Car Battery

[cjacob]

Those portable things are what got the truck BARELY started to get it to limp home.  Now in the case of the Range Rover we had to re boot the windows (one by one) Sun Roof, Run it through a cycle of the various hight adjustments and re sync the key fobs.  Weridly it still knew my seat program after having the battery out of the truck for 48 hrs. 

[mountaindocdanny]

I had a Nissan Sentra at Nugent Mountain site a few years ago whne I lost my battery. Waited 2 hours and was just getting ready to start walking when someone drove by and jumped me.

[Undertaker]

Not sure I would be able to budge a F-350, but really don't matter, as I found out on trip to Colorado this past Christmas. Older diesel trucks pre 1990 had manual fuel pump, and as long as you had fuel you could travel even without lights. Since mid 90's diesel now has electric fuel pump and pushing does no good without electrics to move fuel, don't know which bright soul thought that oneup

[uh_clem]

I have one of the portable battery packs. I've used it a few times and it worked fine.

Which one?

ESP 5500, I think. I'll verify that when I get home.

This is it. It appears to be a back number so good luck finding one.

[JeffB]

We had a battery problem on our trip over labor day weekend.  One morning in the basin we found the battery was dead.   We got a jumpstart from one of the rangers (who also gave us unsolicited advice about where to find hookers in Ojinaga, but that's another story). 

We had scheduled a trip to remote areas of Big Bend Ranch State Park.  But after the battery problem we were worried about driving to a remote area and getting stranded.  We went ahead and drove to the state park with intention to camp near Solitario.  By the time we reached the state park gate we had two more warning lights on in the 4-runner:  Check Engine and another warning light were on.  Considering the long drive across dirt roads and questionable condition of the truck we decided to play it safe and cancel the trip to Solitario.   

The truck turned out to be fine for the rest of the trip but it was a good decision not to take a chance.  We'll be back to resume our trip in a week or two...

[chisos muse]

We had a battery problem on our trip over labor day weekend.  One morning in the basin we found the battery was dead.   We got a jumpstart from one of the rangers (who also gave us unsolicited advice about where to find hookers in Ojinaga, but that's another story). 

Yup.....hookers in OJ......the gift that keeps on giving!
(Be vewwy cawefuwl)

[SHANEA]

We had a battery problem on our trip over labor day weekend...  By the time we reached the state park gate we had two more warning lights on in the 4-runner:  Check Engine and another warning light were on. 

That was probably a smart move.  You might still be waiting out in the wilds of BBRSP waiting on the two truck.   

So, what was the problem?  Check engine light is "usually" a emissions problems.  That's one thing about my Avalanche, it has pretty good on board diagnostics instead of just an "idiot" light and also has Onstar so that they can tap in and run other diagnostics.

[presidio]

Check engine light is "usually" a emissions problems.

Actually, it can be a couple of other things that aren't problems per se.

a) mileage counter on oil changes (reset by folks at quick lube places if you use them, otherwise usually some arcane process of turning on the ignition (not starting it), stomping the accelerator a number of times, etc., holding your mouth the right way....each make is somewhat different).
b) gas cap loose (this is a frequent one overall)

It could be a temporarily obstructed oxygen sensor.....or any number of other things, many of which are not serious but perhaps need attention. If it's really a problem you usually come to a stop, sort of like when temp and oil lights come on because you've lost fluids and shortly you are no longer driving if you ignore them.

[01ACRViper]

my battery was really, really weak recently, and the check engine light would come on while it was running. as soon as the battery was charged the problem went away. first time in 7 years i've seen that light on, scared me 

[Casa Grande]

my light on my honda civic was on for 5 years; car got totaled, never did do anything about it

[RichardM]

The check engine light on my wife's 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser went on back in the spring of 2002.  She didn't want to take it to the dealer so we took to a local shop.  Big mistake.  They misdiagnosed it several times before the timing belt finally gave up the ghost.  It bent the valve stems and did some other damage when it went.  Cost us over $4,000 before it was over.  Naturally, all of this happened while her Dad was losing his battle with cancer so we were a bit preoccupied.

[JeffB]

Check engine light is "usually" a emissions problems.

Actually, it can be a couple of other things that aren't problems per se.
...

It could be a temporarily obstructed oxygen sensor.....

Might have been the oxygen sensor.   It was intermittent and seemed to come on after driving dirt roads.  The truck had been tuned up just before the trip.  Even after refueling the light would stay on so I doubt it was bad gas or the gas cap. 

[missourimike]

This trick can be used for a battery that is old and losing it power.  If the battery is still delivering some juice but not enough to crank the car, you can use this trick in case of emergency. 

A battery goes dead after so many years/months due to the changes to the sulfuric acid.  The repeated process of charging and use converts sulfuric acid to sulfur crystals on the lead plates.  These crystals eventually build up  and lower the power output. 

If you are stranded with a half dead, old battery, you can try to knock off these crystals with a decent thump or drop.  Be careful and don't break the plastic housing.  A couple of small thumps is good.  Old mechanics used to bring back a battery with a thump from a 2 x 4 or a small drop thump. 

You can purchase smart chargers that can remove these crystals and revive  an aging battery. You can also put a circuit on your battery post that will desulfanant your battery while in use.

When  I had two batteries in my vehicle one is a deep cycle battery for radios, etc.

MO Mike

[Undertaker]

With the new cars totally computer controled, any loss in voltage can cause all sort of lights to light that may or may not be a problem, cars/trucks with guages use to be good but they are computer controled, gas pedal in most new cars/trucks are fly by wire and have no physical connection from pedal to anything, just wire to computer controller. Smart planing. A good thump never hurt anything including battery or children.
 

[missourimike]

I forgot to mention a use of an extra battery.


When my alternator went out, the car was running with its normal battery. The subaru will staying running as long as the battery has enough juice to keep fuel/ignition systems happy.  I have found subaru will shut itself off at  a point before you lose too much amps/volts to start the car.  Therefore in this car I have less time to run w/o the charging alt.

But with a marine battery to use, I wired it up to my original battery for extra run time.  I used jumper cables and some zip ties/duct tape because my marine battery was placed in my back seat.  With some much more amp/hours in the marine battery, I made the two hours drive home. 

For a diagnosis in most cars,
if your alt. is out, the car will die once the battery is disconnected.