Battery: Other Chevrolet TrailBlazer I

Intermittent

Faulty electrical connections or wiring may be the cause of intermittent conditions. Refer to TESTING FOR INTERMITTENT AND POOR CONNECTIONS in Wiring Systems.

Charging Time Required

The time required to charge a battery will vary depending upon the following factors

1. The battery charger capacity; The higher the charger's amperage, the less time it will take to charge the battery.
2. The state-of-charge of the battery; A completely discharged battery requires more than twice as much charging time as a half charged battery. In a discharged battery with a voltage below 11 volts, the battery has a very high internal resistance and may only accept a very low current at first. Later, as the charging current causes the acid content to increase in the electrolyte, the charging current will increase. Extremely discharged batteries may not activate the reversed voltage protection in some chargers. Refer to the manufacturers instructions for operating this circuitry.
3. The temperature of the battery; The colder the battery is, the more time it takes to recharge the battery. The charging current accepted by a cold battery is very low at first. As the battery warms, the charging current will increase.

Charging Procedure

Note. Turn OFF the ignition when connecting or disconnecting the battery cables, the battery charger or the jumper cables. Failure to do so may damage the PCM or other electronic components.

Note. Refer to FASTENER NOTICE in Cautions and Notices.

When charging side-terminal batteries with the battery cables connected, connect the charger to the positive cable bolt and to a ground located away from the battery. When charging side-terminal batteries with the battery cables disconnected, install the battery side terminal adapters and connect the charger to the adapters.

Tighten

Tighten the battery side terminal adapters to 15 N.m (11 lb ft).

Use the following procedure to charge the battery

1. Turn OFF the charger.
2. Ensure that all of the battery terminal connections are clean and tight.
3. Connect the charger positive lead to the battery positive terminal on the Battery or Fuse Block - Underhood. NOTE: Do not connect the negative charger lead to the housings of other vehicle electrical accessories or equipment. The action of the battery charger may damage such equipment.
4. Connect the negative charger lead to a solid engine ground or to a ground stud in the engine compartment that is connected directly to the battery negative terminal, but away from the battery. If the negative battery cable is disconnected and a terminal adapter is being used, connect directly to the adapter.
5. Turn ON the charger and set to the highest setting for normal charging.
6. Inspect the battery every half hour after starting the battery charger. Charge the battery until the until the taper-rate charger indicates that the battery is fully charged. Estimate the battery temperature by feeling the side of the battery. If it feels hot to the touch or its temperature is over 45°C (125°F), discontinue charging and allow the battery to cool before resuming charging.
7. After charging, test the battery. Refer to «BATTERY INSPECTION/TEST»(ref-188502-S42292285732005090500000) .

Tools Required

1. J 38758 Parasitic Draw Test Switch
2. J 39200 Digital Multimeter

It the vehicle exhibits a low or dead battery after an overnight period, or discharges over a period of 2 or 3 days, the electrical system should be checked for an excessive electrical drain. This is referred to as Parasitic Current Drain

If a battery needs recharging and no cause is evident, check the vehicle for excessive parasitic current drain.

One or more on-board solid state control modules, such as the body control module (BCM) may at some time exhibit a failure mode that causes a high parasitic drain on the vehicle's battery. When the battery is disconnected to install an ammeter, etc., the excessive current drain may not occur once the circuit continuity is restored. Even though cycling the ignition key to the RUN and then to the OFF position may cause such a drain to recur, there may be drains that will not recur unless the vehicle systems are reactivated in a road test. Since the ignition switch must not be rotated to the ACCESSORY, RUN or START position with an ammeter installed between the battery terminal and the battery cable, a current drain test tool must be used as described in the following procedures.

Before starting this procedure, ensure that the ignition switch is in the LOCK position, all electrical accessories are turned OFF, the underhood lamp is disconnected, the door glass is open and the doors are closed.

Note. Do not turn the parasitic draw test switch to the OFF position with the engine running. Damage will occur to the vehicle's electrical system.

Note. The test switch must be in the ON position when removing the fuses in order to maintain continuity in the electrical system. This avoids damaging the digital multimeter due to accidental overloading, such as a door being opened to change a fuse.

Scheme 68

1. Disconnect the battery negative cable. Refer to «BATTERY NEGATIVE CABLE DISCONNECT/CONNECT PROCEDURE»(ref-188502-S12446598312005090500000) .
2. Install the male end of the J 38758 Parasitic Draw Test Switch to the battery negative terminal.
3. Turn OFF the test switch.
4. Install the battery negative cable to the female end of the test switch.
5. Turn ON the test switch.
6. Road test the vehicle while activating all accessories, including the radio and the air conditioning.
7. Turn OFF the ignition switch. Remove the key. IMPORTANT: From this point on, electrical continuity must be maintained in the ground circuit of the battery through the J 38758 in the ON position or through the J 39200 . The BCM can draw several amps of current after the ignition is turned off. Refer to «BODY CONTROL SYSTEM DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION»(ref-188874-S24226173082005090500000) in Body Control System.
8. Install the scan tool and perform the power down now feature from the BCM output menu. After performing this function the scan tool can be powered off or disconnected, then wait an additional 5 minutes before continue testing.
9. Set the J 39200 Digital Multimeter to the 10 A scale. IMPORTANT: If an ammeter other than the J 39200 is used, ensure that the vehicle does not have a high current drain that would damage the ammeter when connected to the circuit. This can be done using the following procedure: 9.1. Connect a jumper wire with an in-line 10 A fuse J 36169-A to the terminals of the test switch. 9.2. Turn the test switch to the OFF position. 9.3. Wait 10 seconds. 9.4. If the fuse does not blow, the current is less than 10 A and the ammeter can be used safely. 9.5. Turn the test switch to the ON position before the fused jumper wire is removed and the multimeter is installed.
10. Connect the ammeter to the test switch terminals.
11. Turn OFF the test switch. This allows the current to flow through the ammeter.
12. Wait at least 60 seconds, then check the current reading. When there is a current reading of 2 A or less, turn ON the test switch, this maintains continuity in the electrical system. Then, switch the meter down to the 2 A scale, for a more accurate reading, when the test switch is reopened.
13. Take the reading in milli-amps.
14. Note the battery reserve capacity. Refer to «BATTERY USAGE»(ref-188502-S12704626852005090500000) . Divide this number by 4. Compare this to the multimeter reading. The current drain should not exceed this number. Example: If a battery has a reserve capacity of 100 minutes, the current drain should not exceed 25 milli-amps. If the vehicle has 2 batteries, add the reserve capacities together and divide this total by 4. NOTE: Always turn the test switch knob to the ON position before removing each fuse to maintain continuity in the electrical system and to avoid damaging the meter due to accidental overloading, such as opening a door to change a fuse.
15. When the current draw is too high, remove the electrical system fuses one at a time until the draw returns to a value less than or equal to specifications.
16. Repeat the parasitic current drain test procedure after any repair has been completed.
17. When the cause of the excessive current draw has been located and repaired, remove the meter and the parasitic draw test switch and terminal adapters.
18. Connect the negative cable to the battery negative terminal. Refer to «BATTERY NEGATIVE CABLE DISCONNECT/CONNECT PROCEDURE»(ref-188502-S12446598312005090500000) .

A battery is not designed to last forever. With proper care, however, the battery will provide years of good service. If the battery tests good but still fails to perform well, the following are some of the more common causes

1. A vehicle accessory was left on overnight.
2. The driving speeds have been slow with frequent stops with many electrical accessories in use, particularly air conditioning, headlights, wipers, heated rear window, cellular telephone, etc.
3. The electrical load has exceeded the generator output, particularly with the addition of aftermarket equipment.
4. Existing conditions in the charging system, including the following possibilities: A slipping belt A bad generator
5. The battery has not been properly maintained, including a loose battery hold down or missing battery insulator if used.
6. There are mechanical conditions in the electrical system, such as a short or a pinched wire, attributing to power failure. Refer to GENERAL ELECTRICAL DIAGNOSIS PROCEDURES in Wiring Systems.

Electrolyte Freezing

The freezing point of electrolyte depends on its specific gravity. A fully charged battery will not freeze until the ambient temperature gets below -54°C (-65°F). However, a battery with a low state of charge may freeze at temperatures as high as -7°C (+20°F). Since freezing may ruin a battery, the battery should be protected against freezing by keeping it properly charged. As long as the green eye is visible in the hydrometer, the freezing point of the battery will be somewhere below -32°C (-25°F).

Certain devices on the vehicle maintain a small continuous current drain on the battery. A battery that is not used for an extended period of time will discharge. Eventually permanent damage will result. Discharged batteries will also freeze in cold weather. Refer to BATTERY INSPECTION/TEST .

In order to maintain a battery state of charge while storing the vehicle for more than 30 days

1. Ensure that the green dot is visible in the built-in hydrometer. CAUTION: Refer to «BATTERY DISCONNECT CAUTION»(ref-175132-S30614301632005041500000) in Cautions and Notices.
2. Disconnect the battery ground to protect the battery from discharge by parasitic current drains.

When the battery cannot be disconnected

1. Maintain a high state of charge.
2. Establish a regular schedule for recharging the battery every 20-45 days.

A battery that has remained in a discharged state for a long period of time is difficult to recharge or may be permanently damaged.

Jump Starting in Case of Emergency

Note. This vehicle has a 12 volt, negative ground electrical system. Make sure the vehicle or equipment being used to jump start the engine is also 12 volt, negative ground. Use of any other type of system will damage the vehicle's electrical components.

This vehicle has a 12 volt positive, negative ground electrical system. Do not try to jump start a vehicle if you are unsure of the other vehicle's positive voltage or ground position. The booster battery and the discharged battery should be treated carefully when using jumper cables.

Scheme 69

1. Position the vehicle with the booster battery so that the jumper cables will comfortably reach the battery of the other vehicle. Do not let the 2 vehicles touch. Make sure that the jumper cables do not have loose clamps or missing insulation.
2. Perform the following steps on both vehicles: 2.1. Place the automatic transmission in PARK. 2.2. Block the wheels. 2.3. Set the parking brake 2.4. Turn off all electrical loads that are not needed. Leave the hazard flashers ON. 2.5. Turn OFF the ignition switch. IMPORTANT: Some vehicles have a battery remote positive stud. ALWAYS use the battery remote positive stud in order to give or to receive a jump start.
3. Attach the end of one jumper cable to the positive terminal of the discharged battery.
4. Attach the other end of the first cable to the positive terminal of the booster battery.
5. Attach one end of the remaining jumper cable to the negative terminal of the booster battery. NOTE: Do not connect the negative charger lead to the housings of other vehicle electrical accessories or equipment. The action of the battery charger may damage such equipment.
6. Make the final connection of the negative jumper cable to the block or suitable bracket connected directly to the block, away from the battery.
7. Start the engine of the vehicle that is providing the jump start and turn off all electrical accessories. Raise the engine RPM to approximately 1,500 RPM.
8. Crank the engine of the vehicle with the weak battery. If the engine does not crank or cranks too slowly, perform the following steps: 8.1. Turn the ignition OFF. 8.2. Allow the booster vehicle engine to run at approximately 1,500 RPM for 5 minutes. 8.3. Attempt to start the engine of the vehicle with the discharged battery.
9. Reverse the steps exactly when removing the jumper cables. The negative battery cable must first be disconnected from the engine that was jump started.

Scheme 70

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Disconnecting Procedure

Scheme 75

1. Record all preset and theft codes from the radio.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK position.
3. Verify that all the electrical components are off such as interior lights, all doors are closed, the underhood lamp, etc.
4. Loosen the negative battery cable bolt.
5. Remove the negative battery cable (4) from the battery.
6. Position the negative battery cable away from any body ground.

Scheme 76

1. Verify that all electrical components are off such as interior lights, all doors are closed, the underhood lamp, etc.
2. Clean any corrosion from the negative battery cable using a wire brush.
3. Position the negative battery cable (4) to the battery. NOTE: Refer to «FASTENER NOTICE»(ref-175132-S17785009232005041500000) in Cautions and Notices.
4. Tighten negative battery cable bolt. Tighten Tighten the bolt to 15 N.m (11 lb ft).

Scheme 77

1. Disconnect the battery negative cable. Refer to «BATTERY NEGATIVE CABLE DISCONNECT/CONNECT PROCEDURE»(ref-188502-S12446598312005090500000) .
2. Remove the bolt that secures the harness to the front wheelhouse panel (1).
3. Remove the bolt that secures the harness to the shock tower (2).
4. Remove the harness from the engine harness bracket.
5. Remove the bolt that secures the harness to the engine block.

Cold Cranking Amperage

The cold cranking amperage is an indication of the ability of the battery to crank the engine at cold temperatures. The cold cranking amperage rating is the minimum amperage the battery must maintain for 30 seconds at -18°C (0°F) while maintaining at least 7.2 volts. Refer to BATTERY USAGE for the cold cranking amperage rating for this vehicle.

The IPC illuminates the battery indicator when the following occurs

1. The PCM detects that the generator output is less than 11 volts or greater than 16 volts. The IPC receives a class 2 message from the PCM requesting illumination.
2. The IPC determines that the system voltage is less than 11 volts or greater than 16 volts. The IPC receives a class 2 message from the body control module (BCM) indicating the system voltage.
3. The IPC performs the displays test at the start of each ignition cycle. The indicator illuminates for approximately 3 seconds.
4. The ignition is on, with the engine off.

The IPC illuminates the battery not charging indicator in the driver information center when the following occurs

1. The PCM detects that the generator output is less than 11 volts or greater than 16 volts. The IPC receives a class 2 message from the PCM requesting illumination.
2. The IPC determines that the system voltage is less than 11 volts or greater than 16 volts. The IPC receives a class 2 message from the body control module (BCM) indicating the system voltage.

Scheme 78

Scheme 79