Proud XLR owner with a problem

[hawkeye372]

[emoji22] well after my shift linkage problem yesterday. Now tonight it's my check engine light just came on. I was heading back from a mini cruise in in old town st Augustine Florida. I just got on 95 from the cr 210 and my check engine light came on. I was already on the entrance ramp so I couldn't turn around. So I couldn't turn to go drop the car off at the dealership. So I hope it's nothing serious because I hate to have anything drastic happen to my baby.


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[DAVE JONES]

check engine light

[emoji22] well after my shift linkage problem yesterday. Now tonight it's my check engine light just came on. I was heading back from a mini cruise in in old town st Augustine Florida. I just got on 95 from the cr 210 and my check engine light came on. I was already on the entrance ramp so I couldn't turn around. So I couldn't turn to go drop the car off at the dealership. So I hope it's nothing serious because I hate to have anything drastic happen to my baby.


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Watch how you note problems to your XLR, for some folks get very upset. Here is one for you, was traveling East on I40 in Tn. very heavy traffic in the passing lane with cruise on when a vehicle ahead pulled from the right lane to passing lane just close enough to bump off cruise. Well when that happened everything shut down almost causing vehicle in back to hit me in rear. Had HOV lane to left & just got in it in time. Set for about 2 min to get myself together then started engine.

 

[hawkeye372]

Ok thank you for letting me know this


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[hawkeye372]

[emoji22] well after my shift linkage problem yesterday. Now tonight it's my check engine light just came on. I was heading back from a mini cruise in in old town st Augustine Florida. I just got on 95 from the cr 210 and my check engine light came on. I was already on the entrance ramp so I couldn't turn around. So I couldn't turn to go drop the car off at the dealership. So I hope it's nothing serious because I hate to have anything drastic happen to my baby.


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Well my service guy called. Thermostat and software upgrade. Again covered by Zurich hope to get it back within a hr today.


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[Phrede]

Watch how you note problems to your XLR, for some folks get very upset......

Really?!

 

[wandrews2004]

No Start

I bought my 2006 XLR from a private owner a year ago Thanksgiving. The XLR had 20,000 miles on it and was/is pristine. In May, 2014, I drove it to the California coast from New Mexico and back: no problems. I have been driving it once per week normally. This past January, it would not start, so I bought a new battery. I continued driving it once per week with no problems. Two weeks ago, on Thursday, I uncovered it and prepared to drive it for its' weekly run and it would not start again. This should not happen with a new battery. After jump starting it via Onstar, I drove it to my local dealer and explained my problem. They kept it for a week and did various "parasitic" draining tests for the battery and pronounced it to be "Normal". The dealer recommends driving it once per week and starting it every four days and let it run in my driveway for 15 - 20 minutes. Are they covering something up or does EVERY XLR owner do the same?

Does it have warning lights in dash, functioning gauges etc and just not crank? If the Battery is completely dead, the doors won't even open. I found with mine, if I had the key fob in my left pocket, at times it would not crank. As soon as I started keeping the fob in my right pocket I've gone almost 3 years with no problems. I know that sounds strange, but I think the steering column messes up the signal from the fob. I sometimes leave mine at the airport 2 weeks at a time and have never come back to a dead battery.

 

[Bakertech]

Does it have warning lights in dash, functioning gauges etc and just not crank? If the Battery is completely dead, the doors won't even open. I found with mine, if I had the key fob in my left pocket, at times it would not crank. As soon as I started keeping the fob in my right pocket I've gone almost 3 years with no problems. I know that sounds strange, but I think the steering column messes up the signal from the fob. I sometimes leave mine at the airport 2 weeks at a time and have never come back to a dead battery.

I have had a battery in a New GM Blazer die in 6 months. Keep your eye on the Volt meter. Your dealer should have checked its' output.
An often overlooked problem is a bad ground connection. High resistance can cause charging problems but starting amperage can overcome the resistance. You keep taking out more voltage than is being replaced. Check the Negative cable connection to the frame/engine. I always carry battery cables just in case. The BatterySaver item sounds good. I will be researching it. I change key fob batteries every year.
Good luck.
Gord.

 

[phxbob44]

Battery

[ QUOTE=KakNJak;59815]I bought my 2006 XLR from a private owner a year ago Thanksgiving. The XLR had 20,000 miles on it and was/is pristine. In May, 2014, I drove it to the California coast from New Mexico and back: no problems. I have been driving it once per week normally. This past January, it would not start, so I bought a new battery. I continued driving it once per week with no problems. Two weeks ago, on Thursday, I uncovered it and prepared to drive it for its' weekly run and it would not start again. This should not happen with a new battery. After jump starting it via Onstar, I drove it to my local dealer and explained my problem. They kept it for a week and did various "parasitic" draining tests for the battery and pronounced it to be "Normal". The dealer recommends driving it once per week and starting it every four days and let it run in my driveway for 15 - 20 minutes. Are they covering something up or does EVERY XLR owner do the same?[/QUOTE]

 

[phxbob44]

Battery

To my knowledge the XLR's did not come with battery savers. I have to keep a battery tender on my 08 XLR-V or the battery goes dead if I don't drive it for 4 or more weeks...same with the 05 I had previous to that.... It's all the security electronics and whatever that drain

 

[lextoy]

xlr's like to drain batteries.
seems to be all of them do it.
unlike most other cars you cant let the xlr sit for weeks without a tender.
it will drain even a new battery with enough time.
old batteries will be dead in a week
new batteries will be dead within a month.
driving the car once a week probably isnt enough to recharge the drain,
unless you are driving for 2+ hours.
get an automatic battery maintainer. battery tender, battery minder, ctek, etc.
i recently installed an odyssey battery in the xlr to give me a little more juice,
so i dont have to be as vigilant with the maintainer.
but i keep it on the maintainer most of the time anyway.
i think many modern vehicles have similar battery drain issues.
too many electronics, and downsized batteries. unless you drive every day,
the batteries will wear out faster due to constant drain and limited reserve capacity.
my 08 bmw kills batteries too. brand new battery this spring. died weekly for the last 3 years unless driven daily.
my 99 benz can sit for 6 months and starts fine. 9 yr old battery.

 

[XLRATING]

i think many modern vehicles have similar battery drain issues.
too many electronics, and downsized batteries. unless you drive every day,
the batteries will wear out faster due to constant drain and limited reserve capacity.
my 08 bmw kills batteries too. brand new battery this spring.
my 99 benz can sit for 6 months and starts fine. 9 yr old battery.

I think you are right. For what it's worth, the "Car Talk" guys said batteries in modern cars can only sit a couple of weeks before they're dead, for just the reasons you said: Shouldn't his new car battery last more than four days? - NWautos

Car battery technology hasn't kept up with the rest of car technology. Now that cars can be wifi hotspots, wirelessly charge things, etc. it's probably just going to get worse.

 

[lextoy]

i think the tech is there for car batteries, but in the effort to reduce costs, and increase fuel efficiency,
they screwed the consumer.
we are stuck with extra costs replacing batteries every few years so they can save a few bucks and claim 1% better fuel efficiency.
1)smaller battery costs them less to install, cost savings.
2)and is less weight to carry around for the car. increased fuel efficiency on an infinitesimal scale.
3)"smart" (aka stupid) charging systems now dont charge constantly so the alternator doesnt drag on the engine as much. so more fuel efficiency.
4) all the electronic gizmo's constant drain on the battery is probably a known design flaw, but to engineer a smarter computer/ electrical system that uses less power or can actually power off when not in use would be expensive. since a new car with a new battery sells on the dealer lot relatively quickly, again they pass off a subpar system to save money and pass on the additional battery maintenance cost to the consumer.
i like my xlr and that its got some cutting edge stuff on it, i am ok plugging it in when i'm not using it.
but for my daily driver i wish they still made a simple reliable car like a 95 honda accord, but with todays capabilities.
why am i buying a $100k benz, bmw or cadillac that will strand me in the first year from a dead battery?
or has to go to the dealer 4 times a year for electronic gremlins in equipment i dont even need?
i shouldnt have to restore a classic to get a simple pure sports car or luxury coupe.
our xlr's are so special we expect some problems, but the same over complicated stuff is on the corvette,
i cant think of a single modern sports car that does what its supposed to do and doesnt have all the extra gizmos.
no offence to gizmo...

 

[Stella]

I think it has more to do with the quality and reliability of the parts. I have a 04 with a battery that the original owner replaced in 08 with under 4000 on it. I purchased in 11 and haven't had a single issue with anything. The car has had a battery tender on it when not driven since I've owned it. Now that I've said this I should probably make a service appointment hope not. Just gotta hope it wasn't made on Monday morning or Friday afternoon.
As for the battery draining. You have to be getting a draw from somewhere for your battery to go dead. It should last longer than a week without driving. Theirs got to be something awake and drawing from the battery. Easily said but hard part is finding it. Good luck let us know what happens.

 

[hawkeye372]

Well my engine light came back on. It wasn't flashing just on. Took her down to dealer and they did a code search. Ends up being oxygen sensor. So I'll bring the car back on Monday when my tech can really check into it. And so my service guy can call Zurich. Cross fingers that part will be/is covered under the warranty


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[hawkeye372]

This has been ongoing for a couple yrs. but has anyone ever notice that when the temp gets really hot outside, the trunks kinda sticks. I go and hit the trunk release from either the key fob or the inside cabin area. Then the trunk hesitates for a couple seconds. I notice it more when I have been driving for awhile and the outside temp is really warm.


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[Fireduck69]

Interesting, mine did the same thing today. First time I ever noticed it. Same situation, 2 hour drive and a bit warm out about 80 degrees.


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[hawkeye372]

Yeah it always happens when I am gone anywhere from 30 min -2 hrs Long


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[SA315B]

Shot in the dark but...

Service Bulletin No.: PB-14648
Component(s): ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
NHTSA ID Number: 10057647

 

[hawkeye372]

Thanks


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[gibbyxlr]

I installed a battery tender under the hood a couple of years ago with a external plug behind the front plate, for winter storage. Works real well if I'm not driving the car for any length of time.

Also installed a mechanical lock release for the hood ( in the case the battery goes flat if I am away with the car) . Some may ask "why the hell would you do that as you can just enter with the release in the trunk with the spare key in the bumper" - Well I was the idiot that attached the spare mechanical key to my key FOB that I just locked in the car !!!!!!!, To make matters worse my spare FOB was defective ( I guess i should have tried it out). Well the car sat outside the bank for 4 days while I had a key cut to my VIN and shipped to Canada. Learned my lesson and now have several mechanical keys and nothing attached to the FOB!

Not sure if anyone else has tried this or if this is just an electrical issue with mine but I started 2 month ago switching off the power button on the rear view mirror prior to switching the car off ( just to see if that was what was running the battery down) - It has worked for me so far and I have not plugged my battery tender in for 2 months ???