Dead Bolt, battery suspected

[Tinbecca]

Dandrewk, Thank you!! I figured out how to pop the cover and got into the car. Everything is still dead, won't start, won't charge. The fact that it won't charge makes me think it is more than the 12V battery. Or could it still just be the 12V battery?

 

[DucRider]

Dandrewk, Thank you!! I figured out how to pop the cover and got into the car. Everything is still dead, won't start, won't charge. The fact that it won't charge makes me think it is more than the 12V battery. Or could it still just be the 12V battery?

I believe the 12V battery powers all the systems, including the charging computers. No 12v, no charging.

Page 295 of the owners manual has the procedure for jump starting the Bolt. Since you have another vehicle with a good battery, that is where I would begin.

 

[Tinbecca]

Thank you! I will update when I have answers.

 

[SeanNelson]

I believe the 12V battery powers all the systems, including the charging computers. No 12v, no charging.

Yes - the 12V battery powers the electronic systems that engage the high voltage battery. If the 12V battery is too low then nothing will work - even if the high voltage battery is fully charged.

 

[Tinbecca]

Just to follow up: it was the 12 volt battery. Once we charged it, we saw that my husband had left the hazard lights on while we were away. Car working great again

 

[BoltHighTension]

Well that's got to be a relief! Glad it was an easy fix, more or less!

 

[plj]

When I took my Bolt in for the 7500 mile service, the dealer replaced the battery. The invoice says the following: "Upon inspection found battery reading at below GM spec." and "Found battery reading at 0 CCA rated for 520 CCA recommend replacing battery." I was not aware of any weakness. I was happy they spotted it and replaced it without me having to experience a breakdown.

My Bolt is an early build (Oct 2016).

 

[gpsman]

Whoa whoa whoa.... back er up there a minute.

#1 your car does not need 12 volt cold cranking amps, or any cranking for that matter.

#2 I took my Bolt to the dealership and they replaced the 400 volt traction battery.

#3 there is recall on the early 2017 400 volt battery pack. The entire thing. You also get new hoses and updated cooling water fittings with the new battery pack.

Do you know what they ACTUALLY did with any confidence?

 

[LeftieBiker]

The invoice seems pretty clear that it was the 12 volt accessory battery. These batteries are just regular starting batteries, and the dealership has a device that measures the capacity of these little batteries in CCAs. There is no mystery here. The car may have been left in Transport mode.

 

[RickCH]

These batteries are just regular starting batteries, and the dealership has a device that measures the capacity of these little batteries in CCAs.

Exactly. The "health" of a 12v automotive/vehicle battery is measured on a load tester (at a garage, or many auto supply stores) that tells you the Cold Cranking Amps. Compare that number with the original rating, and you then know if the battery is OK or about to die. CCA is not a literal description of the battery's purpose.

 

[SeanNelson]

Exactly. The "health" of a 12v automotive/vehicle battery is measured on a load tester (at a garage, or many auto supply stores) that tells you the Cold Cranking Amps. Compare that number with the original rating, and you then know if the battery is OK or about to die. CCA is not a literal description of the battery's purpose.

...as long as the dealer sets the tester so that it's testing for the correct capacity.

My Prius C also used a small AGM battery that just powers the electronics, and during one of my service visits they tried to tell me that it needed to be replaced. When they showed me the printout from the battery tester I had to point out to them that they'd set it to "Previa" instead of "Prius C". Big difference.

 

[RickCH]

When they showed me the printout from the battery tester I had to point out to them that they'd set it to "Previa" instead of "Prius C". Big difference.

Imagine if they left the setting on Tundra or Sequoia

 

[LeftieBiker]

It's a common Leaf mod to replace the original starting battery with a Yellow Top or AGM, or even just a larger size starting battery. Some Bolt owners might benefit from that as well.