06 Sienna - Dead Battery -now what

On Sun, 03 Feb 2008 04:19:23 GMT, mike.TakeThisOut@nosam.org wrote:


>I has been charging for six hours now. Started at 1 amp - went up to
>3.5 amp and now back to about 3 amp even. It does bother me that
>there is no green light on the battery. It remains black - indicating
>a lack of charge.

It can also mean that the electrolyte level is low, and the little
charge indicator balls can't float to show red yellow or green. Stop
charging now till you fix this.

If you know the Safety Drill (Gloves, Goggles, lots of Baking Soda
and water on hand) you can pry off the "Sealed Maintenance Free" cell
caps with a screwdriver and add Distilled Water up to the split rings.
Then try charging the battery again, and see if things improve.

>I have one of those portable 'jump start' batteries (purchased for a
>small TV) - like a small brief case. Will this harm or even work
>for this car if the battery is DEAD as it appears to be?

They work. It isn't a good idea to leave it connected if the car
battery has a shorted cell, since the jump pack is easily drained.

>Will a Sienna run on an alternator - with a dead battery?

Most cars will, but it really isn't good on the car if the battery
is totally toasted - the alternator voltage can go way high at full
throttle without the regulating effect of the battery.

And the car may stall at idle if you try running any power
accessories, lights, or even honk the horn - the alternator barely
puts out at curb idle. Without help from the battery, you can lose
enough voltage to stall out.

The booster battery would be enough to moderate the system voltage -
now if you can figure out a way to safely strap down the booster
battery and leave it connected for the drive to the dealer...

--<< Bruce >>--
 >> Stay informed about: 06 Sienna - Dead Battery -now what 

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"Mike hunt" <mikehunt22.RemoveThis@lycos.com> wrote in message
news:psSdnTCcy4a6dDnanZ2dnUVZ_hmtnZ2d@ptd.net...
> See the battery manufacture, WBMA. Unless things changed since I'm out of
> the business, most new car batteries have a prorated warranty, of at least
> three yeara, by the manufacture
>
>
>
> To my knowledge Ford is the only manufacture to warrants batteries and
> tires for the life of the basic warranty. Others only warrant them at
> 100% for 12/12 WOF.

FORD=Fix Or Repair Daily


>
>
>
>
>
> <mike.RemoveThis@nosam.org> wrote in message
>
> news:ntn9q391obq0pv63ochujb6t755rv1030o@4ax.com...
>> My 'new' 06 Sienna CE had been sitting unused for about 5 days - prior
>> to that it was driven about 4 miles - after sitting idle for 5 days
>> (In sunny LA, CA). This morning the battery was totally dead - no
>> lights anywhere. Putting a 12 volt tester on the battery barely
>> produced a glow. Put a charger on and lights started working. The
>> rear door will not open. Guess there is no over-ride?
>>
>> The vehicle was purchased 5-2006. The battery date is 4-29-06.
>>
>> I intend to charge it for about 4 hours at 6 amp and see what works.
>>
>> Questions:
>> Have or will the electronics be goofed up - so far?
>> What if anything will happen when/ if I install a new battery.
>>
>> Any warranty on any of this? The vehicle is less than two years old.
>>
>> Is this perhaps a case of not driving it enough?
>> In that case will a charge not cure the ills? Any electronic problems
>> created so far?
>>
>> Just getting out the owner's manual.
>> Thanks
>>
>> m
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: 06 Sienna - Dead Battery -now what 

"Ray O" <rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote in message
news:bZ-dnbaJLNE6sDjanZ2dnUVZ_s3inZ2d@comcast.com...
>
> "dbu" <nospam.TakeThisOut@nospam.moc> wrote in message
> news:nospam-C58FAE.18213102022008@comcast.dca.giganews.com...
>> In article <13qa1s7110g222a.TakeThisOut@corp.supernews.com>,
>> "mack" <mackerel.TakeThisOut@dslextreme.com> wrote:
>>
>>> "Ray O" <rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote in message news:z->
>>> I'm
>>> not sure if this is the case with your Sienna, but some vehicles need to
>>> > be re-initialized after replacing the battery or deep draw-down on the
>>> > battery so things like sunroof, power sliding doors, etc. will work.
>>> > --
>>> >
>>> > Ray O
>>> > (correct punctuation to reply)
>>>
>>> Ray, I usually know what you're talking about, but I've never heard of
>>> "re-initializing" a battery. How is it done?
>>> Thanks.
>>> >
>>> >
>> You put a load on the battery and draw it's charge down. Then charge it
>> up again. Sort of like old geezers and charging them up again, then
>> drawing them down and charging them up. You should know about that
>> stuff Mac, or maybe you forgot already.
>
> That is more like load testing a battery. Re-initializing refers to the
> ECU's that control some functions.
> --
>
> Ray O
> (correct punctuation to reply)
I gotcha. thanks, Ray.
 >> Stay informed about: 06 Sienna - Dead Battery -now what 

"dbu" <nospam.DeleteThis@nospam.moc> wrote in message
news:nospam-C58FAE.18213102022008@comcast.dca.giganews.com...
> In article <13qa1s7110g222a.DeleteThis@corp.supernews.com>,
> "mack" <mackerel.DeleteThis@dslextreme.com> wrote:
>
>> "Ray O" <rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote in message news:z-> I'm
>> not sure if this is the case with your Sienna, but some vehicles need to
>> > be re-initialized after replacing the battery or deep draw-down on the
>> > battery so things like sunroof, power sliding doors, etc. will work.
>> > --
>> >
>> > Ray O
>> > (correct punctuation to reply)
>>
>> Ray, I usually know what you're talking about, but I've never heard of
>> "re-initializing" a battery. How is it done?
>> Thanks.
>> >
>> >
> You put a load on the battery and draw it's charge down. Then charge it
> up again. Sort of like old geezers and charging them up again, then
> drawing them down and charging them up. You should know about that
> stuff Mac, or maybe you forgot already.

Hmmm, the wrong answer from you...as usual.

sounds as if you're the oldtimer in the crowd, so just bugger off.
 >> Stay informed about: 06 Sienna - Dead Battery -now what 

On Sat, 2 Feb 2008 20:56:28 -0600, "Ray O"
<rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote:

>
>"mack" <mackerel.RemoveThis@dslextreme.com> wrote in message
>news:13qa1s7110g222a@corp.supernews.com...
>>
>> "Ray O" <rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote in message news:z-> I'm
>> not sure if this is the case with your Sienna, but some vehicles need to
>>> be re-initialized after replacing the battery or deep draw-down on the
>>> battery so things like sunroof, power sliding doors, etc. will work.
>>> --
>>>
>>> Ray O
>>> (correct punctuation to reply)
>>
>> Ray, I usually know what you're talking about, but I've never heard of
>> "re-initializing" a battery. How is it done?
>> Thanks.
>>>
>
>Actually, it is not the battery that needs to be re-initialized. The
>electronic control modules that control some functions need to be
>re-initialized. I think the process involves a "chicken dance" of turning
>keys and pushing buttons and is outlined in technical service bulletins for
>the models that need them. I'm too cheap to pay to access
>techinfo.toyota.com to get the procedures for everyone else, and so far, I
>haven't needed to access any info for my personal vehicles.

Do you mean to say that the computer(s) don't have a factory default
setting for controlling this stuff. Man, what "expert" designed these
systems? Even Microsoft puts default values in it's software.

Jack
 >> Stay informed about: 06 Sienna - Dead Battery -now what 

"Retired VIP" <jackj.extradots.180.RemoveThis@windstream.net> wrote in message
news:qikbq31c3o8hija7jsqsqjsb4nhk1u3a17@4ax.com...
<snipped>
>>Actually, it is not the battery that needs to be re-initialized. The
>>electronic control modules that control some functions need to be
>>re-initialized. I think the process involves a "chicken dance" of turning
>>keys and pushing buttons and is outlined in technical service bulletins
>>for
>>the models that need them. I'm too cheap to pay to access
>>techinfo.toyota.com to get the procedures for everyone else, and so far, I
>>haven't needed to access any info for my personal vehicles.
>
> Do you mean to say that the computer(s) don't have a factory default
> setting for controlling this stuff. Man, what "expert" designed these
> systems? Even Microsoft puts default values in it's software.
>
> Jack

I agree, turning the power back on should not be rocket science. The
computers do have a factory default setting for controlling this stuff, but
for some reason, they need to be initialized.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)
 >> Stay informed about: 06 Sienna - Dead Battery -now what 

"mack" <mackerel.RemoveThis@dslextreme.com> wrote in message
news:13qcdvptgaoc887@corp.supernews.com...
><snipped>

>>> Ray, I usually know what you're talking about, but I've never heard of
>>>> "re-initializing" a battery. How is it done?
>>>> Thanks.
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>> You put a load on the battery and draw it's charge down. Then charge it
>>> up again. Sort of like old geezers and charging them up again, then
>>> drawing them down and charging them up. You should know about that
>>> stuff Mac, or maybe you forgot already.
>>
>> That is more like load testing a battery. Re-initializing refers to the
>> ECU's that control some functions.
>> --
>>
>> Ray O
>> (correct punctuation to reply)
> I gotcha. thanks, Ray.

You're welcome, any time!
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)
 >> Stay informed about: 06 Sienna - Dead Battery -now what 

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<mike.TakeThisOut@nosam.org> wrote in message
news:46ubq3tp9b9h13t960moml028g5bgbjihn@4ax.com...
<snipped>
>
> Just disconnected the charger after 20 hours. It was charging -
> (perhaps off) at a near zero rate. Previously it had charged at a
> rate up to 3.5 amps. The charger is rated at 6 amps and should shut
> itself off and on.
>

If the rate of charge is at or near zero, then the battery is probably fully
charged.

> The fluid levels are fine.
> There was a slight green glow in the indicator window on the battery.
> The vehicle started and the el. windows work. The rear door does not
> - and the manual makes reference to a button near the steering column
> - that is simply missing. The side door works and there is no moon
> roof.

The indicator window in the battery is not electric so the colors indicated
in the window will not be bright. If it is green, then it is probably fully
charged.

>
> Questions:
> Soooo do I even dare drive this damn thing? The fear of getting
> stuck is high. Would this model be susceptible to stall in traffic?

I think everything is fully charged and ready to go. I have not heard of
any complaints of Siennas stalling in traffic, and with the battery
installed, it should be OK.

>
> Is the battery dead or near death?

The only way to tell is to load test the battery.

> It really bothers me that the green indicator took upwards of 20 hours
> to even display - should it?
> I don't need the car before Tuesday so there is time.

It is possible that the battery has a bad cell; it is possible that the
connection between the charger and battery was marginal; the charger may not
be working properly; or there is a draw in the vehicle somewhere that slowed
down the rate of charge.

Are there any aftermarket accessories installed in the vehicle like Ipod
adapters, remote starters, etc.?

>
> My next move should probably be to just let it sit and see if it has a
> charge (will start) this afternoon.
>
> Given all the above can the dealer do anything?
>
> Thanks for all the thoughtful replies so far.
>
> m

If the car is holding a charge, then everything is probably OK. Yes, the
dealer can measure parasitic current draw and load test the battery.


--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)
 >> Stay informed about: 06 Sienna - Dead Battery -now what 

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<mike RemoveThis @nosam.org> wrote in message
news:af7cq3l8m9qiidliscp4vha7dapuogm27i@4ax.com...
<snsipped>
> PS.
> Does it take special tools/skills to check for parasitic current
> drain? I do have a clamp-on voltmeter that will measure current. Not
> sure about sensitivity.
> I know the load test takes a special gadget.

You will need an ammeter with the capacity to read at least 1 amp to measure
parasitic current drain. Make sure all lights and accessories are off, hook
up the ammeter in series between the positive battery clamp and positive
battery post and see how many milliamps are being drawn. You should see
current draw drop after it has been sitting for around 5 minutes.

You can use your bolt meter to measure battery voltage. When fully charged,
a good battery will read something like 13.7 volts. If it does not read
that, then the battery may have a bad cell that decreases its ability to
hold a charge. If you have a specific gravity tester that looks like a
giant eyedropper with small plastic balls floating inside, you can measure
the specific gravity of each cell to determine if any cells are bad.

You need a battery load tester to perform a battery load test. The load
tester has a carbon pile that is basically a big resistor to put a load on
the battery.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)
 >> Stay informed about: 06 Sienna - Dead Battery -now what 

This message is not archived
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