Car Trouble...Dead Battery? Not sure

::::BASSIST:::: · #1 03-19-2010, 05:09 PM

The car is an 89 toyota corolla. I left the door open just enough for the interior light to be left on over night and my car wouldnt start. The dash lights were very faint.

So I called a cab to come over the next morning to give me a jump. No dice. The car wasnt even giving a clicking sound. And then I dont even have the faint dash lights. So last night I walk down to the mall to buy a new battery charger and put it on over night. I put it on at 9:00pm last night and took it off at 3:00pm today. Should be good right? Hook it up to the car and again no dice, but this time I did see some faint dash lights again so I know its not a loose connection (right?).

Is the battery hooped? The battery charger has a testing option and when I press the button it lights 'green' to indicate the battery is ok, but then how after 18hrs of charging it wont turn over the car?

Ideas? Suggestions?

Snakeman1066 · #2 03-19-2010, 05:40 PM

Is that model old enough to have a voltage regulator.....?

is it a stick? or automatic?

could also be the neutral safety switch if it is a stick!

fdeck · #3 03-19-2010, 05:41 PM

Seems like you should have gotten something when you attempted to jump it, almost regardless of the condition of the battery.

All's I know is that if you can get a ride from somebody, you can take the battery to a car parts store and they will test it. But other problems could be the starter system, e.g., the starter solenoid, "fusible link," the starter itself, etc, etc.

elgecko · #4 03-19-2010, 05:44 PM

First, make sure your battery terminals and posts are clean. If they're corroded, take some baking soda or wire brush and/or some sandpaper to make it nice and shiny.

The battery should have a "born on" date if you clean it off. If it over 3 years old or so, it's probably toast. If so, you can't recharge a dead battery.

::::BASSIST:::: · #5 03-19-2010, 06:04 PM

The starter was just replaced about 3 months ago and hasnt given me any problems.

All terminals are clean.

It is an automatic.

I'll have to check the date of the battery. It does look on the older side but not ancient.

Everything was working very well until the interior light left on killed the battery and now the battery won't take a charge (?) seems very strange.

::::BASSIST:::: · #6 03-19-2010, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elgecko

First, make sure your battery terminals and posts are clean. If they're corroded, take some baking soda or wire brush and/or some sandpaper to make it nice and shiny.

The battery should have a "born on" date if you clean it off. If it over 3 years old or so, it's probably toast. If so, you can't recharge a dead battery.

Sometime ago you used to be able to take the caps off and re-fill the tubes with water. Then charge on a good charger and it would come to back to life.

Is this no longer the case?

hover · #7 03-19-2010, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST::::

Sometime ago you used to be able to take the caps off and re-fill the tubes with water. Then charge on a good charger and it would come to back to life.

Is this no longer the case?

if it's a "maintenance free" battery, nope. You cannot. You cannot crack it open.

::::BASSIST:::: · #8 03-19-2010, 06:13 PM

I'm pretty sure this one has the caps you can take off.

Should I try?

hover · #9 03-19-2010, 06:16 PM

I would only try if you're sure it's not a maintenance free battery. Sealed designs "make / replenish" their own water by way of the design, and have a hydrogen safety valve for purging pressure...dunno if compromising this in any way would be dangerous... you'll know almost immediately as removable covers don't take alot of effort.

I would be surprised if it isn't maintenance free in this day and age.

bigblondeafro87 · #10 03-19-2010, 06:19 PM

How old is the battery? I just had to replace mine in a 92 Toyota Camry having similar issues and the battery was 3+ years old.

Pilgrim · #11 03-19-2010, 06:22 PM

You can pull the caps (don't get the battery's water on your clothes, ti will eat holes in them when washed) and see if the water is up. If not, you can top it off and charge overnight, but at that point if the battery won't take a charge you're done with that battery.

Dirty terminals was my first thought - just remember they inhibit charging just as they do running - and you say they're clean, so that should not be the problem. If you haven't cleaned them, do so just to be sure.

Jim Campbell · #12 03-19-2010, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST::::

The car is an 89 toyota corolla. I left the door open just enough for the interior light to be left on over night and my car wouldnt start. The dash lights were very faint.

So I called a cab to come over the next morning to give me a jump. No dice. The car wasnt even giving a clicking sound. And then I dont even have the faint dash lights. So last night I walk down to the mall to buy a new battery charger and put it on over night. I put it on at 9:00pm last night and took it off at 3:00pm today. Should be good right? Hook it up to the car and again no dice, but this time I did see some faint dash lights again so I know its not a loose connection (right?).

Is the battery hooped? The battery charger has a testing option and when I press the button it lights 'green' to indicate the battery is ok, but then how after 18hrs of charging it wont turn over the car?

Ideas? Suggestions?

disconnect the terminals and clean both surfaces with steel wool...always try the cheap/free stuff first

::::BASSIST:::: · #13 03-19-2010, 06:33 PM

The terminals are *almost* clean enough to eat off. Its not that.

I just checked... manufacture date is Sep. 03 so I guess its toast.

It does have the refillable caps.

Not worth messing with right? Just go buy a new one?

Jim Campbell · #14 03-19-2010, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST::::

The terminals are *almost* clean enough to eat off. Its not that.

I just checked... manufacture date is Sep. 03 so I guess its toast.

It does have the refillable caps.

Not worth messing with right? Just go buy a new one?

there is a glaze that forms on them and though they look clean it can impede the flow of electrons.....i bought a terminal cleaner from delco that chucks up in my cordless drill.....once a year does it

capnsandwich · #15 03-19-2010, 06:38 PM

It's still worth .99 cents to get a gallon of distilled water and pour in there IMO. Fill it up and check the cells if they're good or not. A new battery will cost you $50+ but if it's still good then it may only cost you .99 cents to fix. If not then you're out a buck more than you would be if you didn't even try.

Mike N · #16 03-19-2010, 06:43 PM

You were lucky to get 7 years out of that battery. Time to buck up and get a new one. I wouldn't waste my time trying to bring that one back to life.

::::BASSIST:::: · #17 03-19-2010, 06:46 PM

Thing is I gotta get the car goin very soon as I need to buy groceries for the family. I dont have time to mess with it.

I do find it very strange that the battery all of a sudden doesnt work. I thought that they go thru a slow death, that they slowly dont take a full charge etc

Jim Campbell · #18 03-19-2010, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST::::

Thing is I gotta get the car goin very soon as I need to buy groceries for the family. I dont have time to mess with it.

I do find it very strange that the battery all of a sudden doesnt work. I thought that they go thru a slow death, that they slowly dont take a full charge etc

seven years...toast.....batteries last five years or sixty months....whichever comes first

Mike N · #19 03-19-2010, 06:53 PM

Batteries get that old an they can die w/o warning. Many times what happens is the plates inside the battery break away from sulfation and short the battery out internally.

Mike N · #20 03-19-2010, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Campbell

seven years...toast.....batteries last five years or sixty months....whichever comes first

5 years and/or 60 months is the same length of time. That is typically the warranty on a battery.

Longest I've seen a battery last was 12 years. It was a Motorcraft battery from a 98 Escort.