Apparently car batteries just die without warning

[Wish Upon A Star]

I've owned a few cars during my life and you just knew when the batteries were going . . .or, it could be just my imagination . . .

Anyhow, my 05 Altima runs great, never had a problem with anything . . .has about 22,000 miles on it . . .bought it new . . .go to work today, no problem, go out during lunch time and ran errands, no problem . . .go to leave work . . .CLICK, CLICK . . . I didn't leave the lights on or anything, battery just decided it had enough apparently . . .good thing I had cables and found one of my co-workers to gratiously jump me . . .I get home (thankfully) turn it off . . .tried to turn it back on . . .CLICK, CLICK . . .ok, so I hook up the battery charger to it just to see if it would take a charge . . .NOPE, nothing . . .didn't even move the needle . . .So apprently I had a 36 month car battery that lasted 38 months . . .

My question is . . shouldn't there be something, anything at all to let you know that the battery is going on newer cars? The battery light didn't even go on . .

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

A number of years ago I had the same thing happen. It wasn't the battery, it was the alternator that totally drained the battery. the car died as I was driving.

It may be a combination of alternator/battery. I would have the alternator checked to make sure its putting out the right charge!!

 

[Uncle Remus]

The best way to know when a battery is gonna crap out on ya is the
purchase/warranty date, it gives out on ya right after the expiration date.

 

[georgina]

Wow! 3 years seems a little short. I just had my battery replaced last winter because the car was 7 years (75000 miles) old and I thought it might go sometime. Can't they check it when the car is serviced to see how it is holding up? Grumpy pirate is right, it may be something else too.

 

[golfgal]

When I have had that happen to me I have noticed that it takes just a little be longer to turn over then normal, maybe a couple seconds, nothing major, but I have had this happen to me twice and looking back that is what happened. The last one was on my DH's car, that I rarely drive. I drove it one weekend day and told him I thought his battery was going-he said it was fine. I went to Target the next day, car wouldn't start when I got out of the store-dead battery. I made him drive over and give me a jump .

 

[SwedishMeatball]

The same thing just happened to me. I went to take my son to scouts, turned the key, and nothing. Thank goodness for warranties.

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

I would be greatly surprised if it was the alternator . . .although it just might be since my 3 year/36,000 mile warranty expired in August . . .

We'll see what happens after DH puts in the new battery when he gets home tonight . . .I'm hoping that is all it was . . .

 

[msdznyduck]

That happened to me this morning....thankfully DH was working from home, so I used his Jeep to run some errands. And it is after 7:30, and he still has to jump my battery to see if it will keep a charge. He is going to work tomorrow, so if my car doesn't start tomorrow
I just hate feeling stranded

 

[Imzadi]

It may be a combination of alternator/battery. I would have the alternator checked to make sure its putting out the right charge!!

Yep, I was about to say the same thing. A bad alternator can kill a good battery. Don't ask how I know.

Well, your battery did survive 3 months longer than advertised.

Ans the battery light didn't even go on because it would have taken too much energy for the battery to alert you. It was too busy having it's last breath.

 

[famofsix]

it's probally bush's fault Just kidding


I've had it happen to me too and it is a bummer

 

[Barbossa]

I've had several batteries crap out without warning. AAA can definitely come in handy!

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

My car did that just the other week. It started fine all weekend without incident.

Go out Monday morning, thinking I was getting about 10 minutes head start on the day. Yeah, right!

Click, click, click. Click, click, click. Yell for DH to come take a look, thinking it might be a loose spark plug wire since that recently was a problem for him, but pretty sure it's just the battery.
He checks all the wires and connectors. Nope, not the plug wires.

Next thing I know, he pulls the truck over, after pushing the car to make room in front of it, and digs out the jumper cables. It took about 10 minutes to charge up, but it finally turned over and I was on my way.

On lunch break I went out to start it, figuring if I let it idle for a few minutes it will help boost the charge for when I leave at the end of the day.

I made sure to let one of the guys know I was leaving and might need help with a jump-start, but was fortunate- it started, with a little hesitation. I went straight to get a replacement, after the guy checked the alternator just to rule out anything other than the battery.

My car is an '03. Guy said it looked like it was the original battery.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

When I have had that happen to me I have noticed that it takes just a little be longer to turn over then normal, maybe a couple seconds, nothing major, but I have had this happen to me twice and looking back that is what happened. The last one was on my DH's car, that I rarely drive. I drove it one weekend day and told him I thought his battery was going-he said it was fine. I went to Target the next day, car wouldn't start when I got out of the store-dead battery. I made him drive over and give me a jump .

Yes, thats cool!! but did he fix your car???

hehehehehe


(sorry, like Tom Cruise said in TOPGUN "I saw the shot, and I took it"!!!)

 

[Sleepy]

My car battery died back in April. I just turned the key and nothing happened. I had no forewarning. My car is a 2000 Durango. It was the original battery.

 

[golfgal]

Yes, thats cool!! but did he fix your car???

hehehehehe


(sorry, like Tom Cruise said in TOPGUN "I saw the shot, and I took it"!!!)

You know, I retyped that 3 times because I couldn't come up with a good way to phrase that so I didn't end up with a tag. No, he didn't fix the car but I was able to drive to a shop so they could .

 

[Disney Doll]

A number of years ago I had the same thing happen. It wasn't the battery, it was the alternator that totally drained the battery. the car died as I was driving.

It may be a combination of alternator/battery. I would have the alternator checked to make sure its putting out the right charge!!

I agree.
Seems quick to me.

 

[NotUrsula]

At least it's better than what happened with my 2001 Altima -- my original battery EXPLODED without warning. Yep. I was at the supermarket with DS, had just put the groceries in the trunk, strapped him into his booster (he was 5 at the time), went to start the engine, and heard this giant KLUNK! come from under the hood. When I opened the hood I discovered battery bits splattered all over my engine. I've also got a nice dent in the hood from the impact (still have the car, and it still has the dent.) I had had the car for about 28 months at the time.

I'm in the market for another vehicle right now, and this incident is part of the reason why I'm not considering Nissan this time around. (I've also had some issues with the paint quality on this car.) Just a little personally spooked by the experience.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

My battery died twice on my 95 Taurus with no warning. First time my DH changed it the pouring rain at a parking lot.
The second time I got lucky, I went to go to work one morning only to find it died.