Battery problem overnight.

hyedipin · **Joined:** Thu May 11, 2006 10:20 am **Posts:** 1667

This morning I go downstairs, the doors unlock fine, ON position is fine, all lights are on. As soon as tried to start it, the alternator was clicking like crazy. I never had this before. All the dead batteries I experiences was either motionless dead, nothing would come on, or just click silently once. This was clicking like there is no tomorrow. I tried, tried again, and the noise in the alternator was not going anywhere.

I called the mechanic, came with a booster, $20 and 5 seconds later It started up. I didn't have time to do anything else, so I let it run for about 15 minutes idle, and I drove to work, about 15 miles. It is sitting outside right now. I am hoping that battery charged enough to take me back home.

33,000 miles, exactly 4 yrs and 4 months later I face this problem. Nothing was left on. After all, I know that all lights shut off after about a minute or so, it can't be that.

Could it be my new radio? I never had a problem with it, even after it sat for 2 days without starting and never ran battery dead. It's been 3 months since i got the radio and hooked it up.

The battery has always been wet, and corroded. My mech wants $95 for a new generic battery. I am not sure how much the new mopar battery goes for, but what's the big difference between the batteries? If they all will last about 5-6 yrs I don't mind getting him giving me a new battery since he is right across from my house, I can always go back to him if there is a problem.

Want to hear your opinions...
Thanks.

corwyyn · **Posted:** Thu Feb 22, 2007 3:49 pm

Given the age of the battery I'd say it is time to replace it. $95 is a bit steep for a 'generic' battery, I think I paid $55 or $60 for mine when I replaced it last month. Oh, and the 'clicking' sound you're hearing is coming from the starter, not the alternator.

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Thu Feb 22, 2007 4:35 pm

Yeah, your battery is probably just a gonner.

You might want to run out and try starting your Liberty now so you can (if you need) make arangements with a friend for a Jumpstart.

You can pick up a Sears Diehard gold battery for around $100 so I don't know why a "generic" battery would cost the same? The Gold battery comes with a 3 year warranty. The Redtop Optima's run about $150 and are a good choice as well.

hyedipin · **Joined:** Thu May 11, 2006 10:20 am **Posts:** 1667

Thanks.
I think battery might be dead like you said, I will go out and try it. I hope it holds the charge.
As for the price, I am not sure how generic it is, I will call him up and ask brand/warranty, then decide. I would prefer to pay a bit more to local shop who I can just pop up anytime, than pay less to another place where I can get no personal service, given it is same or similar part.

Thanks again.

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Thu Feb 22, 2007 8:27 pm

I had the exact same problem when my battery was just 1.5 yrs old. Got a jump and no problems since. Weird. Look for corrosion on the terminals though.

Also, never discount the possibility that something was left on....or if you have a pet, they weren't playing with the key fob all night.

hyedipin · **Joined:** Thu May 11, 2006 10:20 am **Posts:** 1667

It looked fine after a while sitting there when I was at the office, I got home. After about 2 hrs I checked again, and it was fine. I hope it will be OK in the morning. I am seriously thinking about getting a booster myself.

As for something being left on, it is almost impossible. Don't all lights shut down with the unlock on FOB? I certainly recall forgetting lights on several nights in the past, while back, and it always started fine in the morning. Anyway, let's hope it is fine in the morning. I will let you know. Dealer said the new mopar battery costs $78 at the dealer, only part, and I am sure they would charge to swap the battery/discard old one.

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:51 am

Well here is to hoping your Liberty started this morning!

As far as the Battery swap, you can save the labor costs and just do it yourself in less than 5 minutes:

You'll have to reset your radio preprogrammed stations - but you'd have to do that anyway if the dealership swapped the battery for you. For recycling - any autoparts store can properly dispose of the battery or you can take it to a local recycling center if you are lucky enough to have one in your area.

hyedipin · **Joined:** Thu May 11, 2006 10:20 am **Posts:** 1667

Hi Sleeve,

Thanks, it started fine this morning, no problems, thank god.
I am thinking that it was a glitch somewhere? I have no idea, I will be buying a booster just to keep it in the cargo area. I didn't get the new battery just yet. I couldn't reach him yesterday as I got home late. I want to know the brand he will be putting.

Thanks again for the instructions.

corwyyn · **Posted:** Fri Feb 23, 2007 1:11 pm

sleeve84028 wrote:

As far as the Battery swap, you can save the labor costs and just do it yourself in less than 5 minutes:

There is a plastic wedge piece in the back of the battery tray, you'll need a 10mm socket with an extension to get to it. In fact, a 10mm socket, extension, and ratchet are all that you'll need to change the battery, the hardware on the battery terminals is 10mm as well.

hyedipin · **Joined:** Thu May 11, 2006 10:20 am **Posts:** 1667

This reminds me, let me go try my jeep, hoping it runs good!

Thanks guys. I was always afraid of getting electrocuted from the battery, with all the scary pictures on the battery itself.

It sparks tiny bit when I fiddle with posts, though. I handle it with my snow gloves. :oops:

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 23, 2007 1:33 pm

It's good to be afraid of the battery - they can harm you if you aren't careful.. It's almost like grabbing a ignition coil wire while you are trying to find a miss in your engine. :roll:

But if you take the NEG cable off first there isn't a risk of it touching sheetmetal and archwelding itself to something or starting a fire. Were as if you take of the positive cable first there can still be some voltage in it for a random spark.... And don't put any tools on the top of the battery while you are doing underhood work (metal tools that could touch both terminals) since there is a good chance that they can roll around and arch.

Glad to hear your Jeep started. Although, I am stumped as to why there are 2 cases alone in this thread of a random dead battery and then nothing afterwords???

hyedipin · **Joined:** Thu May 11, 2006 10:20 am **Posts:** 1667

There is another one, jeepjeepster had the same problem with his ultima battery.

Quote:

and don't put any tools on the top of the battery while you are doing

Funny you should mention,
last time I took my jeep to the dealer for "tune up" and got slapped with $600 bill, after two days I open the hood and there is a matchbook right on top of the battery. These sensored word!!! It was too late to go back to the dealer and make a mess overthere, but I will never be taking my jeep there again.

WESTBURY JEEP CHRYSLER in LONG ISLAND, NY.

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Fri Feb 23, 2007 4:22 pm

You can take your battery in to just about any auto parts store and have them test the battery for free.

I think the Jeep battery is a complete mystery as to dying all of sudden and then working totally fine after a jump.

hyedipin · **Joined:** Thu May 11, 2006 10:20 am **Posts:** 1667

Tokyojoe wrote:

You can take your battery in to just about any auto parts store and have them test the battery for free.

I think the Jeep battery is a complete mystery as to dying all of sudden and then working totally fine after a jump.

It's like shock therapy.. Something is clogged in there, and boost just opens the drains and let it work until the next lock-up....
:roll:

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:57 pm

Stupid Gremlins!

hyedipin · **Joined:** Thu May 11, 2006 10:20 am **Posts:** 1667

Tokyojoe wrote:

Stupid Gremlins!

And I am not even 20000 feet up!

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Fri Feb 23, 2007 11:59 pm

Yes, I posted a thread about this on here also. My battery has went dead twice now. Once it was dead after sitting for a week, the other time it was dead after sitting for a day. I have a 1 year old Optima Red Top. I always noticed the Jeep was alittle sluggish starting. I believe the last time it did it was 3 weeks ago, since then, Ive been taking the fuse out that controls the BCM while it sits all week at school. That fuse also powers the inside lights. Ive noticed that the Jeep starts right up without hesitating at all. Its not sluggish at all anymore.

Not sure where to go from here. Ive taken it to two different dealerships and unless its throwing a code or its doing it RIGHT when they look at it, they cant do anything. So much for warranty.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sat Feb 24, 2007 12:10 am

I know they are pricy but optima's are worth it,my first deployment(couple weeks shy of a year) I forgot to disconect my battery when I put it in storage and when I came back my KJ started right up like I drove yesterday.That was with a red top,I have a yellow top now for the winch.

hyedipin · **Joined:** Thu May 11, 2006 10:20 am **Posts:** 1667

What is the big difference that makes a battery better over another? And what is the classification like 600 cold, etc.. ?
I know it is build quality etc, but any decent battery should be fine, and I don't think I would want to pay $250 for a battery if the $75 battery does the same thing.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sat Feb 24, 2007 3:21 pm

Well a Optima is a sealed gel cell battery,you can mount it anyway you want even upside down and it won't leak.The red top's have 900-1000 cranking amps(I believe about 800-850 cca),yellow top's have 850(about 750 cca),but the yellow tops are made for high amp draws(stero's,winches) and can handle repeated draining/recharging.Got my red top in '02 for $120 and about a year ago paid $125 for the yellow top.

Battery problem overnight.

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