Cold Starting

[JustinVGT]

I was just wondering if many of you are having a similar problem. For the past couple weeks when it has been cold, I have noticed that if my Vibe has sat out in the cold for hours and then I start it, it seems to hesitate. Normally when it is warmer, I just turn the key for like .5-1 second. Now, when the engine is cold, I have to hold it for about atleast another second. The engine sometimes sounds like it's reluctant to start, then it'll start up. Are most of your Vibes starting like this in the cold? Is this normal? I'm wondering if I should have the battery checked out, under warranty.My last car, '96 Ford Escort, never had any problems starting in cold weather with the original or new battery and that car was always parked outside.Thanks,Justin

[NSimkins]

I have read other compaints on the overly small-sized battery (in terms of CCA, Cold Cranking Amps, the Vibe has 330CCA) supplied with the Vibe. From the recent very cold days in my area (5F-10F) I am seriously thinking about getting a better battery.A few mornings ago, I almost was worried it wouldn't start as it sounded like the battery had little or no power left to continue cranking. I definately have to turn the key for more than 1/2 of a second when the temperature is below 30F.I would say this is normal under the circumstances of weather and by the equipment standard on the Vibe, but if you have any other concerns, by all means take it in to the dealer.I am hoping to get a better replacement battery sometime in the near future.

[Flip-Side]

I too have had this problem, and figured it must be the small battery. I will always buy batteries with at least 800 CCA, and am not impressed with the ultra weak battery in the car. Thanks to the warmer weather here, I can delay buying a new one. Dura-Last baby.

[d_m_kolb]

Since the fuel pump has to build out pressure in the system before the correct fuel in actually spraying through the injectors, try turning the key on but don't start it. Wait about 3 seconds with the key in the on position and then crank the engine. The fuel stsyem should then be at full pressure and the engine should start right up with no problem.

[NSimkins]

quote:Wait about 3 seconds with the key in the on position and then crank the engine.I've always done this with all my vehicles (all EFI). On all of them except for the Vibe I could hear the pump working for a second or so then I would start the vehicle. In my Vibe, I just wait a few seconds before turning the key to START.Unfortunately, this does not aleviate the "delayed/drained" cold starting as I have no problems when the temperature is above around 30F. I think this battery is just too small under the circumstances and for certain climates where it is cold for long periods of time (northern US/Canada). For owners in the South where the weather is always warmer, this battery would be sufficient.

[NSimkins]

Done, done, and done. Excellent tip for people with this problem. Maybe that will help some. Surprisingly alot of people do not know about this useful tidbit of information.All this stuff rubbed off to me from my Dad. When I start my vehicle, no unnecessary electrical accessory is running.People that have their lights on, A/C on full blast, radio blaring, windshield wipers wiping all before starting really draws the needed power from the battery during ignition.

[Pix Doc]

I just replaced my battery with a silver Die Hard. I will let the forum know how it does when we get another sub 30 day.

[camthecanuck]

I note that my battery is none too robust. Can you advise re the size/serial of your battery and what other vehicles it fits perhaps?

[NSimkins]

quote:Can you advise re the size/serial of your battery and what other vehicles it fits perhaps?Here is the post where he describes the replacement battery he purchased:http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=2021

[935684]

I finally cleared the snow off my hood, and checked my battery yesterday. It's only a 310 CCA Delphi Freedom battery. No wonder it can barely turn the engine over slowly at anything below 0 C (32 F). At -35 C it sounds pathetic. You'd swear it was on its last legs.However, I got a call from my dealer. He wanted to set up an appointment to install the new battery on Monday. He claims it's a 560 CCA one. Time will tell if he's correct.In any case, GM must have been getting a lot of flak from cold climate owners. Otherwise, the dealer would never have offered to replace the battery immediately after telling me that my AVR test was OK.

[Triton]

I would like to know if that is going to be free of charge as well. They should replace it since it was an under powered battery in the first place. If they do replace it, I will be going to my dealer as well. Let us know.

[935684]

Salsa & Triton, it's free of charge as far as I know. I certainly don't intend to pay for something sold up here that can't stand up to our weather. I guess if you lived in a warm climate, 310 CCA would be great. It's garbage for our purposes.By the way, it must be a Japanese battery, as it was covered with mostly Japanese writing. I assume that using it was one of Toyota's bright ideas. I'm surprised, because my old RAV4 and Camry never had this type of problem.

[Sub-Vibe-R]

quote:Salsa & Triton, it's free of charge as far as I know. I certainly don't intend to pay for something sold up here that can't stand up to our weather. I guess if you lived in a warm climate, 310 CCA would be great. It's garbage for our purposes.By the way, it must be a Japanese battery, as it was covered with mostly Japanese writing. I assume that using it was one of Toyota's bright ideas. I'm surprised, because my old RAV4 and Camry never had this type of problem.If you get it changed for free, let us know and tell us your dealer's name. Salsa! and I (and for sure some other Vibe owner) are trying to have it chnged by the dealer.

[VibeSalsa]

I made a phone call to my dealer this week about this slow cranking starting on cold weather mornings.He said that he have right now 3 Vibe in the lot and tried all of them and every Vibe have the same slow cranking...So, he said to me it's normal. He also said a salesman in the dealership talked to a Toyota dealer and the Matrix do the same. It's like: «All Vibe and Matrix have this feature so, it's not a problem, it's just the way it has been designed.....». They had a few complaints about that but they can't replace a battery that is ok. I guess I will complain to GM as Salsa! to have more good answers.

[Lorin]

quote:Other thing also....to help you getting better starts:- turn radio off before shutting the car down- turn wipers off- turn heater and fan off- don't open windows in advance- on really cold days, use the key, not the remote or power door locks to unlock doors- inplain simple terms, avoid using any energy off the battery before you start the car, this way you'll get all of the battery power for the firing up operation....This reminds me of the Apollo 13 story where they were trying to figure out how to get the command module powered up for re-entry with limited battery power! If GM doesn't recall these, I'll be replacing mine before next winter. I can't have my family getting stranded.

[Pix Doc]

I am the Guy that replaced his battery on day three with a Die Hard "Silver" Group 35 Toyota batery No 22832135. CRANK ON DUDE! Geno

[Pix Doc]

Sure. It may be a couple of days however. Geno

[Cubanpete]

Hey whatever happened to the battery issue........did you guys ever get free replacements, I think a 450CCA batery would be perfect for this car.

[935684]

I was given a free ACDelco 560 CCA replacement battery. I thought that I had posted this, but I guess I placed the message in the wrong thread. What a difference!

[Cubanpete]

Hey I need this info as well...and need my battery swapped, I don't think its fair that I pay 100.00 Bux for a brande new battery.........My Stang had a 550 CCA battery lasted for 50 Months.........

[VibeSalsa]

After no success with my dealership (see above...), I talked to the GM satisfaction line and the representative sent a request to the GM technical service about the low CCA of the battery of the Vibe.A few days later, the representative called me back to say me this is normal. If my battery doesn't work well, the only thing the dealership could do is to replace this one with a new one of the exact same type (310 CCA). So, GM didn't have so much complain about that to do something for us. If I'm right, the replacement battery of 935684 was done by the dealer on his own's authority... Good for him!

[935684]

The dealership never mentioned whether GM had authorized the replacement. This was the dealer from whom I had bought my Vibe. It's Bray Motors in Sundridge, Ontario. Sundridge is between Huntsville and North Bay. They decided to replace it without undue pressure from me. They performed an AVR test, told me the results were OK, but said they were going to replace the battery anyway. I had simply told them several times that the battery was having a heck of a time turning the engine over at anything below -10 C, in spite of my having 0W30 oil and a block heater. In Quebec and central, northern & eastern Ontario, as well as the US midwest, Alberta, Saskatchewan & Manitoba, 310 CCA just isn't enough.I felt certain that there must have been a TSB or some sort of warning from GM, as dealers aren't usually that co-operative. However, you may be right. This may have simply been a goodwill gesture by the dealer.I'm pretty sure I had a 310 CCA Delphi battery. Now I have a 560 CCA ACDelco, which I think is also manufactured by Delphi.

[Lorin]

For comparison, my 11 HP electric start home generator has a 325 CCA battery, and my 15 HP John Deere lawn tractor has a 500 CCA battery. 310 CCA is downright comical, except the jokes on me!