Help! Changing a C-5 battery

[killain]

I need to change out the battery in my 2003, and I was wondering what I need to know about this R & R procedure? Do I need to do anything other than taking out the battery and putting in a new one? Will I have to reprogram the different codes and settings? I know this sounds stupid, but with all the electronic features i don't want to make a mistake since it's the first time I have changed the battery. Also, what's the best replacement battery for a C-5 corvette? I did a search but didn't find anything on this topic. Thanks !

 

[LittleRedFlatBack]

Barttery Replacement

Good morning Jim,

I've read quite a few opinions about this battery issue. Many folks seem to migrate towards the yellow or red top optima batteries for their "lead proof" claims, but I'm a big fan of staying with the stock Delco battery. I've always had good longevity from them and never had a leaking issue from one. I've never heard anyone mention about reprogramming issues, other than radio presets. I'll be interested in following the comments on this thread.

Good luck.

Dennis

 

[zagger]

You will also need to relearn the key fob. No big deal, it's easy.

 

[ponna]

I just changed mine last month, on my 2003 Coupe. No big deal. Never had any issues with anything, all settings and info was retained in the computer. It took me approx. 2 hrs by the time I pulled the old one out, took it to be tested etc, and reinstalled the replacement.

 

[killain]

Well I had a chance to talk to the service manager at my Chevy dealership, (A very good one) and he said it was nothing to it, but he said that IF after changing the battery, that the radio wasn't able to be tuned to the right preset stations DON"T try to reset it myself. The radio presets have a code to them. If you punch in new presets the codes will be a conflict and it will have to be retuned to the dealership and it's a hour job for a corvette tech. He said that if that was the case after changing the battery, just stop by the dealership and the tech can return the radio to the original presets with a five minute process?

 

[Hib Halverson]

On batteries...

Today, you can't count as solidly on the quality of Delco batteries as you once could because Delco is just a brand nowadays. GM spun its battery manufacturing business off when it spun off "Delphi". Of course, just about everyone knows that Delphi has had nothing but fiscal trauma since the spin-off. As a result, GM sources its batteries from Delphi sometimes and lots of other places too. When GM made batteries, you could count on a Delco. Now that it doesn't, I'm not so sure.

As for the Optimas...they are, indeed AGM type batteries with the "plates" in a sprial. The Optima was "invented" by another company than then sold to Johnson Controls. It is also, nowadays, heavily marketed. While the Optima design is more modern than traditional lead-acid wet cell batteries, there are more advanced choices. Also, many people are smitten with the visual effect of the spiral cells but from an engineering standpoint, the design is dumb because when you put round things in a square or rectangular "box" there's a lot of wasted space.

In fact, the Delco AGM batteries used in 02-04 Z06es are pretty good choices.

Based on subjective testing done over a long period of Delcos, Costco batteries, Optimas and Odyssey Batteries, I think, the best battery for a high-performance vehicle, regardless of price, is the Odyssey.

Yep. Odysseys are expensive but their design, performance and durability makes them worth the price, especially if you'd like a battery to last more than three years.

I'm working on a CAC product review of the Odyssey battery using a C4 and two other vehicles, but it's not ready yet. This review will also include how to install an Odyssey in a C4 which to most people is an impossibility because of the Odyssey's dual terminal design.

In the meantime, for more information on Odyssey batteries, see:
http://www.odysseyfactory.com/

 

[Eric]

Well I had a chance to talk to the service manager at my Chevy dealership, (A very good one) and he said it was nothing to it, but he said that IF after changing the battery, that the radio wasn't able to be tuned to the right preset stations DON"T try to reset it myself. The radio presets have a code to them. If you punch in new presets the codes will be a conflict and it will have to be retuned to the dealership and it's a hour job for a corvette tech. He said that if that was the case after changing the battery, just stop by the dealership and the tech can return the radio to the original presets with a five minute process?

WOW! Was he talking about Theftlock or the actual radio station presets? That's pretty freaky. I thought the newer Theftlock radios were tied to the car itself through the computer, not a user entered code like the old ones.

For the record, when I changed mine all went fine - no memory loss anywhere. So hopefully all will go the same for you.

- Eric

 

[Hib Halverson]

I forgot to say that I've not had my battery out but I have had it disonnected at times for service work and radio presets are preserved.

 

[killain]

WOW! Was he talking about Theftlock or the actual radio station presets? That's pretty freaky. I thought the newer Theftlock radios were tied to the car itself through the computer, not a user entered code like the old ones.

For the record, when I changed mine all went fine - no memory loss anywhere. So hopefully all will go the same for you.

- Eric

I'm sorry, Yes he was talking about theftlock on the delco radio. I was just wondering about the best choices for a replacement battery. My Optims Red Top is only 2 years old on Sept 16, and i thought I'd get a lot more life out of a $200.00 battery.:bash

 

[Eric]

I'm sorry, Yes he was talking about theftlock on the delco radio. I was just wondering about the best choices for a replacement battery. My Optims Red Top is only 2 years old on Sept 16, and i thought I'd get a lot more life out of a $200.00 battery.:bash

Only 2 years for $200 - ouch!!! I replaced mine with the old standby, a Die Hard SUV/Light Truck battery. It has more CCA than required. I've been using them a long time, pretty much trouble free.

- Eric

 

[Old Dog]

I quickly read down through the posts and did not see a few things
on this issue(they could have been there & I missed them). If I could,
I would just mention them for what it is worth.

I would strongly advise an AGM type battery because of the acid leakage
possibility of conventional types. When you remove your battery, you
will see through the hole in the bottom of the holder most of you computer,
wire, and vacuum line connections. Just a drop of acid on these and you
have problems you can not imagine.

If your battery is suppling power now to the car and has not been dead for
a while, you should be able to unhook and install a new one without any
problems. A suggestion from here on out would be to get a 2 amp trickle
charger that shuts itself off when up to charge. Battery Tender brand or
Sears are good ones. When you are not going to use the car for more
than a couple of weeks, hook up the charger to keep the battery at full
charge. The computers put a constant drain on the battery and although
the car may have enough juice to start, if it sits for a while, the voltage
will drop enough to cause some strange DIC readings and other problems.

My Delco AGM lasted just two years in my 02. I put in an Optima red Top,
Keep the charger on it when not in use and have had no problems since.
Thats my two cents. Good luck.

 

[killain]

I quickly read down through the posts and did not see a few things
on this issue(they could have been there & I missed them). If I could,
I would just mention them for what it is worth.

I would strongly advise an AGM type battery because of the acid leakage
possibility of conventional types. When you remove your battery, you
will see through the hole in the bottom of the holder most of you computer,
wire, and vacuum line connections. Just a drop of acid on these and you
have problems you can not imagine.

If your battery is suppling power now to the car and has not been dead for
a while, you should be able to unhook and install a new one without any
problems. A suggestion from here on out would be to get a 2 amp trickle
charger that shuts itself off when up to charge. Battery Tender brand or
Sears are good ones. When you are not going to use the car for more
than a couple of weeks, hook up the charger to keep the battery at full
charge. The computers put a constant drain on the battery and although
the car may have enough juice to start, if it sits for a while, the voltage
will drop enough to cause some strange DIC readings and other problems.

My Delco AGM lasted just two years in my 02. I put in an Optima red Top,
Keep the charger on it when not in use and have had no problems since.
Thats my two cents. Good luck.

Well that is one of my current problems, When I put the trickle or float charger on the battery, It never shuts off. It keeps charging non-stop. It's a battery Butler by Lectriclimited and is a good trickle charger. I called Lectriclimited and spoke to their tech support about the trickle charger being bad because of the constant charging, but he said that was not possible. That the trickle charger is designed to shut off once the battery comes up to a full charge. He said that if the battery is not able to return to a full charge state, then the battery is dying. So now I've got a two year old $200 battery and there's nothing I can do till it dies completely. If it dies in the next year the Optima Red Top is warranty is for three years, but I don't want to wind up with a dead battery on a 10 degree morning and snow up to the top step? I have a little rant there. So I don't know what to do !

 

[o2bnkc]

I've never had any problems with the computer after changing out batteries. You can get as many opinions on batteries as you can on the best car wax. Optima batteries seem to have some kind of voodoo hold over a lot of vette owners. It must be the unique shape or bright colors. I'm not sure, because to me, they're overpriced and not that good. All said and done, I get my batteries at Napa. They're AGM, have more cold cranking amps, the same warranty, and are CHEAPER than the Optimas. I've put them in four different vettes. Each car just once. I never had any of them over four years, but I never had a battery go bad after I put the Napa one in. Just one man's opinion.

 

[LittleRedFlatBack]

Well that is one of my current problems, When I put the trickle or float charger on the battery, It never shuts off. It keeps charging non-stop. It's a battery Butler by Lectriclimited and is a good trickle charger. I called Lectriclimited and spoke to their tech support about the trickle charger being bad because of the constant charging, but he said that was not possible. That the trickle charger is designed to shut off once the battery comes up to a full charge. He said that if the battery is not able to return to a full charge state, then the battery is dying. So now I've got a two year old $200 battery and there's nothing I can do till it dies completely. If it dies in the next year the Optima Red Top is warranty is for three years, but I don't want to wind up with a dead battery on a 10 degree morning and snow up to the top step? I have a little rant there. So I don't know what to do !

Just an idea here Killian. Can you put the charger on another car with a charged battery to see if it'll shut-off?

 

[killain]

Just an idea here Killian. Can you put the charger on another car with a charged battery to see if it'll shut-off?

That's a good idea, I'll try to see if I can arrange it.

 

[Old Dog]

Just an idea here Killian. Can you put the charger on another car with a charged battery to see if it'll shut-off?

Killian

A good idea to start above.

Also, I would suggest, if you have not done so yet, going back to the
store where you got the Optima. Explain to them that the battery will
not hold a charge so that the tender will shut off. Ask for some relief
per the warranty as it is causing problems with the cars computer.

Every dealer is different, but up here we have had luck in getting batteries
replaced by Optima without it being totally dead. Every once in a while
you get a bad one that just does not perform as it should.

 

[Greg C]

When choosing a battery you need to think either standard or circle/orbital technology.........
GM has discontinued thier Glass mat tech batteries.......the main difference between the "standard" and the "glass mat"/circle/orbital tech batteries is that the glass mat/circle/orbital type will not leak all over everything if for some reason the battery case cracks......the rest is just how much cranking power you want to pay for, etc.............any battery should last an averge of about 3-4 years under regular use.......if you keep a smart charger on it when the car is not being used like a battery tender or one that senses that when the battery is fully charged it shuts itself off or goes into a "sleep" mode but "wakes" up again when the battery level drops to a certain level the battery should last enywhere from 6 - 7 years even longer....hope this helps..........:cool

 

[Remo]

Have To Agree With Greg

I have the original AC Delco in my 2001. The car is stored (due to regional weather conditions) for six month each winter. I've always used a battery tender and so far so good. At some point I'll need to replace the battery and I'll stick with the Delco.
Remo:cool

 

[bob kissinger]

I'm sorry, Yes he was talking about theftlock on the delco radio. I was just wondering about the best choices for a replacement battery. My Optims Red Top is only 2 years old on Sept 16, and i thought I'd get a lot more life out of a $200.00 battery.:bash

If your radio's theft-deterrent feature is not active, you will have no problem. If it is, when you re-connect the battery it will show LOC. You will need to enter the code to unlock it (should be with your car's paperwork). If you don't have it and you get LOC, there is a do-it-yourself method to unlock it by re-setting the code. You have 8 times to try a code. If you don't get it right, then in goes to INOP mode. If you are in INOP mode, you are screwed!

PS - $200 for a red-top :confused

 

[killain]

Battery condition

Well I had my corvette at the shop today, and they load tested the battery and it showed in very good condition, I also tried my battery tender on another car and it too, works very well. So I'll go on using the battery butler charger when the car sits and hopefully 'll get 3 or 4 years out of this Optima red top !hnoes