HELP, car is totally dead

[snampro]

(yes I searched, but I didn't find anything useful)

drove my car three days ago with no issues and the battery voltage was fine. when I tried to start it earlier today I found it was completely dead. no dings or fuel pump priming, nothing. I couldn't find anything left on, so I'm not sure what the cause was. Battery is about two years old.

can I jump start it and if so from where? the car is in my garage so the front of the car will be difficult to access.

If I get a battery tender will it charge the battery so I can start it later?

thanks...

 

[Purdue_Boiler_Viper]

I'd start with checking the battery cable connections. Most likely, you don't have a good contact on one of the cables. Take the cables off, clean the posts and connectors, and reattach. The Battery Tender would slowly charge the battery if it is dead.

I'm not a Gen I owner, so I can't help you on where to jump from.

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

I just got off the phone with Ben, so I dont know if this cured his problem or not, but a very common problem for TOTALLY dead Vipers is that the floormat has become bunched up under the clutch and the clutch isnt going all the way to the floor when depressed. For anyone else who has a dead Viper in the future, check that 1st

 

[snampro]

didn't help, the floor mat was all the way back, so it wasn't that.

 

[FrankBarba]

I believe it is time to change the battery....

 

[CROM]

Go to your local auto parts store and buy yourself a battery. Should be around 75 bucks.

You could have left something on in the car by accident and the battery drained. I left the rear hatch open a little bit, leaving the hatch light on for 5 days and the battery was completely dead.

Cheap possible solution!

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Battery probably.

 

[dansauto]

I just got off the phone with Ben, so I dont know if this cured his problem or not, but a very common problem for TOTALLY dead Vipers is that the floormat has become bunched up under the clutch and the clutch isnt going all the way to the floor when depressed. For anyone else who has a dead Viper in the future, check that 1st

the car should still prime the fuel pressure, if there is not voltage it has nothing to do with the clutch not being depressed all the way. It is probably the battery. Chrylser computers are very sensitve to voltage drop and do weird things. I dont take care of my battery and end up replacing it every year...

 

[wastntim]

The first day after I bought my car, I had the exact same problem, I went out and bought a new battery, a new low profile jack, new low jackstands. Pulled the battery and put in the new battery and ...nothing. After going into a complete panic about the idea of having bought some electrical mess, I was looking under the hood and found out the cable to the jumper post was fastened down. I drove 100 miles like that, luckily the car didn't die but it was making the antilock brake light flash while I was driving, which had also been a big concern. Turns out the battery I replaced was fine, but it was 4 years old, so I decided to replace it anyway.

 

[99 R/T 10]

Did you leave the alarm on? It has drained many a batteries if left on for too long without a recharge(batt. tender). Replace battery for sure, it will never be the same

 

[CROM]

Just a couple notes about the progression of my dying, then dead, battery.

1). When my battery first died my door poppers worked fine (alarm did not however), and all my interior lights would come on. I can't remember if my headlights came on or not, but I think they did. Everything seemed normal, but the engine had no intentions of turning over. The battery and engine came to life after 6 hours of charging.

2). Fast forward a week later (with no driving in between). The door poppers did not work and no interior lights would come on at all. I had to use the "Emergency Release" latches to get inside the car. Jump starting did nothing. I ran down to Advance Auto parts, purchased a battery and that solved all my issues.

3). Once the battery died, charging worked only as a quick fix. The battery was completely dead the following weekend.

How long did the car sit after the last time you drove it?

 

[snampro]

thanks for the info guys. I'm going to pull the battery this morning. I tested the voltage at the posts in the front and got almost nothing (just a slight voltage). I'll test the battery again when its off the car before I replace it.

I definitely didn't leave the alarm on. Interior light was not on and the door were both closed.

The car has been sitting since Sunday, I was wrong about the three days, it was more like 5 days.

 

[grcforce327]

Get ready to do the ALARM DANCE !

 

[JonB]

If I get a battery tender will it charge the battery so I can start it later? thanks...

If the battery is totally dead (0 volts) it will NOT trigger a fuly-automatic charger like a Battery Tender to begin charging. The beauty of the B.T. is that it has a pair of display lights to tell you if its charging, or 4-5 other functions. But it WONT charge a stone-dead battery. You need a manual charger Hot-Shot, or a jump-charge to get a couple volts in there....and THEN attach a fully automatic charger.

Our VCA price on a Battery Tender Plus is $49

 

[99 R/T 10]

I did have a problem with my old 96 where the battery would drain for no reason. Turned out to be the drivers side door release mechanism had gone bad. The only way I could tell was the light under the rear view mirror was on like the door was open, but the door was closed(hence it would drain the battery slowly over a couple of days). Might want to check that,

 

[snampro]

pulled the battery and confirmed it was dead (~ 2 volts without a load). went to AutoZone and bought a new Duralast Gold battery for $80.55 including tax and installed it. car is working fine.

I was wrong, the interior light was on. apparently when the white side of the switch with the light drawn on it is showing that means the light is turned off, I had it the other way.

simple change and I got to clean the battery tray out so that is good.

quick note, my new compressor and air tools make removing and installing wheels a simple task.

 

[CROM]

Just love it when the simple solution is the right one! Glad that was easy.

Cheers!

 

[snampro]

yeah, me too.

also gave me an opportunity to inspect all the rear end bolts, etc.

 

[SYNFULL]

Snampro-
What compressor did you get? My POS which is 4 hp and 10 gal won't work half my tools including my impact wrench.
Thanks
Gary

 

[jwbond]

I have a completely dead battery that was just installed 2 months ago. I might be putting in another new one today, but am worried that my snake will **** the life out of it too!

I had a pretty powerful aftermarket stereo installed in it 3-4 weeks ago and I am concerned that it is the culprit. Can aftermarket amplifiers that are off drain a battery even faster?

 

[snampro]

I would suspect the new stereo. even if it is drain the battery more, get a $40 battery tend and you won't have to worry about it.

 

[99 R/T 10]

Are you arming the alarm for long periods of time? That will also drain the battery in a matter of days.

 

[snampro]

or leaving the interior light on, or maybe you connected the memory power feed to the stereo wrong?

 

[jwbond]

I would suspect the new stereo. even if it is drain the battery more, get a $40 battery tend and you won't have to worry about it.

I have the battery tender now (got it 2 days after it died). Do you hook it up all the time or just when it sits for more than a week? Any rule of thumb to go by?

Are you arming the alarm for long periods of time? That will also drain the battery in a matter of days.

I'll be sure not to use it unless necessary from now on, that may have been my problem!

 

[snampro]

if you've been arming the alarm all the time that's probably the problem. plugging in the battery tender all the time won't hurt anything.

 

[DAMN YANKEE]

And...while they are $7...

http://forums.viperclub.org/showthread.php?t=601618

You wont regret this project...cheap and you will never have this problem again.

 

[jwbond]

The guy who helped me instal the battery came over with a portable jumper battery (I believe it was called "Instant Power"). Using it we jumped it in under 2 mins. To my surprise he said the jumping problem was due to my jumper cables being too small of a guage. They seem pretty thick, but I guess I'll go in search of a thicker set.




I'll be sure to not set the alarm unless necessary from now on.



Damn Yankee, great post! It might just be my next project.

 

[DAMN YANKEE]

Thanks,

Do the mod, set your alarm.

 

[Purdue_Boiler_Viper]

The guy who helped me instal the battery came over with a portable jumper battery (I believe it was called "Instant Power"). Using it we jumped it in under 2 mins. To my surprise he said the jumping problem was due to my jumper cables being too small of a guage. They seem pretty thick, but I guess I'll go in search of a thicker set.

Very doubtful that the gauge of the jumper is a problem. More likely a connection on the cables. Make sure that the new amp is not on all the time. That will surely drain the battery.