Stinger battery vs. the cold

[Namuna]

Went out to the car to take my son to school earlier (it's 14°F outside). We get in the car and the first bad sign is an error on the dash reporting that it doesn't recognize the keyfob and I need to use the fob itself to press the Start button. I do so and instead of the car starting as usual, there's a series of quick clicks and nothing else (which usually indicates a bad battery).

Less than 2 weeks ago the battery was completely dead (not even electronics, and had to use the physical key to get in and get it jumped). I KNOW I didn't leave anything on in the car (which was proven when the car was jumped and everything was powered back up, but nothing was left on that would've drained the battery). I brought it to the dealer to have it checked and they did ran whatever testing and told me the battery looks "okay" and I should be fine and it was likely the cold that caused the issues.

So now I'm waiting for roadside assist to come and give me a jump, and if the jump indeed works then that means the battery is the culprit. Again.

If it indeed is the battery, what are my next steps? I already know I'll be insisting on a new battery for the dealer to install, but what else could/should I be doing to avoid this happening again? This is some crazy cold weather, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't be able to rely on my car (especially a brand new one!).

Thank you

 

[NS_Stinger]

Sounds like a bad battery just like you say. Honestly once they replace the battery you shouldn’t require any sort of special treatment unless you leave your car sitting without being driven for long periods of time.

 

[nhcowboy28]

When was your build date vsnwhen you took delivery?

After delivery, is your car garages or exposed (cold/heat)?

I’ve had OEM batteries (fords) many times prematurely. It happens.

Dealer can test alternator. But battery will be under warranty.

I wouldn’t sweat it unless it happens again.

 

[Namuna]

When was your build date vsnwhen you took delivery?

Will check

After delivery, is your car garages or exposed (cold/heat)?

Car is parked outside, on street.

I’ve had OEM batteries (fords) many times prematurely. It happens.

Dealer can test alternator. But battery will be under warranty.

I wouldn’t sweat it unless it happens again.

This is already the 2nd time there was an issue with the battery, I just got off the phone with the dealer and I'll be bringing it in to have the battery replaced...If roadside assist ever gets here (been waiting 2hrs now).

 

[eflyguy]

If the battery had gotten that low previously, it's dead and should be replaced, period. Full draining a standard battery causes permanent damage, which you are now seeing symptoms of. You can personally thank the dealer for saying it was previously "OK", as it clearly isn't.

 

[Johnni]

In my personal experience, if the battery went completely dead and it is charge back again. It will never hold the same charge as the original. The battery will never be reliable again because it can quit whenever it want and each testing at the shop will still show it is a good battery.

 

[Jimmer]

Haven't had that issue yet. Hasn't even hesitated. Kicks right in

 

[mldavis2]

This is one reason I never buy a car off the lot or especially off the showfloor. These batteries get run down and no one knows.

 

[MerlintheMad]

This is one reason I never buy a car off the lot or especially off the showfloor. These batteries get run down and no one knows.

Well, that should only apply beyond a certain time period. Surely a few months of sitting are okay, especially during the summer. If someone bought a Nov/Dec17 built car in March or later, there might be an issue; but probably not. Buying late in 2018 would be a real concern battery integrity-wise. But don't borrow trouble. Use it and do your best to never let it get drained. If it had to be recharged on the lot prior to taking delivery, I wish I could tell every buyer to demand a brand new battery before taking delivery.

I've shared this before: my mother's Hyundai Elantra battery got replaced and went totally flat in less than a week. I thought that I must have left the trunk light on accidentally (had done that more than once before). But it wasn't on. Nothing was ON. Got it jump started and drove it. When I came to drive it again a few days later, dead again. Tried the jump start and it wouldn't hold a charge for more than three days. It tested bad, at O'Reilly's and they replaced it under warranty. That battery was perfect. So even brand new can be bad. It rarely happens.

 

[GRStinger]

Interesting. Yesterday morning was our coldest this winter, -14F. My car over-nights in my garage. It's unheated - a bit warmer than outside, but not much. I start my car on these cold mornings and let it run/warm for a few minutes while I get some OJ and a cup of coffee for the drive. When I hit the button yesterday, the battery was definitely sluggish. There was a couple of those slow engine turns and I thought "uh oh" for a second, but then it fired up. No problem before or since, but slightly worrisome.

 

[Ozstung]

You could buy a "trickle charger" to keep a battery at the correct charge. Used one for my little used WRX. Shouldn't have to though. But as the battery shop explained they ain't lead batteries anymore. The newer calcium batterys when they go flat they never recharge 100% and each time after going flat the charging capacity drops.

 

[rocket23]

If the battery had gotten that low previously, it's dead and should be replaced, period. Full draining a standard battery causes permanent damage, which you are now seeing symptoms of. You can personally thank the dealer for saying it was previously "OK", as it clearly isn't.

I don't mean to be a debbie downer, but ALL automotive acid/lead batteries are on a ''cycle'' charge and discharge......the more lead/acid, the more ''cycles''.....there are lead /acid batteries called ''deep cycle'' they drain and get recharged numerous times......A battery fails when the lead and the structure holding the lead in each cell breaks down and collects at the bottom of the battery....shorting out the cell, each cell has 2 volts, 6 cells for a 12 volt battery. There is no way a battery will damage itself by being drained of it's charge....simply recharging over night will more than do in most cases, my guess is the oem battery has a defect in 1 or more cells rendering it useless..

 

[rocket23]

You can disagree all you want, I've been trained by exide battery corporation in order to sell,maintain and replace automotive batteries.......and sorry but facts are facts.....batteries will not fail from being discharged once or twice.

 

[Ozstung]

Am i right in saying lead batteries are a thing of the past? And the new "cleaner" calcium batteries are the newer type?

My battery fitter stated unfortunately the newer batteries don't behave like the old lead batteries which were more forgiving if you drained them. FWIW I'm no expert but just passing on what I thought the battery guy told me when I flattened a new battery recently. He mentioned calcium batteries weaken significantly each time. I screwed one in under 18 months.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Actually, we've been over this recently: Stinger's battery specs ? I knew there was another thread. AGM is not as the batteries of old.

Here's an informative page on how to recover deeply discharged AGM batteries. https://www.optimabatteries.com/en-us/support/charging/resuscitate-deeply-discharged-battery It seems that the hype about "don't ever let your Stinger battery go dead or it is ruined/compromised" is false.

 

[eflyguy]

Optima is not your average AGM battery, they are built to much higher standards than the OEM battery in our vehicles.

That said, if you're comfortable keeping a suspect battery in your vehicle, I'm happy to be wrong and move on. I've dealt with AGM batteries in vehicles for many years and they have been as sensitive to damage from being fully drained as lead acid. I've replaced OEM batteries with better quality ones at the first sign of a problem, at my own expense, and that's usually the only time it needs replacing over the years I've owned the vehicle.

 

[rocket23]

I am speaking from a lead/acid battery standpoint, the newer gel/agm batteries offer a truly maintenance free existence for the most part....until they die.

 

[rocket23]

we have agm or ''gel'' batteries wich are quickly becoming popular with the motorcycling and power sport fanatics....however there are still numerous lead acid type batteries still in service......I am not privy to the calcium battery you speak of.

Am i right in saying lead batteries are a thing of the past? And the new "cleaner" calcium batteries are the newer type?

My battery fitter stated unfortunately the newer batteries don't behave like the old lead batteries which were more forgiving if you drained them. FWIW I'm no expert but just passing on what I thought the battery guy told me when I flattened a new battery recently. He mentioned calcium batteries weaken significantly each time. I screwed one in under 18 months.

 

[eflyguy]

I am speaking from a lead/acid battery standpoint, the newer gel/agm batteries offer a truly maintenance free existence for the most part....until they die.

.. and I am speaking from an AGM standpoint. Optima makes very high quality AGM products that are less prone to those issues, but AGM technology is not magically immune to the same deep-discharge issues as traditional lead-plate batteries.