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SgtRobes
And when you do go back to the original dealership, show up with a complete documented history of all of the transactions, take the service writer's, technician's, and general manager's names, and then immediately contact the zone manager. The zone manager's contact information is in the owner's maual as well as via the Buick website. Let the dealership personnel know that not only is this an excellent example of why consumers really distrust dealerships, it is also considered fraud and age discrimination against your Mom. It does make you wonder how many other people this dealership has shafted and how many unnecessary parts they are pushing. If you don't stand up for your Mom and hold these people responsible, they have no reason to ever become accountable. In our present age of On-Board diagnostic capabilities for vehicles, it is unethical that the dealership would sell and install multiple batteries without checking the charging & electrical system. Imagine how they treat their own Mom's.... You will definitely get their attention when you take their names and let them know you are contacting the zone manager. You'll get EVERYBODY's attention when you let them know you are contacting your state Attorney General!
tsgarrison
I've tried to log into the community pages and can't. I just want to ask about my new 2009 Volkswagen Beetle. I've already learned (twice) that my Beetle is closer to ground than any car I've driven before. I've also learned that you feel every little bump on the road, and that low rise tires can't take the occasional curb like a high rise tire can. I love my car, but besides the fact that parts and repairs are expensive, what else do I need to know about my new car?
AlCat
On the subject of battery life, I once had a 1974 Cadillac which had a similar problem. The first time the battery wouldn't start the car, I found the battery had a dead cell. I replaced the battery and in about three months, the battery went dead again. This time I found the alternator was not charging. I replaced the alternator. Again in about three months, the battery went dead again. This time, I couldn't find the problem. The alternator was charging. The battery did not have a bad cell. There were no drains on the battery when the car was just setting. I used my Caterpillar mechanical experience and tested the electrical system with a high technical level tester. Nothing. Not to be beaten by a car, I decided to just "tear into it". I inspected the battery cables. They looked pristine. However, I peeled the insulation covering on the ground cable back and I found that there was "green" corrosion in the wire strands. This didn't show up with resistance testing or with a carbon pile load test or any other testing. I replaced the ground cable and the charging voltage jumped up .5 volts. I decided to inspect the positive cable. I found the same thing; corrosion was very prominent in the wire stranding. I replaced the positive battery cable. The charging voltage again jumped up .5 volts, bringing the charging voltage back up to the correct level. Here is one case where none of the testing found the problem. It was just persistence in being determined to find the problem that I was successful. That and a bit of luck. Just more information for your files from the real world. Thanks for your column. It is informative with a touch of humor. AlCat
Lee_T
Is a high technical level tester a person or an instrument? Now I'm really curious what caused both cables to corrode under their insulation and if it happened again.
Chickadee
I had a 2003 Lexus RX330 that died in the garage while I was away for two weeks. A AAA driver charged the battery and it was fine untill a few weeks later when I was gone for three or four days. The AAA guy that time said something was draining the battery and I should take it to the dealer. They told me that there were 32 on-board computers that run all the time whether the car is being driven or not and that a $39 trickle charger would eliminate the problem. They fixed it so all I had to do when leaving was pull a cord out of the grill and plug it into an outlet in the garage. Bingo! No more problems. Why didn't they tell me that somewhere in the users' manual? (Apparently they fixed the cause since the 2007 RX350 I replaced it with never needed the trickle charge device.) This question came up in Westways Magazine and I wrote my experience---I actually had people phone to thank me for the information! You're welcomed!
jakdedert
alcat: You say that everything tested okay, yet the charging voltage was a full volt below the recommendation. Always check the charging voltage at the alternator, in addition to checking at the battery terminals. That would have pointed you in the right direction and might have save you some time. Either way, good catch. Also, keep in mind a bad battery can kill a good alternator and vice-versa. Always check the entire system when having charging problems.
Lee_T
jakdetert - you've got this down pretty well - not much is going to get past your diagnostics - so, since AlCat hasn't been able to get back to me, what do you think would cause both cables to corrode under the sheathing?
tcf
Yes one should be on gard at dealerships. I work as the parts manager at a dealership who hired a consultant from out of state to get their profits up. The consultant wanted the service shop to sell everything they could needed or not the service manager and myself said no the customer must be treated fairly at all times. Needless to say we both were told not to come back to work. The consultant was told to leave six months later when he was caught putting dirt off the ground in the air filters of couple of customer car. I still get reports that the dealer is still trying to sell iteams that the customer does not need. Of yes the district service manager and the car manufacture does not support the dealership because of customer calling in to complain.
freeloaderfred
The key word is, "suddenly." Some part of the electrical system has failed. A good battery test will show the condition of the battery and the charging system (and maybe even give you a printout that you can put in your car's babybook). A worn belt can slip without squealing, so do an age test on the belt (under 3 years?). Should your car pass all the tests and the wiring, belts and cables in the immediate vicinity of the charging system prove good, then you need to look for a drain by some component or accessory (such as a continuously charging cell phone). That drain is easy to test for with an ampmeter. No drain, no gain.