My battery recently died because of a door left ajar, while jumping it and afterwards I noticed a couple of weird things...

1) The battery terminal is labeled weird. '07 Model. The plastic piece covering the positive terminal is black! WTH, isn't it supposed to be red? Why on earth would something so important be changed. I read the label before acting(it reads positive but its on black plastic), but I could see how this could easily be a problem for the less experienced.

2) Since my trip to the dealer recently, my car had not been blinking the lights when locking/unlocking. I assumed it was something changed when they updated the electronics for the loss of power recall. But alas! After getting the car jumped, everything reset and the lights now blink again! Is there some setting for this? I would really love to make it beep when I lock/unlock it, personally.

Anyway, just some observations and wondering if anyone else has noticed this or had any insight!

 

My cover is black too. But it has a positive + on it.

The 8 is really picky when it come to having the right volts to turn over or run everything proper.

Also hard start is a good sign your battery is going.

 

I have noticed that the lights do not flash if the trunk is not closed properly. by properly I mean completely.

It will still lock and unlock (with horn confirmation), but there are no confirmation flashes.

Dunno if this is/was your situation, just a piece of a puzzle.

Cheers

 

Double click lock to make it beep. I've noticed the lights will only flash if you're far enough away from the car (at least for mine)

 

I think my battery is on a slow way out; I've had it run down by leaving the dome light on overnight twice now, and left it trickle charging for ~12 hours each time and it's come back to life, but it takes a little bit of time to start.

I'll get an Optima Yellow Top one of these days.... does anyone have a part number for the best replacement model to fit into the 8?

 

Looks like this is the one:


Part Number: D35 (8040-218)
YellowTop®; Deep Cycle Battery; UNBOXED; Grp. D35; Cold Crank Amps 650; Crank Amps 810; Reserve Capacity 100; Amp Hour 48; Top Terminal; L-9 5/16 in.; W-6 3/4 in.; H-7 5/8 in.;

Seem decent? Does anyone know the dimensions for the stock one?

 

Yeah I never understood why the positive is black and so is the negative. Not so smart for the non mechanically inclined.

 

ODDDDDD I think you may be right.

Chances are a tech hit the trunk button when reaching for the hood pop or hit it on the keychain. That would make sense on why I noticed the blinking stopped for a while after the dealer serviced it. I had noticed some hard starts for those days, but it was getting colder and I ignored it.

The lights not blinking was it trying to tell me the whole time Though I wish it had a light in the dash telling me it was open :|

Yeah I knew it would beep if i hit lock twice, but the locks are so quiet when unlocking that passengers don't realize I hit unlock until I open my door...

 

cool...it took me a while to figure it out. I think I heard the trunk rattling or a dead battery or something. Either way, good luck with it!