Dead/Battery Issues?

[AbsntMnded]

I've been having starting issues the past few days and can't get to the bottom of it. Drove my H3 to work, dead by noon. The radio worked, and heard one click when turning the key. I jumped it and drove 5 mins to Autozone where they told me he had a "good battery and full charge." It then started up just fine immediately after that test.

A few hours later, very slow start (as if the battery was almost dead). I drove to 5 mins to Advanced Auto where I got the same response "good battery and full charge." I know my battery is not fully charging in a 5 minute drive, so what is the issue here? I'm not seeing signs of a bad alternator as the battery would have died while driving by now. It's as if something is slowly draining it, but it is showing as fully charged.

It also worries me that I installed red LEDs under my footwells a week ago, but they only turn on when the key is turned. Tied into the red and white accessory wire under the dash on drivers side. Could they draw power even when off? (I guess this is what I deserve for installing pointless, childish mods in my rig.)

Currently, my car appears to be completely dead. My keyless does not work and I am locked out. Which leads my to my final and most nonsensical question: Why doesn't my key unlock my door!!!

Tried to keep it short. Thanks for any input.

Edit: Onstar can't unlock it either.

 

[Hunner]

OEM Battery terminals.
Key, I have no idea, did you turn it both ways. That sounds like a Blonde joke I heard.
You may have to figure out how to get in there behind the grill and pull the hood latch.
I have always meant to figure that out, I will go look. I figured it out but would be hard to describe.
One rare option I tried once on something else was connect a battery charger up under the vehicle to the large positive cable going to the starter.
Do you have a winch? Hook a battery charger to the terminals on that.
I would have to go look and see if that is possible on the H3. It is possible on the Alpha, I just looked.
You bring up some interesting questions.
Onstar won't work if the battery power is not there.

 

[Portager]

I had a dead battery after letting the T sit for two to three weeks. Turned out I forgot to turn the GPS off.

When I tried to manually unlock the door, my new flip key wouldn't work but the OEM key still worked and once I charged the battery over night everything was fine.

Have you ever used the key to unlock the door before? Is it the OEM key? Might be a defective key or the door lock is keyed differently.

 

[AbsntMnded]

Yeah, the key thing....I'm clueless. I came out of a restaurant once and my keyless wasn't working. That's when I found out my keyhole is useless. Luckily Onstar could open it and my keyless work fine after that.

I did manage to open the hood from the outside. You can see a silver piece in there that needs to slide to the drivers side. Pop that, then the normal secondary lever. (Used a steak knife as all my tools were in my truck, including jumper cable.)

I borrowed jumper cables from the neighbor and as soon as a good battery was connected, my keyless worked. I ended up going to a 3rd auto parts store where they had a different machine to hook up to it. They read 10.7V and noticed my factory battery was bulging. This was finally my excuse for an Optima. We'll see if that was the problem.

 

[AbsntMnded]

I had a dead battery after letting the T sit for two to three weeks. Turned out I forgot to turn the GPS off.

When I tried to manually unlock the door, my new flip key wouldn't work but the OEM key still worked and once I charged the battery over night everything was fine.

Have you ever used the key to unlock the door before? Is it the OEM key? Might be a defective key or the door lock is keyed differently.

In two years, I have never unlocked it with the key. Only tried one other time (noted above) and failed. As far as I'm aware, this is the OEM key. Once I find my spare, I'll try that too.

 

[08SolarFlareH3]

When I tried to manually unlock the door, my new flip key wouldn't work but the OEM key still worked

That's weird, my flip key won't work in the door either.


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[Hunner]

Nice to know all this before you end up out in the boonies and your fancy flip key won't get you home?
I wonder what the deal is with that. It's usually the other way around when you get a key made that is not right it will work in the door but not the ignition.
I carry a spare in the wallet and when offroad carry one around my neck. My H3 thinks it's fun when I close the door too hard to lock me out, especially on a steep hill in BF USA.

 

[Pappibri]

Very good point you just made on the trail spare Hunner.. Never really thought of that, but I have got locked out of my trucks before and it would suck out on the trail with vehicle running and no one else around or no tools.. I think from now on when wheeling, I will have a spare around my neck, or on my body, just in case.:thumbs:

 

[f5moab]

Just have go ask, what red/white accessory wire? RAP (Retained accessory power) is yellow, ignition hot is brown so trying to figure that LED connection. However, a bunch of LEDs even running all night should not come close to killing a good battery.

It sounds like you have a dead cell and not all testers can effectively test a battery for a dead cell. Might need to find a place that uses a tester such as a Arbs or VAT system. Dead cell batteries are notorious for starting after a long trip and a short stop (battery off), but not very forgiving for a short trip and a mid to long stop. Just had one on my H3, Would start most of the day after a decent drive, but overnight required a jump box and it would start right away.

First things to check when purchasing a vehicle...make sure the key works in the door(s). It can happen where a dealer screws up the keys or even the manufacturer.

Most of the wallet keys, especially those made of plastic, can open a door but cannot start the vehicle (can't speak for "flip" keys). The ignitiion systen on the H3 is a PASS 2 system, the system has a sensor to determine if it is a metal key. Plastic keys or some type of metal keys, as well as screwdrivers, should not work.

 

[AbsntMnded]

f5: Electricity is where I get myself into trouble. It was this wire (photo from another forum). I too would be surprised that LED would draw enough to drain it, but I was suspicious that my first electrical mod coincided with my first battery issue.

I ended up replacing it with a Yellow Top today, but my issue sounds very similar to what you described. We'll chalk it up to a dead cell so long as I don't have any more issues.

My self-worth definitely goes down a few notches when I can't figure out how a key works. Just checked...my key DOES lock the door (turning right) but will not turn left.

 

[f5moab]

Ok, accessory/run voltage. I guess I would have gone to brown or yellow behind the dash, but that circuit is ok, just one of those you have to stand on your head to get to, so it is one I have never used or recommended.

But I was coming back to say, as Hunner stated, never underestimate the piece of **** connectors GM used on the battery as being a problem.

 

[Hunner]

Get some manly cable ends. Just me but I don't like the kind that just have a set screw that smashes part of the cable.
Go to an alternator/starter shop that can do it right. You can pick up a battery with these ends installed!
Physical connection means good electrical connection.

Don't get the "emergency" clamp on either, like on the right.
Have them use shrink wrap shown here but not slid down yet and shrunk. These ends should transfer the full capacity of the cable rating.
They come in specific terminal sizes to fit pos or neg to insure proper contact with the post.
Other types are universal and are not tapered and the bolts dig into the lead making it difficult or impossible to tighten or remove.