# Anyone else on battery #2?



## maikell77 (Oct 21, 2014)

My Cruze was doing some of the weird things that have been associated with the bad ground cable. I thought I remembered getting the special coverage letter in the mail. Last week I noticed my car was slow cranking. It started, seemed to drive fine. 

I then drove about 220 miles. Only odd thing noticed was my ipod would not stay sync'd up. I get to my destination stop off the fill up the tank and it was really slow to crank. It did start. I then drove around for a little while to get the voltage up before parking at the hotel. I turned all electronics off to aide start up. Next morning car started just fine. 

All day Thursday no drama.

Friday morning rolls around, car still starts fine, maybe cranking a little slower. Get to customer site, park the car. I was there for 10 hours, head out to start my 4 hour drive to get home. Then car would not start. Thankfully I was able to get it jumped and got rolling home. Didn't stop just in case.

Saturday started just fine took to the dealer. Dealer diagnosed it as a bad battery, and since I have 54,000 miles in just 16 months, no warranty. They give me two options:

1. $240 for their battery and $39 to install.
2. $129 for a diagnostic fee, and I buy and install my own battery.

I know that batteries go bad, but this just seems a bit weird, either I just got a bad battery, or they are just mailing in the fix. I have a loaner while they are waiting for the battery to come in. I hope this fixes the problem. Otherwise my Cruze Diesel has been a phenomenal car.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

According to JD Power surveys, batteries are the number one item replaced in the first three years of ownership. See if your dealership will install a high end battery in your car. The OEM batteries are known for early death.


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## MOTO13 (Mar 26, 2014)

My MP3 won't stay sync'd up either through Bluetooth. Started about 3 months ago, I figured it was my phone or something. Is this a battery issue? My car runs, drives, starts perfectly. Now I'm getting worried.


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## maikell77 (Oct 21, 2014)

I gave up on blue tooth a few months after I purchased the car. I have an Ipod nano that I have hooked up via lightning to usb cable in the console. I might have a bad cable, but it seemed to coincide too well. I should get the car back tonight, I will update then.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

MOTO13 said:


> My MP3 won't stay sync'd up either through Bluetooth. Started about 3 months ago, I figured it was my phone or something. Is this a battery issue? My car runs, drives, starts perfectly. Now I'm getting worried.


If your car doesn't start or if it's looses it's memory when you start the car, that could be the battery. But just for not staying synced, I'm not so sure.


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## KpaxFAQ (Sep 1, 2013)

249 for a battery? Are the terminals gold?


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## Rich+Cruze! (Apr 8, 2014)

I killed my first battery - combination of living in Arizona (batteries die fast in the desert) and not believing my hardwired USB adaptor would remain on (deep discharges are not good for a starter).

Replaced under warranty. I still have another year to kill this new one!


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

I would think that the battery has its own separate warranty like tires do, but I could be wrong. Check all the paperwork that came with your car. I am on my original battery with the updated negative cable. 111K miles and no battery issues.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

diesel said:


> I would think that the battery has its own separate warranty like tires do, but I could be wrong. Check all the paperwork that came with your car. I am on my original battery with the updated negative cable. 111K miles and no battery issues.


3/36. 

I'd recommend having the battery tested by an auto store (they will do it for free). If you DO need a new one, they'll also sell you one of the same size for a lot cheaper than $249. Go for an AGM (advanced glass mat) battery for the diesel.


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## maikell77 (Oct 21, 2014)

I HAD to buy from them. $247 was AGM installed. To have gone to Autozone they were going to charge a $129 diagnostic fee if I did not have them replace the battery. 

The car most definitely starts quicker than it has in a LONG time. I have a 500 mile road trip coming up this week. Then I'll find out if the radio stays connected.

Which part of the negative cable had the issue?


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## peligro911 (Apr 8, 2015)

Gald to see you got it fixed that is one pricey battery for sure... Not sure about autozone but orileys here tested my battery before for free and even helped me remove it from my car and install the new one .. this was before my cruze it was around 100 to 120 then


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Yeah, I've had my batteries/charging system checked at Autozone and Advance for free without buying a battery.

Nonetheless, hope it works out for you from here on. The negative cable apparently has a bad crimp @ the fuse box.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

I do my own battery testing, my problem was a high self discharge rate that occurred in about month 34. Couldn't convince my local dealer it was bad, so went to my good dealer, they replaced it without any arguments.

And I got a full warranty on this battery until my 36 month warranty expired. If this one goes, with go with Johnson Controls, one of my kids works there, they make good stuff.

Only place in my town that has a decent battery tester is NAPA, full load, capacity check, and self discharge are the key parameters. And they will test your old battery for free. And a lot cheaper if you order off line than pick it up at the store. Rest of the stores around here use that Mickey Mouse electronic tester that isn't worth the powder to blow it to hail. 

Just out of curiosity, does your Chevy dealer wear a mask? Most robbers do.


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## maikell77 (Oct 21, 2014)

Lesson learned, once out of warranty, make darn sure it's covered by special coverage before going in to dealer.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

maikell77 said:


> Which part of the negative cable had the issue?


Good question. I've not seen that explained. The GM write-up suggested it was a battery voltage sense connection. That could drive the charnging system batty and cause a number of problems.

NickD indicated that the battery clamp itself was loose.  The camp was completely tight - ends meeting instead of being stopped by the diameter of the battery post.


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## boneheaddoctor (Dec 10, 2014)

Personally, I'd have paid the diagnostic fee and bought my own battery elsewhere. But that's just me

Brands tend to vary by country, but being in the USA....I've had VERY good luck with Interstate brand, I've had to get other brands from time to time because the dealer for those wasn't open on a Sunday, and every time I've regretted it down the road. In the 36 years I've owned my own cars, I've had TWO Interstate batteries fail inside of their warranty while every other brand I have used has. And I've never paid more than $185 for a group 49 I think it was, 900cca...84 month warranty if memory serves me right (I've got them in cars at home, not at work where I am now) physically larger than the one in our Cruze. And for those reading and NOT in the USA I know its really hard to find a good much less decent battery in Italy for example, great is impossible..

But all in all...you could easily do a lot worse than what the dealer carries....as long as its not an Exide.


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## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

boneheaddoctor said:


> Personally, I'd have paid the diagnostic fee and bought my own battery elsewhere. But that's just me
> 
> Brands tend to vary by country, but being in the USA....I've had VERY good luck with Interstate brand, I've had to get other brands from time to time because the dealer for those wasn't open on a Sunday, and every time I've regretted it down the road. In the 36 years I've owned my own cars, I've had TWO Interstate batteries fail inside of their warranty while every other brand I have used has. And I've never paid more than $185 for a group 49 I think it was, 900cca...84 month warranty if memory serves me right (I've got them in cars at home, not at work where I am now) physically larger than the one in our Cruze. And for those reading and NOT in the USA I know its really hard to find a good much less decent battery in Italy for example, great is impossible..
> 
> But all in all...you could easily do a lot worse than what the dealer carries....as long as its not an Exide.


When I was younger and living back home, we used to buy Interstate batteries for all the various equipment on the farm, and they were always problem-free. I've switched from Die Hard batteries to Interstate within about the past 8 years for our cars, after I had several Die Hard batteries fail early on me and the kmart/sears stores where I bought them providing very poor customer service. Only 1 of the 4 Interstates I've purchased has had any problems, but I would fully expect that one to have problems after the way it was abused, so I don't count that one against them. 

It was in my wife's 2005 Chrysler mini-van, which is a battery-eating monster with 2 power sliding doors, a power tailgate, electric-everything... My kids have a habit or accidentally turning on the rear map lights as they enter/exit the car, and they often go unnoticed for several days. Everybody but me in the family 100% uses the power option on the doors, so sometimes they can open and close a dozen times or more without running the engine to recharge the battery. Then there were several times that the DVD player, headlights, etc. were left running while sitting in a parking lot waiting for a kid to get out of swim lessons or dance class, and the battery was drained and had to be jumped. That happened no less than 6 times. I'd say that it's a miracle that battery lasted the 28 months it did under those conditions, and Interstate (along with their local dealer) stood behind it and replaced it at the pro-rated cost under warranty. (would have been free replacement if it happened 4 months sooner)


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

maikell77 said:


> Which part of the negative cable had the issue?


 I believe the issue with the negative battery cable in the Cruze being covered by the 10 year/120K mile warranty extension is due to a "crimp" where the cable is attached to a connection to the car either isn't done right at the supplier's factory or it working loose after time due to not being done correctly at the factory. This causes intermittent disruption of the ground part of the circuitry and various electrical problems.

FWIW: the 12 year old P5 is on its third battery counting the OEM one. The last two are from Battery Wholesale for $88 tested and installed with a a 70 month warranty.


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## KpaxFAQ (Sep 1, 2013)

All batteries are made by like 2 different large corporations. Johnson Controls being one and the other???? Someone correct me if I'm wrong I'm not positive. Everything for the most part is essentially a re-brand of these two people. 

Heard good things about the Johnson Controls products like someone else mentioned.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

KpaxFAQ said:


> All batteries are made by like 2 different large corporations.


Yeah, but - that's not to say all batteries by that manufacturer are the same quality. It's made to spec. You want cheap, they'll build cheap - just as long as it's your name going on the battery and your money is the right color.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

KpaxFAQ said:


> All batteries are made by like 2 different large corporations. Johnson Controls being one and the other???? Someone correct me if I'm wrong I'm not positive. Everything for the most part is essentially a re-brand of these two people.
> 
> Heard good things about the Johnson Controls products like someone else mentioned.


Exide (crap) and East Penn (Deka Intimidator is a fantastic battery). 

Agreed, most JCI batteries are quite good - they make OEM batteries for a lot of cars as well.


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## KarlZap (Jun 30, 2015)

My 2014 TDI was in the shop for almost a week but they did find the problem to be a bad battery. Now I have a new OEM battery.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Still on original battery at 134K miles here.


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## Amorace25 (Jul 27, 2017)

about a year ago my 14 cruze wouldn?t start. I took it to the dealership and they put a new battery in it. Well for the last two weeks my car has been cranking slow. Could it be the battery again? It is only a year old.


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## Rivergoer (Mar 30, 2017)

Amorace25 said:


> about a year ago my 14 cruze wouldn?t start. I took it to the dealership and they put a new battery in it. Well for the last two weeks my car has been cranking slow. Could it be the battery again? It is only a year old.


Could have a bad cell, only way to know for sure is to have it load-tested. Find a place that has a good quality battery tester such as Sears Auto Center, dealership or an Auto Battery retailer.

What brand battery did they put in? Is it lead-acid or AGM?


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## Amorace25 (Jul 27, 2017)

Not sure what kind of battery it is. When I cranked it up tonight a service power steering warning flashed on the dash for just a second but then it went away. The battery voltage was at 10.4 when it first cranked but quickly went up to 14.8. I guess I will take it to O?Reilly tomorrow and have them check it. I just hope it?s not the starter. Does anyone know if the starter is covered under the powertrain warranty? I have 96,000 miles on it.


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## blackbird (Nov 6, 2017)

Amorace25 said:


> about a year ago my 14 cruze wouldn?t start. I took it to the dealership and they put a new battery in it. Well for the last two weeks my car has been cranking slow. Could it be the battery again? It is only a year old.


Depending if they put a regular, non-AGM battery in it's possibly you could degrade and need replacement. As suggested a free load test would at a part store might be best to start. Also if you're impacted by the negative battery ground cable problem that could also cause slow cranking.




Amorace25 said:


> Not sure what kind of battery it is. When I cranked it up tonight a service power steering warning flashed on the dash for just a second but then it went away. The battery voltage was at 10.4 when it first cranked but quickly went up to 14.8.


A battery should sit somewhere in the 12.2-12.5v range give or take a little with no load. If it's only showing 10.4 volts (assuming you're measuring at the battery with a multi-meter) then that would indicate a high probability of a bad cell which would definitely cause slow cranking or no start conditions. When the engine is running the alternator is providing most of the electrical current required which is why it goes up into the 14 volt range.


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## Eddy Cruze (Jan 10, 2014)

Amorace25 said:


> about a year ago my 14 cruze wouldn?t start. I took it to the dealership and they put a new battery in it. Well for the last two weeks my car has been cranking slow. Could it be the battery again? It is only a year old.


Same details with me too. If it is the Battery I'm not sure its replaced a 2nd time under warranty which kinda sucks


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

OG battery


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## NHRA (Oct 12, 2014)

Well mine was starting very slow on Friday morning ,temp was in the low 20's. Put some miles on it so that it would charge up. Checked it later in the evening and it was at 12.20 volts which is low. Checked it this morning and it was down to 11.80. went to Sears, had it tested and they said it was borderline. Talked him into giving me last months discount, so got a new AGM replacement for total of 180.00. it was a $42 discount. All of the other auto parts stores were over $200 before tax. 3 year free replacement so I should be good. Thinking about getting a Chrysler 200 as my next daily commuter. Had one this spring as a rental and really liked it.


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