Battery Question

[TR6speed]

About two weeks ago, I had a dead battery. I put about a two hour charge on it and it fired right up. The next day it started fine so I took it out for a nice drive. It is not a daily driver, so it had been sitting for about three weeks. I ordered a battery tender and I have been using it.

The problem I have, ever since the battery went dead, every time I start the car I get Service Column Lock on the DIC. It appears when I first start the car also, the DIC indicates about 10.5-11.5 volts at startup, but then it goes to 14.4 and slowly comes down to about 13.3.

Does it sound like I have possibly a weak battery? It is a Delco 6 year, but I cannot read the date code, because it is smeared.

[Y2Kvert4me]

Try removing fuse 23 in the pass. floor fusebox. Leave it out for 5 minutes or so, then reinstall it, and then start the car and see if the message continues.

Alternately, you could also disconnect the negative battery cable for a few minutes, reconnect, and see if it continues. Either/or.


This may have been caused when you tried to start it when the battery was dead. The BCM gets "confused" as to the status of the steering lock, and will throw this message at each startup until it (the BCM) is reset. (which fuse removal or battery disconnect will do).

[TR6speed]

Thanks, I'll give it a try tomorrow. I have it tucked in for the night (covered and the battery tender hooked up.

By the way, do you have any trouble with your ACI splitter dragging or hitting the pavement?

[Y2Kvert4me]

Originally Posted by TR6speed

Thanks, I'll give it a try tomorrow. I have it tucked in for the night (covered and the battery tender hooked up.

By the way, do you have any trouble with your ACI splitter dragging or hitting the pavement?

Yeah, I scrape it just about every day I drive it.

My car sits pretty low though, if I'm wearing shoes, I cannot fit my foot under it.




I fully expected to destroy it the year I put it on, but that was 4 or 5 years ago. It's held up pretty well despite the abuse and brushes with pavement it's experienced.