add almost 2/3 of a gallon to the battery and afterwards. My CEL came on and i checked it and the code was for low voltage. Do i need to go get a batter charger and charge it up or could i just drive the car around for awhile and let it idle to charge it up?

Highway driving will recharge the battery, but in this situation, a good charger set to charge at a low amp charge rate, ( like 2 amps max,) for at least 24-36 hours, (doesn't have to be at the same time uninterrupted, put it on the charger overnight for 3 or 4 days will work the same,) will allow the battery to recover fully. It's the low amp rate over many hours that recharges the battery completely, the high amps rate while driving doesn't perform the recharge as completely as possible, so the maximum capacity may not be restored fully if only charged while driving. A good charger new can be bought for less than $40.

You can try driving to charge up only, then test the battery voltage with a digital multimeter, it must be at least 13.2 volts (no load) to be charged completely.

A slow rate charge on a charger is my recommendation for the best possible chance for reviving the battery to extend the useful life span a practical amount time.

**windyctyaudi** · 11-02-2008 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by diagnosticator

Highway driving will recharge the battery, but in this situation, a good charger set to charge at a low amp charge rate, ( like 2 amps max,) for at least 24-36 hours, (doesn't have to be at the same time uninterrupted, put it on the charger overnight for 3 or 4 days will work the same,) will allow the battery to recover fully. It's the low amp rate over many hours that recharges the battery completely, the high amps rate while driving doesn't perform the recharge as completely as possible, so the maximum capacity may not be restored fully if only charged while driving. A good charger new can be bought for less than $40.

You can try driving to charge up only, then test the battery voltage with a digital multimeter, it must be at least 13.2 volts (no load) to be charged completely.

A slow rate charge on a charger is my recommendation for the best possible chance for reviving the battery to extend the useful life span a practical amount time.

Thanks for all the help