Dead Battery

[268Copperhead]

Lets just star by saying I don't know a lot about maintaining of fixing cars. All I know is that I love my Viper.

I live in Canada and it has been insanely cold for the last few weeks. Down to -20C.

I had been starting my car every week or so. Tonights atempt did not go so well. The battery is dead (or at least it does not have the juice to start the car). Sounds like a machine gun.

Can I just head down to the local hardware store to buy a battery charger? Place it in the trunk. And plug it in every couple of days. Or can I leave it on al the time?

 

[MikeR]

I think there was a few threads about chargers, so you might search and find some other useful info.

As for me, I had a battery tender I used on my motorcycles. I took the hardwired connector and hooked it up to my Viper's battery . When I think the Viper may be sitting for more then a few days, I just plug it in. The connector is zip tied to rear battery cable so its easliy accesed thru rear bumper.

You can pull the rear trunk liner out. On drivers side of trunk is a access panel to battery. There are 4 screws holding it down. Remove thse and pull out panel. You will see battery and I removed the smaller screws on each battery cable and used those to hook up for each terminal. Takes about 15-20 minutes total to do the job and seconds now to hook up and charge battery.

 

[Steve-Indy]

I would recommend a battery tender...so that you do not overcharge the battery. I use the "Deltran Battery Tender Plus"...it's been around for years and I have used them for years. Our Vipers are all on these now.

I do disconnect the charger if there is a chance of lightning !!!

By the way, you can charge/jump your Viper at the specified terminals under the hood...on a Gen III, the positive goes on the terminal with the red cap and the negative goes on the brass thermostat bleeder valve.

Good luck.

 

[Alabaster Mamba]

Thanks for the input about where to jump/charge your car concerning doing it under the hood.

 

[AviP]

I had been starting my car every week or so. Tonights atempt did not go so well. The battery is dead (or at least it does not have the juice to start the car). Sounds like a machine gun.

That's a dead battery for sure. Get a Battery Tender.

Also just starting your car is not going to do much for the battery. To get it charged up it needs to be driven. Obviously that's hard to do in -C weather.

I use this handy and convenient tool to figure out the state of my battery. Anytime a good battery reads below 11.5V, it's time for a charge. You can find it at http://www.iequus.com/product_info.php?product_id=3721&category_id=1_40

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[SRTRICKY]

my battery completely died...had to get it towed to the dealership and battery replaced

 

[quick2tr]

You can put your car in sleep mode for longer storage periods.

Battery can last a month even in freezing weather.

Cycle ignition acc-off-acc-off-acc-off-acc-off, hit the door locks and you get a horn beep indicating the alarm, passenger, trunk is diabled. More info in the manual.

 

[Racer Robbie]

All these battery troubles have me wondering as I have the original battery in my 2003 viper. The car has been sitting for a month here in new england with the temps never above 15 degrees. Yesterday I went out and started it. It turned over slowly but it did start. I have to wonder if the batteries put in the later vipers are inferior to the 2003 ones. Also are they under warranty?

 

[Flexx91]

Many others have had issues with Mopar OE batteries although I still have the original OE battery (same OE battery as the SRT-10) in my '05 Dakota and have not had any problems. I've had mine replaced three times in less than 1k miles. Someone mentioned in another post that these cars are ******* batteries.

Don't get got fooled into thinking that constantly charging a battery will cure your problems. Your battery may be faulty and a charge will only give you enough power to start the car. Once you turn off the ignition, you may be left stranded.

I decided to go with another brand of battery and have not had a problem since.

 

[Racer Robbie]

You have a good point about using another battery than the OEM one if they are this troublesome. The truth is I have never had to charge my 2003 and it now has about 20,000 miles on the original battery with out a hitch. A lot of people like Optimal though I have had them go dead when my Ferrari used to sit. I have been using AGM, absorbed glass mat, batteries whenever I need to buy a new one as they do not discharge even when left in my boat hooked up all winter.

 

[268Copperhead]

I bought a trickle charger today. I will be installing it this weekend.

Thanks for the advice and feedback.

 

[Coloviper]

All this talk about dead batteries got me thinkin' as I have not even pulled the cover off my car for over 2.5 months.

Checked it today, lights on, everything seems to work, but not enough juice to turn over. 300 miles on the car. Disappointing!

I bought the Deltran unit and will charge it up. Maybe there is a bad batch of batteries.

Rick