Vibe is going through batteries

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RRich89
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Joined: Sat May 02, 2015 2:12 pm

Vibe is going through batteries

Post by RRich89 »

I'm currently on my third new battery in two years on my 06 Vibe. I'm pretty sure I had the original battery until 2014, went to Pep Boys to get a Bosch battery. First one dies in about 18 months. I get a second Bosch free and this one made it only 6 months. I asked the service advisor if they've been having issues with Bosch and mentioned it may be my alternator that is killing the battery so quickly. As far as they can tell everything looks fine though. My question is can an alternator on its way out prematurely kill a battery or was he just guessing? I haven't noticed any electrical quirks to even raise my suspicion on the alternator.
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vibrologist
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Re: Vibe is going through batteries

Post by vibrologist »

A bad voltage regulator could cause the battery being overcharged and fried to death. A bad battery could cause the alternator to get overworked and die. Some systems use the ECM to regulate the alternator voltage, others have the regulator built into the alternator.

First make sure that all the contacts at the battery terminals are clean and that no corrosion has moved into the cables. Then go to the alternator side and clean the contacts of the wires there. Also make sure there is no corrosion on the alternator mounts. These serve as ground contact to the engine block. Next check the ground strap between the engine and body and finally the ground cable of the battery where it is bolted to the body.

If you still have trouble we will need to use a voltmeter......
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'05 Vibe

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BenWA
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Re: Vibe is going through batteries

Post by BenWA »

I vote for voltage regulator too.

An old '93 Ford Escort's voltage regulator went bad and was pushing out 16-18V or something like that. I caught it before it totally killed the battery thankfully, but the battery did suffer for it a little I think though. The regulator was the kind you could simply unscrew from the alternator and replace for a fraction of the cost of a whole alternator, so I did that... and it did the trick.

I topped the battery off with water and float charged it back to (relative) health. The car ended up in the salvage yard before I had to replace the battery though. As I recall though, the battery was pretty much dead by that point. Pretty sure I remember having to jump start it for the trip to the salvage yard.
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lannvouivre
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Re: Vibe is going through batteries

Post by lannvouivre »

I saw an alternator put out 17V to the battery. The acid was literally boiling out.

If you get an alternator, Mitsubishi and DENSO know how to rebuild them to last as long as the factory one. Don't cheap out on it, or you'll probably end up claiming several warranties on alternators.
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Chiadog
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Re: Vibe is going through batteries

Post by Chiadog »

I always have a $2.92 digital Voltmeter plugged into my cigarette lighter to keep an eye on alternator voltage output! Never had an unexpected battery problem yet.

http://www.amazon.com/TOOGOO-Cigarette- ... ge_o01_s00
jolt
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Re: Vibe is going through batteries

Post by jolt »

vibrologist pretty much covered the bases. The importance of good grounding can not be overstated and you can never have to many ground straps. Something that has not been said is bad diodes inside the alternator can cause AC voltage to bleed into your DC battery. This puts more load on the battery and the alternator. The alternator will have reduced amperage output. You can not check this with a voltmeter. You would need to do a load test and check amperage and for any AC leakage out of the alternator. Also check what the amp draw is when the car is turned off. If you have a drain on the battery with the car off, it can be discharging the battery. This can really work the battery and shorten it's life. Start with the cables and your connections, making sure they are clean. Once you have the connections clean (wire brush, sand paper, etc.), you can put some grease or anti-seize on the connection joint to prevent oxidation.
Last edited by jolt on Sun May 01, 2016 9:29 am, edited 2 times in total.
RRich89
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Re: Vibe is going through batteries

Post by RRich89 »

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have inspected and cleaned up the posts, alternator bolts and the body grounds. I have ordered the Voltmeter that you suggested Chiadog thanks for the link. I will wait to see what the voltmeter reads and report back with any issues.
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Chiadog
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Re: Vibe is going through batteries

Post by Chiadog »

Sounds like you've got all the bases covered!
On the cigarette-lighter Voltmeter, some purchasers have reported accuracy concerns. I have purchased several of these for family members without a single problem. But if the plug-in voltmeter provides a high or low reading, be sure to confirm the reading with a good quality multi-meter.
beemerphile1
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Re: Vibe is going through batteries

Post by beemerphile1 »

Do you live in a hot environment?

Do you make lots of very short trips?

Have the local auto parts store test the charging system. It should be free. What voltage do they read at the battery with the engine running above idle?

Most batteries fail due to abuse and neglect but six months is an extremely short life.
NE Ohio - home to the most successful Pontiac drag racing team in history - Bill Knafel's "Tin Indian" and also home to Summit Auto Racing.
2009 Vibe base 1.8L auto towing 2009 Aliner Sport hardsided pop-up
jolt
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Re: Vibe is going through batteries

Post by jolt »

How old are the batteries? Are they fresh from the manufacture? If the batteries have sat on the store shelf for a long time, they go bad and will have a short life in the vehicle. The battery is not a gel cell battery is it? Gel cell batteries should not be charged over 14.5 volts or they will go bad quickly. What kind of testing has been done to the battery and charging system?
RRich89
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Re: Vibe is going through batteries

Post by RRich89 »

Beemerphile 1 I live in PA so it does get hot just not yet, usually don't make short trips (work commute is 22 miles each way 5x/week). I will go to a local parts store and have them test the charging system and report back. I had a AAA center test the charging system and they gave me a clean bill of health but that was about six months ago. My current battery is stamped Feb '16, the last one that only made it six months was not very old either. I just got the cigarette lighter voltmeter and my limited time with it was between 13.5-13.7 with only the A/C on low no highway driving. I want to use it more to get a better picture but is that range normal?
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