So this morning my car wouldn't start...sounded like a dead battery. The interior clock light was really faded, the nav unit wouldn't completely load and was stuck in a loop with the 'loading' screen. But after a few minutes of trying the car struggled to a start.

Same thing happens every time I start the car since then. It sounds like its struggling for a few seconds then starts up.

What could be the issue?

I get any where from 13.5 - 13.6 volt readings when the cars on.

Mitsubishi Evolution
51,000 miles

9/17/2008 9:11:46 PM

replace your battery

it is on the way out

9/17/2008 9:17:42 PM

battery, replace it

[Edited on September 17, 2008 at 9:27 PM. Reason : and don't say "oh but the voltage was.." just replace it.]

9/17/2008 9:26:53 PM

the reason why i posted the voltage was because its low. So I am in agreement with the battery replacement. Thats what I thought it was and what i was hoping it would be. Easy inexpensive fix.

9/17/2008 9:30:26 PM

o.. most ppl see 13.5 and think since it's over 12 that everyone on here is wrong and try to argue

easy fix

[Edited on September 17, 2008 at 9:34 PM. Reason : asdf]

9/17/2008 9:33:53 PM

hahaha isn't it supposed to be at 14 volts?

9/17/2008 9:43:47 PM

14.4 when the alternator is charging the battery

9/17/2008 9:48:14 PM

battery. the first cool night or two heading into fall always gets some.

9/17/2008 10:05:57 PM

my sc00t got 9.XX when it was running, and 8.XX off.

trickle charged that SOB and we at 14V son.

9/18/2008 1:30:04 AM

Quote :

"battery. the first cool night or two heading into fall always gets some."

Agreed.



The terminal voltage isn't always a great indicator of capacity.

I like to think of SLA battery's as springs. The length is deceiving if its really easy to pull.

9/18/2008 8:33:28 AM

speaking of batteries

my charger has a 2 amp and 10 amp setting. What are you supposed to use for a drained battery? A weak battery? Does it even matter?

9/18/2008 8:55:47 AM

^10 amp = kinda pissing in the wind.
2 amp = pissing in a hurricane.

Seriously, it doesn't matter, either will work. But you might take 24 hours (or more) to charge a battery with 2 amps.

13.5 volts is right in there, actually a tad high for a battery at rest. But it's NO indicator of the battery's instantaneous discharge potential under load. Battery can put out a static 13 volts all day long, but it might have an assload of sulfation on the plates, decreasing its output amperage tremendously.

9/18/2008 9:06:16 AM

^so are you in agreement that it is the battery or do you think it could be something else?

9/18/2008 9:25:36 AM

take it to Vatozone/advance, they'll prolly put a new battery to double check.. this way you dont have to "buy" it.

cuz once you purchase it and use it, you can return in. i'd try to put it on charge for a day.

like dan said, mid13's seems like it has enough potential to get charged up.

it may be hit or miss, battery is one of those "its fairly cheap enough to just get a new one" type things though.

9/18/2008 9:57:24 AM

the car is a few years old with 51k miles... it needs replacing anyway before it leaves you stranded somewhere. i'm not a fan of throwing parts at something, but this is a situation where even if it's not the battery (unlikely) it's worth it to go ahead and replace it too while you're at it. there's also the definite possibility that if there is another problem, it was caused by the weak/defective battery being a power whore on the charging system. spend the ~50 bucks for a cheap new one, or get something nicer if you wish.

9/18/2008 1:19:43 PM

^good advice...I will pick up a battery sometime today after work. Autozone/Advanced Auto Parts my best place to get one?

9/18/2008 3:41:03 PM

yeah.

you can usually get 1,2 or 3 year warranties from autozone/advanced.

9/18/2008 3:46:31 PM

you could get one of those mini battery kits... although i dont' think they are worth $280

9/18/2008 3:46:34 PM

why the hell would you do that?

9/18/2008 3:53:46 PM

^weight. depending on exactly which one you get, they're only like 10lbs. or so. they're not $280 though...

^^^^yeah, plus they'll install it for you for free. walmart can be a little cheaper, but then you have to lug a damn battery through the store and put it in yourself since none of the ones around here have an auto center.

[Edited on September 18, 2008 at 4:04 PM. Reason : actually, i think the one off of wake forest rd. might?]

9/18/2008 4:02:09 PM

yeah, the wake forest rd one does have an auto center.

im pretty sure its free. but dont know about warrantys. pretty much all batt'rys have them. some more than others and they go up in price.

9/18/2008 4:56:45 PM

yeah it's for weight savings mostly, supposedly around 20 lbs. Nevermind though, looks like you can't use them if you've got the stock airbox. AMS's is still 240, which is still overpriced imo.

http://www.amsperformance.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=22_649_654&products_id=46

and

https://secure.buschurracing.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21_29&products_id=85&osCsid=ad5b5a72ff9bc3c2f1759dcc5b478815

9/18/2008 5:33:03 PM

is it necessary for them to install it? I've pulled the battery out in my RSX before to change headlight bulbs because you can't get to it without taking out the battery.

I mean I can just do it at home but if its free then i guess i could stand around and watch someone else do it.

9/18/2008 5:50:42 PM

you and when they drop a 25 lb lead anchor on your brittle mitsubishi fender you will regret it

9/18/2008 6:49:14 PM

fyi he drives a lancer

9/18/2008 7:28:50 PM

^is there a point to your post or do you also want to tell us that the earth is round?

9/18/2008 7:37:22 PM

well they also give you a core charge/dispose of it. might as well let them do it. i mean, you can do it there with the tools they have. but its just easy since you can leave it for them to take care of.

9/18/2008 8:54:36 PM

I got a battery from Advance auto and had some recharging issues in my 300z. I finally fixed it, but int eh mean time, they replaced the battery 3 times for no charge....

9/18/2008 9:13:50 PM

oh i did forget to mention that the "service engine soon" light came on. Is that because the battery triggered it or did something else trigger it, like mileage?

9/19/2008 1:37:01 AM

something from the battery. probably some sensor not seeing enough voltage, maybe a misfire at startup or something from a weak coil pack, etc... wouldn't worry about it, it'll reset when they unhook the old battery.

Quote :

"yeah it's for weight savings mostly, supposedly around 20 lbs. Nevermind though, looks like you can't use them if you've got the stock airbox. AMS's is still 240, which is still overpriced imo."

you should easily be able to do it for ~150 piecing parts together yourself from elsewhere. you're paying for the convenience of a "kit" there. i've been pricing all that stuff the past week in preparation for my c5 to go on a diet.

9/19/2008 3:17:59 AM

is the car still under warranty?

this is the time when you take advantage of it.

9/19/2008 6:53:58 AM

Quote :

"51,000 miles"

This list is headed by a 5-year/60,000 mile Powertrain Limited Warranty

9/19/2008 7:12:25 AM

last time I had my battery load tested at autozone, the guy saw that I had my amplifier hooked up to it (trunk mounted). he goes on to tell me they wont honor the warranty if it's hooked up straight to the battery like that. I says to him "well that's how you hook up amplifiers." then he says to me "you're supposed to hook it up to a special power supply unit they make for car amps."

???

9/19/2008 8:58:42 AM

I swapped out the battery last night, car started back up just fine right after. Everything is back to normal...well everything except now my nav unit reset back to factory settings... (obviously)

9/20/2008 12:39:13 PM

^^lol, maybe he meant capacitor

9/20/2008 1:52:51 PM