2012 Won't Start - 12V Battery Dead- NEW SYMPTOMS THAT I WASN'T AWARE OF

[veimi]

Just a heads up.

In a previous thread I had posted that my car wouldn't start which turned out that the car wasn't actually in Park even though the shift lever and parking sprag were in the correct position.

I haven't driven my car for a while and this time when I tried to start it, it wouldn't start and new symptoms appeared which I had't seen or read about before.

After putting the key in the car and turning it to the first position there were 3 quick beeps repeated 3 times and a constant loud whistling noise. Every light on the dash was turned on and remained on.

When I tried the windshield wipers, they were very slow which suggested a dead 12V battery.

Charging the 12V battery, immediately brought the car back to life

 

[Don]

Yes, just about everything in the car depends on 12 volts to run, so a dead 12 volt battery means it won't start . . . . just like any ICE. If it's still the original OEM battery in the car, it's likely on it's last legs by now, so don't be surprised if you don't have a repeat performance real soon. I replaced mine with an AGM when it died

Don

 

[siai47]

To back up what Don said, the twelve volt battery supplied with the car is a real low budget POS. During the power up sequence before the DC-DC convertor starts there is a pretty good load on the battery and a voltage sag during boot-up can really scramble the various computers in the car. If anyone still has the original battery (even if you haven't yet had problems) it should be changed to a new, quality battery. In addition, you need to keep a "trickle" charger on the twelve volt battery if the car is going to be parked for any length of time. Some of the electronics always remain on and take stored energy from the battery. Anything longer then a week of nonuse can weaken the battery. If you park outside away from a plug, a little solar panel will keep the battery topped off.

 

[PV1]

Yep, I had the whistle once. When I first got Koorz, we had it at the RV show. For effect, we were leaving the marker lights on and occasionally either starting the car or plugging it in to charge the 12v back up. Well, one night we left the lights on too long and the car cut them off automatically. We went to start it, and had all the warning lights on, dim LCD backlights (the RR display was reading out a strange code but I can't remember what it said), and the whistle tone. I charge the 12v battery manually and the car was fine, although the MCU Warning light was permanently lit after that.

This whistle tone is the same one you hear if you deplete the brake vacuum assist (rapid brake pumping will do it). The 3 beep chime is normal during boot up without the seat belt clipped in.

 

[jray3]

Why'd ya dis the stock battery, siai47? I kinda liked that it is old-school and can be watered, which allows longer life than a sealed lead acid, and I've only needed to top it off once. My original battery still seems strong, and the car has served as a mobile 'jump box' for diesel trucks many times. But, I'll do a load test on it to be sure and start scoping out replacements.

 

[Don]

Why'd ya dis the stock battery, siai47? I kinda liked that it is old-school and can be watered, which allows longer life than a sealed lead acid . . . .

It only seems like it's lasting (and doesn't need watering) because the car doesn't require a bunch of amps to run a starter motor. If it did, we wouldn't be getting 3 years out of the flooded battery. IMO, it was pretty clearly a cost cutting measure. An AGM should outlast it 2 or 3 to one. I got 8 years out of the factory AGM in my Miata and it does have to start an ICE, which is why I bought one to replace the iMiEV battery

Don

 

[phb10186]

Why'd ya dis the stock battery, siai47? I kinda liked that it is old-school and can be watered, which allows longer life than a sealed lead acid, and I've only needed to top it off once. My original battery still seems strong, and the car has served as a mobile 'jump box' for diesel trucks many times. But, I'll do a load test on it to be sure and start scoping out replacements.

I's be inclined to agree with Sia. I had the car going berserk when i came back from work one eve about 6m ago, as detailed by the OP. The plip didn't open the doors and the siren was going, so I logically determined that it was a dead 12V. I volt tested it and it was flat as a pancake, so I shoved in the old battery from my wifes Insight (though had to get a pair of terminal adapters (I2 is very sensitive to constant 12v, more so than the I).

Unfortunately, that original battery, which failed in the south of the UK - a very mild climate by any measure at 4 years of age could not be revived using a battery reconditioner. I can't say if its a budget battery, and I didnt replace the acid, but it's effectively now powering my motorbike tyre inflator - that's about all its good for.

The stock Honda I2 unit was a Yuasa battery, which appears to be better, although it's slightly lighter, but is of the same case size... so if I get 2 years out of it, ill be happy.

The most annoying thing is that giant sized positive terminal, which was a total pain to tighten back up with a terminal-adapted replacement battery.

 

[twiin640]

I replaced my original with an Optima yellow top.