topic Re: Dead battery experience in Among Friends

Dead battery experience

Imaoldhippie — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 19:18:37 GMT

Yesterday got in my car to make a trip to town. Put the key in the ignition and NOTHING, oh no a dead battery. I could not get the key out of the ignition, it would not release the key. Hubby was home so I got his keys to take 2nd car to run the errand.

Hubby put the battery charger on so we could get my keys out of the ignition. Something to think about if your house keys are on the same ring and you have locked the house. Got keys out.

This morning hubby is getting the new battery. The battery compartment is under the front passengers seat and in order to slide the seat forward to get to the dead battery the seat will not move because its battery powered. Had to recharge the car again, move the seat and get the battery out.

Now I dont know but what the heck kind of design is that? GMC paid a design engineer to come up with this great idea! Shaking my head???

Our vehicle is a 2010 GMC Acadia.

I dont know if other car manufacterers have a nutty thing like this but its something you might want to check out in your car or consider if you are buying a car.

Thank goodness hubby was a mechanic when he was younger and knows about car mechanic's. And thank goodness this happened at home. The instructions say battery need changed by a professional. On top of that the battery weigh's 45 lbs.

Re: Dead battery experience

lgfan — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 14:25:18 GMT

I learned many years ago about not keeping your house keys on the same key chain as your car keys. When you take your car to a mechanic and give him your keys to your car he can easily make copies of your house keys to break into your house. I keep my house keys and car keys on separate key chains.

Re: Dead battery experience

justashopper — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 14:28:55 GMT

Hi @Imaoldhippie

I am sorry this happened. What a mess with the seat and all. Yikes. Glad you were safe at home though.

I live in an area that experiences both extreme high temps and low temps throughout the year. So a new battery every 3 years is key. I never wait for it to die. Sure changing the battery before it dies might seem like an expense, but it saves a lot of time and agrevation.

Re: Dead battery experience

Teddixat — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 14:35:05 GMT

@justashopper I just had a new battery installed yesterday. My battery was over 5 years almost 6 abd I knew it had to be a matter of time. I just didn't want to get in the car one day and have it not start abd to have to call AAA to come to start the car.

I agree with the OP that the location of the battery does not seem very convenient. It's a good thing she was home when it happened.

Re: Dead battery experience

paixmcdao — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 14:50:09 GMT

@lgfan wrote:
I learned many years ago about not keeping your house keys on the same key chain as your car keys. When you take your car to a mechanic and give him your keys to your car he can easily make copies of your house keys to break into your house. I keep my house keys and car keys on separate key chains.

My mechanic only receives the ignition key.

Re: Dead battery experience

Sage04 — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 14:52:47 GMT

I don't think anyone would turn over their entire set of keys. Most people would separate the keys before getting to the shop or just give the mechanic the spare set if there is one.

Re: Dead battery experience

Biftu — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 14:59:30 GMT

I had a similar problem removing the key from the ignition on my Subaru just this week. I was out running errands and went to remove the key and it wouldn't release. No matter what I did it wouldn't come out. Drove to the Subaru dealer and he immediately knew what I was talking about and said it has been a Subaru problem. He told me to turn the key part way with my foot on the brake and quickly move from park to drive a few times and it should release. The next day I was leaving on a trip for a couple of days and just hoped it wouldn't happen again. It didn't, but I now knew the trick if it did. Brought it in when I returned and it was fixed at no charge. Sure took me by surprise.

Re: Dead battery experience

Kachina624 — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 15:20:36 GMT

@Imaoldhippie. Look at the bright side of your poster child of automotive engineering....your battery would be impossible to steal.

Re: Dead battery experience

Love my grandkids — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 15:24:45 GMT

@Imaoldhippie I have car and house keys on the same ring BUT years ago I put one of each in the middle zip pocket of my wallet -- just in case. Never needed them but glad to know they are there.

Re: Dead battery experience

Kachina624 — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 15:28:57 GMT

I've always used nothing but these separating Keychain. Car keys on one ring, house keys on the other. When you turn your car keys over to someone else, just press the little button to separate and retain your house keys.

Re: Dead battery experience

Sooner — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 15:44:28 GMT

The keyless car start is a wonderful thing in my recent vehicles! LOVE that feature.

What make of car has a battery under the seat? I never heard of that.

Re: Dead battery experience

Chessa35 — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 16:09:32 GMT

@lgfan : I either take my car key off my key ring , or give the mechanic my spare key .
Also , if you think about it ; what's to stop the mechanic from making a copy of your car key and stealing your car ! ( He know's your address )

I quess you have to go to a mechanic you feel you can trust .

Re: Dead battery experience

Othereeeen — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 16:56:12 GMT

@Sooner

My 2011 Buick Enclave SUV has the battery under the floor, behind the passenger seat. When you open the hood if you have to jump it, there are two terminals there that run to the battery so you don't have to access the battery itself to get it running.

I too beleive in replacing the battery on a schedule, BEFORE it dies in some inconvenient place...

My car was manufactured in 2010, so they were already doing it then.(hiding the battery!!)

At least no one can easily steal the battery...they can run almost 100 bucks today....!! And I just noticed ( After all this time of just pressing the fob!!) my car has NO way to open it with a key ( no keyhole!!!).

My car lives in a heated garage, so the battery lasts longer than one left outside in the weather...but this November it will get it's second new one in it's life.

My car has a name too. "AUTO". I always thank Auto when he gets me home safe...as I reward I wash him at LEAST once a month in the Super Wash/Wax so he still looks brand new. My garage smells like that bubblegum soap they use in the car wash when I bring it home.....

I NEVER take him out when the roads are wet, icy, snowy or in the dark. I'm retired, so this works!!! I plan all my trips. ( Not kidding....fresh and dissolved road salt destroys cars here in the W. Pa where I live!!!)

He has less than 30K miles which I good cause I'll be driving him til I'm 90!!!!

Both my old man neighbors want to buy Auto if I get rid of him....but they keep their current junkheaps outdoors ( thier garages are full of consumer junk that they never use) and it would kill me to see AUTO outside freezing in winter....

Re: Dead battery experience

chrystaltree — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 16:50:56 GMT

@lgfan wrote:
I learned many years ago about not keeping your house keys on the same key chain as your car keys. When you take your car to a mechanic and give him your keys to your car he can easily make copies of your house keys to break into your house. I keep my house keys and car keys on separate key chains.

I remember the drivers ed teacher telling us that when I was in high school. 45 years ago. People only leave their car keys when they have their cars serviced.

Re: Dead battery experience

CelticCrafter — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 16:55:10 GMT

I don't keep the car key on the same key chain as the house keys and the car key never leaves my purse.

My husband went out one day, forgot something, left the car running while he used the keys to get back into the house. Threw the keys on the table, got what he forgot and off he went.

He was gone a few minutes when I saw the keys laying on the table.

Luckily I was able to get in touch with him before he turned the car off so he could come back home again and get the keys. We are a one car family so if he had turned it off the only way he was getting home was to walk or figure out how to use Uber on his phone.

Re: Dead battery experience

Imaoldhippie — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 19:19:57 GMT

@Sooner .............Is a GMC Acadia.

Re: Dead battery experience

lgfan — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 17:14:34 GMT

@Chessa35

Some newer model car keys cannot be duplicated. You would have to go to the dealer and purchase another key.

Re: Dead battery experience

spumoni99 — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 17:17:41 GMT

@Sooner wrote:
The keyless car start is a wonderful thing in my recent vehicles! LOVE that feature.

What make of car has a battery under the seat? I never heard of that.

I didn't even know that was a thing, a few weeks ago my daughter called me. She had just dome off of a 4 days of working and was in LAX, she lives in San Diego. She just wanted to get home but the keyless fob battery was dead and the override wouldn't work. She walked a mile to target to get a replacement battery. Then when she tried to start the car it said the car battery was dead, she used the Halo bolt I had given her and it finally got started. Strange the car battery has been fine since. I guess the lesson I hope she learned was to keep extra batteries to the key fob.

I kind of like my old fashioned key.

Re: Dead battery experience

roeroe1005 — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 17:39:24 GMT

@Biftu,

I used to have that same problem with one of my older Outbacks. The steering wheel would lock and that would add to the problem. My sister drives Outbacks also, she never dealt with it.

I'm sorry it happened to you, but I'm glad it was not just me.

Re: Dead battery experience

laluzdelmundo — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 18:01:25 GMT

@Imaoldhippie My Kia Soul went through a phase of not releasing the ignition key. I could turn the engine off but the power stayed on. If I left it on all night (not locked, mind you) it would have been available to steal or at least wear down the battery. I tried everything I could find on the www, nothing worked! Finally called AAA and after a few minutes talking to whoever took my call, just said,ok I have a dead battery.

The dead battery guy showed up and I explained the problem. He had never heard of this before, so I suggested he disconnect the battery. Presto! The key was released. Then this happened twice more. Of course I had to disconnect the battery and I don't like doing that, have to use a wrench or pliers.

My mechanically gifted friend later attached a battery disconnect device that has an easy switch to turn off battery. Problem solved. It's only done that once since but with my cool battery on/off switch, I'm good. BTW my mechanic at Kia dealership said he'd never seen this problem before. Maybe he told me the truth, or maybe not.

I'm grateful my battery is up front and easy to reach. I know about yours because I worked at GMC dealership for several years.