Winter is coming, and I think my battery is dead/dieing

ThreeSeven · 11-03-2015, 11:56 AM

https://vid.me/GGbH

This was happening to me a lot last year although usually the car would start up after a turn or two, it's an AT. But this morning when leaving for work it just kept doing this. Did some Googling, saw a recommendation to unplug the negative terminal on the battery for 10-15 minutes but that didn't do anything. Other recommendations included that the battery on the key fob might be bad, so I replaced it and even tried the second key fob but that didn't help either.

When this happens the brake pedal stiffens to the point of basically being locked up. This really only happens when the weather starts getting cold here in California. Temps around 55 degrees at night right now. I drive it a couple miles to and from work every day, not usually out on long trips.

I don't have a voltmeter so I was going to take the battery down to Autozone and have them test it. I'm hoping it's the battery, it's an '09 with 42k miles on it, 10k of which I have put on it as I bought it used 2 years ago.

Just wanted to post and see if anyone could help me out before I head out.

KngScottieV · 11-03-2015, 11:59 AM

Battery could be very likely. They usually only last 5-6 years, and winter when they'll usually die.

Every battery I've ever had in any vehicle has always died during the winter.

fryzia23 · 11-03-2015, 12:00 PM

Turn ignition on and check the battery voltage looking at your gauge in the dash

ThreeSeven · 11-03-2015, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KngScottieV

Battery could be very likely. They usually only last 5-6 years, and winter when they'll usually die.

Every battery I've ever had in any vehicle has always died during the winter.

I'll try and check the battery when I remove it then because 5-6 years would mean it's time to replace it if it hasn't been.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fryzia23

Turn ignition on and check the battery voltage looking at your gauge in the dash

Reads about 11.2v just now. I also noticed that the windows seemed to have lowered slightly on their own, as well as being very slow to go back up and that I couldn't engage the switch so that it would go up by itself. I had to hold the switch.

barncobob · 11-03-2015, 01:04 PM

just go to walmart, change it yourself,,dont go to dealer$$

kenchan · 11-03-2015, 01:41 PM

if you haven't done any maintenance on the battery the last 6yrs, probably dead. just get a new one. some places will give u a few bucks for the old one if you bring it in.

2011 Nismo#91 · 11-03-2015, 01:46 PM

rww · 11-03-2015, 01:50 PM

3-7...as you can see u r my 1st reply, I read but never respond, so here it goes, as an old mechanic, I can tell you that people neglect their batteries. the z has lots of electronics and electrical parts...concur with the others 5-6 yrs....lucky you...here in the Midwest where temps drop to subzero my routine is simple ...every fall, on all cars, pull the clamps off the posts and clean with a post wire brush....terminals and clamp...oxidation needs to be removed...twice a month I put a charger on over night, subzero...maybe wkly..short drives will slowly drain it and the chemical reaction in a bat is temp dependent, if replacing, I concur with barncobob, go to Walmart, and get the best bat, highest cranking amps, in the specific size..watch for post location..which means take yours in....charge over night..if u don't have a charger, well get one ..lastly, feel lucky, our Z is garaged in the winter

ThreeSeven · 11-03-2015, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barncobob

just go to walmart, change it yourself,,dont go to dealer$$

I was planning on changing it myself, the plastic cowls that have to be removed might be annoying but it looked simple enough.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan

if you haven't done any maintenance on the battery the last 6yrs, probably dead. just get a new one. some places will give u a few bucks for the old one if you bring it in.

Was going to head over to Autozone or O'Reilly near me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rww

3-7...as you can see u r my 1st reply, I read but never respond, so here it goes, as an old mechanic, I can tell you that people neglect their batteries. the z has lots of electronics and electrical parts...concur with the others 5-6 yrs....lucky you...here in the Midwest where temps drop to subzero my routine is simple ...every fall, on all cars, pull the clamps off the posts and clean with a post wire brush....terminals and clamp...oxidation needs to be removed...twice a month I put a charger on over night, subzero...maybe wkly..short drives will slowly drain it and the chemical reaction in a bat is temp dependent, if replacing, I concur with barncobob, go to Walmart, and get the best bat, highest cranking amps, in the specific size..watch for post location..which means take yours in....charge over night..if u don't have a charger, well get one ..lastly, feel lucky, our Z is garaged in the winter

I'm happy I live in an area where I don't have to garage the car, I love driving it so much. Any recommendation on a charger I can pick up at Autozone/O'Reilly when I get a new battery?

POS VETT · 11-03-2015, 02:22 PM

Do you have a float charger with a desulfating function?

rww · 11-03-2015, 02:23 PM

Schumacher's are very popular....so is Die hard....I have both in the garage...the Schumacher is 1/2 dead after 5 yrs...lost the auto side....but manual still works...die hard is a basic charger...I think it was like $40-50 at menards..
KISS model on this.....keep it simple...2amp/8-10-12 amp...12v...really don't need a booster 70-100 amp...at that point use your jumper cables

kenchan · 11-03-2015, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThreeSeven

Was going to head over to Autozone or O'Reilly near me.

sounds good to me. should be a group35 battery. GL

Billibob22 · 11-03-2015, 03:32 PM

Im in California as well. Here in the central valley we should count on changing the battery every 4-5 years due to the temperature swing.. I just changed mine back in May...
Thanks to 370z.com I had a full diagram and changed it in like 15 minutes :-)
Unfortunately the weather just eats batteries here..

ThreeSeven · 11-03-2015, 04:28 PM

Pretty sure it was the original battery because the liquid inside was low and the guy pointed out that the side of the battery was bulging a little. Picked up a new one and it started better than when I bought the car two years ago. Thanks everyone for the help.

11-03-2015, 11:56 AM	#1 (permalink)
ThreeSeven Base Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: United States Posts: 30 Drives: 09 Nissan 370Z Rep Power: 10	Winter is coming, and I think my battery is dead/dieing https://vid.me/GGbH This was happening to me a lot last year although usually the car would start up after a turn or two, it's an AT. But this morning when leaving for work it just kept doing this. Did some Googling, saw a recommendation to unplug the negative terminal on the battery for 10-15 minutes but that didn't do anything. Other recommendations included that the battery on the key fob might be bad, so I replaced it and even tried the second key fob but that didn't help either. When this happens the brake pedal stiffens to the point of basically being locked up. This really only happens when the weather starts getting cold here in California. Temps around 55 degrees at night right now. I drive it a couple miles to and from work every day, not usually out on long trips. I don't have a voltmeter so I was going to take the battery down to Autozone and have them test it. I'm hoping it's the battery, it's an '09 with 42k miles on it, 10k of which I have put on it as I bought it used 2 years ago. Just wanted to post and see if anyone could help me out before I head out.

11-03-2015, 11:59 AM	#2 (permalink)
KngScottieV Base Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Utah Age: 40 Posts: 155 Drives: 13 370z MagmaRed M6S Rep Power: 23	Battery could be very likely. They usually only last 5-6 years, and winter when they'll usually die. Every battery I've ever had in any vehicle has always died during the winter. __________________ 2013 Nissan 370z Magma Red Base w/Sport package 6speed. AAM intakes (S-line for now, still needs tuned), Berk HFC's, ARK DT-S cat-back, CJM baffled oil pan, and FI 34 row oil cooler.

11-03-2015, 12:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
fryzia23 Enthusiast Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: new jersey Posts: 452 Drives: 2011 MB 370Z NISMO Rep Power: 1246	Turn ignition on and check the battery voltage looking at your gauge in the dash LA370z likes this.

11-03-2015, 03:32 PM	#13 (permalink)
Billibob22 Base Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: California Posts: 103 Drives: 40th Anniversary#365 Rep Power: 10	Im in California as well. Here in the central valley we should count on changing the battery every 4-5 years due to the temperature swing.. I just changed mine back in May... Thanks to 370z.com I had a full diagram and changed it in like 15 minutes :-) Unfortunately the weather just eats batteries here.. __________________

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11-03-2015, 01:04 PM	#5 (permalink)
barncobob A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: hangtown, CA Posts: 1,164 Drives: 16 370Z auto Rep Power: 590	just go to walmart, change it yourself,,dont go to dealer$$

11-03-2015, 01:41 PM	#6 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141521	if you haven't done any maintenance on the battery the last 6yrs, probably dead. just get a new one. some places will give u a few bucks for the old one if you bring it in.

11-03-2015, 01:46 PM	#7 (permalink)
2011 Nismo#91 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: NJ Posts: 2,401 Drives: slowly Rep Power: 40569

11-03-2015, 01:50 PM	#8 (permalink)
rww Base Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: sioux city ia Posts: 8 Drives: 2013 370z Rep Power: 10	3-7...as you can see u r my 1st reply, I read but never respond, so here it goes, as an old mechanic, I can tell you that people neglect their batteries. the z has lots of electronics and electrical parts...concur with the others 5-6 yrs....lucky you...here in the Midwest where temps drop to subzero my routine is simple ...every fall, on all cars, pull the clamps off the posts and clean with a post wire brush....terminals and clamp...oxidation needs to be removed...twice a month I put a charger on over night, subzero...maybe wkly..short drives will slowly drain it and the chemical reaction in a bat is temp dependent, if replacing, I concur with barncobob, go to Walmart, and get the best bat, highest cranking amps, in the specific size..watch for post location..which means take yours in....charge over night..if u don't have a charger, well get one ..lastly, feel lucky, our Z is garaged in the winter

11-03-2015, 02:22 PM	#10 (permalink)
POS VETT Track Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Columbus OH Posts: 612 Drives: Z34\|C4LT4\|C6Z06\|V25 Rep Power: 3366	Do you have a float charger with a desulfating function?

11-03-2015, 02:23 PM	#11 (permalink)
rww Base Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: sioux city ia Posts: 8 Drives: 2013 370z Rep Power: 10	Schumacher's are very popular....so is Die hard....I have both in the garage...the Schumacher is 1/2 dead after 5 yrs...lost the auto side....but manual still works...die hard is a basic charger...I think it was like $40-50 at menards.. KISS model on this.....keep it simple...2amp/8-10-12 amp...12v...really don't need a booster 70-100 amp...at that point use your jumper cables

11-03-2015, 04:28 PM	#14 (permalink)
ThreeSeven Base Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: United States Posts: 30 Drives: 09 Nissan 370Z Rep Power: 10	Pretty sure it was the original battery because the liquid inside was low and the guy pointed out that the side of the battery was bulging a little. Picked up a new one and it started better than when I bought the car two years ago. Thanks everyone for the help.