So we finally get a break in the weather here in chicago after a week of freezing temps. Its not too cold out and the streets are relatively clean so i thought i'd take the car out for a drive. I go to start it and its dead, lights wont even turn on. Now, its been about three weeks since the last time i ran it and now the battery is dead. I'm not too worried because i have another car that i use for winter. My question is, will i need to replace the battery now or do i just wait for warmer weather and try it again....any advice would be appreciated, thanks in advance..

 

You need to get a charger on that battery and see if that helps.
Any chance that a light was left on or the trunk was popped?
The longest I've left my car was only a few days so this is of some interest to me as I may have to take a trip for work.
Keep us posted

 

You definitely need to put a charger on that battery. If temperatures plumment again, a dead battery has a better chance of freezing than a charged one. Besides the freeze risk, it may be OK now but it won't be if it sits around dead for another couple of months.

If it was me, I'd also get the car started and drive it around for a while. Driving it once every few weeks is a lot better for it than just letting it sit.

When I got my 8, I kept my old car as a beater. I've learned that I need to drive that every couple of weeks if I want it to start and run right when I need it. Some time ago I let a beater sit unused for a few months. It was amazing the stuff that stopped working during that time. When I finally got it started, I drove it to the junk yard.

Ken

 

^^^Unfortunately i dont have a battery charger and i dont intend on getting one just to charge a two year old dead battery. I'll just get a new battery and possibly a trickle charger so this doesnt happen again....thanks both.

 

so other than borrow a battery charger or buy a trickle charger and charge the battery that way..

you will just replace the battery for no reason.. btw, you can take the battery out and have it charged..

beers

 

you could just get a jump and have it run for a while..that will fix the issue (assuming it was just discharged and still good) for the short term

 

Have you had the FREE upgraded starter, battery and spark plug service done? If not, take the car to a dealer and tell them you couldn't start the car and would like them to do this service.

Edit: Here's the service bulletin:
http://www.finishlineperformance.com...48-06-1691.pdf

 

When temps go below zero, a battery can loose its charge in a matter of a few days. If you're not going to drive your 8 in the winter very much, a trickle charger would be a good investment. Plus it can be used as a charger as well. Well most of them anyways.

 

Umm...that's a rechargable battery. It's most likely not dead - just run down.

You don't throw your car away when the gas tank is empty, do you?

A modest battery charger isn't very expensive. You don't need a big one like a service station would have. Get something that will charge up to 5 or 10 amps, and that will automatically step down to trickle mode.

Ken