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Dead battery ..... Again

Lola's Mom

Seasoned Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2008
Messages
3,472
Location
Southern CA
My XLR/V(s)
2004 Black Raven
Just a warning ..... because, once again, due to the fact that Ray is now retired and chauffers me around .... Lola gets little to no activity .... Again, for the 4th time she sat for over 8 days without the engine being turned on, and sure as heck .... battery was deader than a door nail. :pat: It was so dead that the battery pack did not jump it and had to have the dealership come out and run cables for battery to battery jump. Ray re-set the windows and we drove it for about 40 minutes to bring it back to life. It amazes me how quick time gets away and I don't realize that the car hasn't been driven ..... So ... just some advice .... if you're not going to use it, make sure your trickle charger is on ....
 
Wild Thought...

Just a warning ..... because, once again, due to the fact that Ray is now retired and chauffers me around .... Lola gets little to no activity .... Again, for the 4th time she sat for over 8 days without the engine being turned on, and sure as heck .... battery was deader than a door nail. :pat: It was so dead that the battery pack did not jump it and had to have the dealership come out and run cables for battery to battery jump. Ray re-set the windows and we drove it for about 40 minutes to bring it back to life. It amazes me how quick time gets away and I don't realize that the car hasn't been driven ..... So ... just some advice .... if you're not going to use it, make sure your trickle charger is on ....

The really short battery life you're experiencing got me to wondering about something I heard about a while back; i.e., I was told that the mirror adjustment switch pulls power if it's not in the center position. Anyone know anything about this? I have always left my mirror switch in the center position, and I go away for up to a month at a time, and it always (knock wood) starts when I get back.

I really suspect you either have a short somewhere, or there's something pulling power that doesn't shut off. FWIW

Tim
 
I have also let my car sit for 7+ days from time to time and never had any issues so far ( knock on wood :rolleyes: ).
:cool:

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The XLR has a really small battery .... and because the computers are constantly on alert and the battery drains quickly .... take it from some of us who have had these cars for a number of years .... Two things you never do is: #1 Go without starting up your car at least once a week .... and #2 ... don't play the radio while your wife is shopping .... :willy_nilly: And one more thing - make sure you know how to re-set your windows .... :D Oh, and check your trunk drains .... how water gets up there beats me.

(Hey there, BPappy .... we're doing well .... did not make it again this year to Bob's Big Boy .... But we do have reservations to go to Barrett-Jackson in AZ in January ... Hope you guys are doing well)
 
Luckily from reading various threads here, I have always payed attention to the points you have made. :D
:cool:

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I know we've talked about this before, but my AGM battery solved that problem for me. I can go a month and it starts right up...
 
I know we've talked about this before, but my AGM battery solved that problem for me. I can go a month and it starts right up...
How does it do with radio playing 'while you wait' ..... I will keep your suggestion in mind, but I've been bitten so many times I'm afraid I wouldn't much trust it under certain conditions .... Like, putting the top up and down multiple times without the engine running .... I think we did it 5 times and drained the battery ... another lesson we learned the hard way ..... no more showing off the top-trick ... :chuckle It would be nice if there was some expermenting with the AGM to see just what, besides starting up the car, the battery can do ..... I'd especially love to know about the radio drain. No, I don't use an IPOD or IPAD for music .... XM.
 
Hope to see you next month.

The XLR has a really small battery .... and because the computers are constantly on alert and the battery drains quickly .... take it from some of us who have had these cars for a number of years .... Two things you never do is: #1 Go without starting up your car at least once a week .... and #2 ... don't play the radio while your wife is shopping .... :willy_nilly: And one more thing - make sure you know how to re-set your windows .... :D Oh, and check your trunk drains .... how water gets up there beats me.

(Hey there, BPappy .... we're doing well .... did not make it again this year to Bob's Big Boy .... But we do have reservations to go to Barrett-Jackson in AZ in January ... Hope you guys are doing well)

Hope to see you and Ray next month while you are here for Barrett Jackson. I will be working the Cadillac/LaSalle Club booth @ Barrett Jackson on Thursday the 17th from 8 AM to 3 PM. Let me know when you will be here.
 
Lola's Mom,

I used an Odyssey PC1230 AGM. I also use Odyssey's in my boat and they run two refrigerators, stereo, and lights when we don't have the generator running - they do really well. I do use the radio "while I wait" function on the X car, but I only run the top with the engine running...
 
The XLR has a really small battery .... and because the computers are constantly on alert and the battery drains quickly .... take it from some of us who have had these cars for a number of years .... Two things you never do is: #1 Go without starting up your car at least once a week .... and #2 ... don't play the radio while your wife is shopping .... :willy_nilly: And one more thing - make sure you know how to re-set your windows .... :D Oh, and check your trunk drains .... how water gets up there beats me.

(Hey there, BPappy .... we're doing well .... did not make it again this year to Bob's Big Boy .... But we do have reservations to go to Barrett-Jackson in AZ in January ... Hope you guys are doing well)

then what do you "northerners" do when you don't drive your XLRs in the wintertime? Do you take your battery out when you "store your cars for the winter"?
 
Lola's Mom
Just what do you mean by this statement? I'm running Windows 7, do I need to upgrade to Windows 8?:rolleyes:

"And one more thing - make sure you know how to re-set your windows ....:D"
I've only had Crystal :love: since May, and she is my daily driver so I've had no battery issues.... yet.
 
Just a warning ..... because, once again, due to the fact that Ray is now retired and chauffers me around .... Lola gets little to no activity .... Again, for the 4th time she sat for over 8 days without the engine being turned on, and sure as heck .... battery was deader than a door nail. :pat: It was so dead that the battery pack did not jump it and had to have the dealership come out and run cables for battery to battery jump. Ray re-set the windows and we drove it for about 40 minutes to bring it back to life. It amazes me how quick time gets away and I don't realize that the car hasn't been driven ..... So ... just some advice .... if you're not going to use it, make sure your trickle charger is on ....

Thanks for the advise. That will be my next purchase. A battery tender. Because next year i'll be on a long trip and topless baby will not be moving. So i plan on getting that and the tire to floor pads. So the tires wont stick to the garage floor. :dunno:
 
Hope to see you and Ray next month while you are here for Barrett Jackson. I will be working the Cadillac/LaSalle Club booth @ Barrett Jackson on Thursday the 17th from 8 AM to 3 PM. Let me know when you will be here.

Robert ... yep ... if the knee tx works and I can walk we will be there for the Saturday auction! We will see you soon ... I hope .... :squint: xxoo

Wish all of you could experience Barrett-Jackson - Just once .... in AZ ... perfectly beautiful winter days .... Sunny and crisp!
 
Lola's Mom
Just what do you mean by this statement? I'm running Windows 7, do I need to upgrade to Windows 8?:rolleyes:

"And one more thing - make sure you know how to re-set your windows ....:D"
I've only had Crystal :love: since May, and she is my daily driver so I've had no battery issues.... yet.

I mean the windows in your CAR. When you jump your battery or your power is interrupted your windows will not open and close correctly ... you need to reset them. Easy to do.
 
I mean the windows in your CAR. When you jump your battery or your power is interrupted your windows will not open and close correctly ... you need to reset them. Easy to do.

Plus the top won't work before you index your windows.
Bruce
 
Lola's Mom
Just what do you mean by this statement? I'm running Windows 7, do I need to upgrade to Windows 8?:rolleyes:

"And one more thing - make sure you know how to re-set your windows ....:D"
I've only had Crystal :love: since May, and she is my daily driver so I've had no battery issues.... yet.

To reset your windows after the battery is dead, simply put the windows down and hold the button in the down position for 5 seconds, then put the windows up and hold the button in the up position for 5 seconds. This has to be done for both windows. If this is not done, the top will not operate.
 
Thanks for the advise. That will be my next purchase. A battery tender. Because next year i'll be on a long trip and topless baby will not be moving. So i plan on getting that and the tire to floor pads. So the tires wont stick to the garage floor. :dunno:

I use a Shumacher 1.5A battery maintainer, available at Walmart for around $20. It will save you a lot of headaches. If I'm not going to drive the car for a week or so, I put in on. I have the maintainer permanently mounted in the engine compartment, right side wheel liner and hooked to the battery. I simply plug it in and it keeps the battery fully charged.
 
Thanks for the info


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Hawkeye we have you covered

Hawkeye,

Let not your heart be troubled. You need not waste $20 for a tender because us fellow Florida XLR forum members are here to keep your XLR well exercised! When you take that long trip just give us the fob and we will ensure that the XLR is heavily used to preserve that battery and avoid those nasty tire flat spots. There is no lack of love on this site!

When can we expect you to be leaving? What brand of gas card will you be leaving with us? We are all here to help.

Steve
 

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