Dead battery and oil life question

[cmeinck]

I had the same issue and it's happened 5 or 6 times. Hummer simply stated I wasn't driving the car enough. There is a problem and they won't acknowledge it. For that reason, I'm eventually going to trade my H3 in on something else. If you hear of anything, I would like to know.

[fourfourto]

I unhooked the battery for my underhood light install and the oil life reset.Also when the dealer replaced the battery in march 06( I found out when I got the on star report)Current battery is holding up well,to be changed over to a optimum in the future.

The total miles on the car I guess is protected.As was the compass and temp on the mirror and the horn chirping when locking and unlocking.

My aftermarket radio had to be reset with time ,stations ect.

[Raptor371]

I just had my battery replaced for the first time at 35,000 miles. My driver's window would not operate and the automatic door locks would not function.

[fourfourto]

Originally Posted by Raptor371

I just had my battery replaced for the first time at 35,000 miles. My driver's window would not operate and the automatic door locks would not function.

I had that happen when the battery went dead.
After it was jumped and running for a while it went back to normal.

[wpage]

Just came back from a trip and after sitting 7 days with no drains the battery was dead. After a short jump it stated up. GM should be ashamed of itself to install inferior batteries in a Hummer. Selling my GM stock...

[evldave]

30k miles, go on weeklong trips away every couple months, leave stuff like cell phone charger,ipod, 75w inverter all plugged in while I'm gone. Never even blinked an eye starting. If you are willing to sell your GM stock (or whine about never buying a hummer again because your battery went dead ) STFU and go home

[Hal]

Originally Posted by evldave

30k miles, go on weeklong trips away every couple months, leave stuff like cell phone charger,ipod, 75w inverter all plugged in while I'm gone. Never even blinked an eye starting. If you are willing to sell your GM stock (or whine about never buying a hummer again because your battery went dead ) STFU and go home

We are talking about dead batteries replaced 2-3 and 4 times. It's a pain in the ass going to the dealer when they are an hour away. Anyway, try unpluging all that stuff and let your truck sit for a week then drive it one or two days then let it sit for a week. Chances are you'll have a dead battery too.

I'm not complaining about my Isuzu Rodeo 4x4 or Grand Cherokee Overland 4x4 because they never had to go back to the dealer for anything! ever! WTF is wrong with GM? you tell me...

[Hal]

Has anyone put in an Optima or other battery and had it go dead??? that would be the definitive test to see if the Hummer is sucking the juice or if the batteries just SUCK! I can't believe there could be so many defective batteries but I could easily believe that the Hummer has a defective design.

I should probably just get a Wal-Mart battery and then if it goes dead in 3 to 4 months at least I would only have to drive 1/2 mile instead of making an appointment and driving 60 miles to the dealership AGAIN!

[evldave]

Originally Posted by Hal

Has anyone put in an Optima or other battery and had it go dead??? that would be the definitive test to see if the Hummer is sucking the juice or if the batteries just SUCK! I can't believe there could be so many defective batteries but I could easily believe that the Hummer has a defective design.

I should probably just get a Wal-Mart battery and then if it goes dead in 3 to 4 months at least I would only have to drive 1/2 mile instead of making an appointment and driving 60 miles to the dealership AGAIN!

SEARCH SEARCH SEARCH

There are plenty of threads here about batteries. GM Batteries are the most common complaint, well known fact. You can get a bad one one time, then a good one (like me *nyah*). Most 'dead battery' cases are either a bad battery or parasitic drain from an aftermarket product (usually new stereo or ipod adapter incorrectly installed).

Hey I understand you have a bad battery, it happens. That's the risk of having a hummer dealer a long way away. It's also why you have Hummer Roadside assistance - QUIT YER BISHING.

[f5fstop]

Batteries going bad is NOT a Hummer H3 option; it is a free option on many cars, GM and other manufacturers. The rate of battery failure on the H3 is the same as on any GM vehicle, and from comparing notes in the auto industry, it is the same on any major brand. For all of you who have had one or two batteries, I don't know of anyone personally, who has replaced a battery in the first three years. Factory installed batteries meet manufacturers requirements, but that does not mean they are the greatest batteries made.
I did replace one in the first year of a vehicle's life, but it was my 03 Jeep Wrangler.
Now, if my battery does go dead, I will replace with an optima.

[algy]

Originally Posted by Hal

Has anyone put in an Optima or other battery and had it go dead???

Not Yet, after having my H3 for just 3 months I was listening to my monsoon with the engine cut off for nearly 20 minutes. The battery was drained and I had to get a jump. I was doing allot of short range commuting and the battery died again. I found that you need to go above 55mph to before the battery will regain a charge. I did that and still the battery died. The battery was under warranty, but would take over a day to get it and installed.. I just said f* it and installed the following. I also had to use a Dremel drill to increase the connector holes:

Still hold juice like a charm and has a wicked crank at -15 degrees F.



http://www.1st-optima-batteries.com/red_top_battery.asp

[OU812]

Originally Posted by Hal

Has anyone put in an Optima or other battery and had it go dead??? that would be the definitive test to see if the Hummer is sucking the juice or if the batteries just SUCK! I can't believe there could be so many defective batteries but I could easily believe that the Hummer has a defective design.

My OEM ACDelco was bad within the first 100 miles (which could have been the result of sitting on the lot). I replaced it with a Red Top Optima (and got reimbursement money from the dealer). Even with the Optima, I cannot trust it to sit longer than 2 weeks. So, it is never a car I take to the airport. At home I got in the habit of plugging it into a battery maintainer (when I know I am not going to drive it for awhile). As a side note, my others cars have their OEM batteries and have sat in excess of a month without an issue.

[Field Scout]

Originally Posted by cmeinck

I had the same issue and it's happened 5 or 6 times. Hummer simply stated I wasn't driving the car enough. There is a problem and they won't acknowledge it. For that reason, I'm eventually going to trade my H3 in on something else. If you hear of anything, I would like to know.

Thats funny, my buddy drives a Canyon and goes through a battery about every 8 mos and GMC told him he drives too much(80,000) per year and that it was charging the battery too much and creating a memory like nicads do

[RubHer Yellow Ducky]

Originally Posted by Field Scout

Thats funny, my buddy drives a Canyon and goes through a battery about every 8 mos and GMC told him he drives too much(80,000) per year and that it was charging the battery too much and creating a memory like nicads do

[mountainbiker]

My 06 H3 doesn't get much use due to my schedule. I bought it in Aug 06 and haven't even broke 3000 miles on it. The battery issue isn't helping. The original AC Delco had to be chucked as soon as I get it to Germany as it wouldn't even take a charge. I couldn't get an AC Delco replacement, so I went with the Optima Red Top. Unfortunately, it won't hold a charge beyond about 10-14 days. If I drive the H3 about once a week, it seems to keep enough juice; unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of driving it once a week.

The H3 is sitting next to a 97 Explorer. It goes weeks and weeks at a time with out running. I was recently away for 6 weeks, and it still started like a champ.

Therefore, I am scratching my head. Can the H3 actually have 2 bad batteries: AC Delco and Optima? Or, is there some sort of parasitic drain (no PIAAs, no new stereo, no alarm ...)?

Consider using a "battery maintainer", plugs easily in the cigarette lighter. Porsche sells them for about $80 (US dollars).

[cdmintmi]

i can save you all a bunch of headache and belly aching. You bought a Hummer right? So get your ass in it and go wheeling. It looks good in the driveway but it looks a thousand times better out playing in the dirt, mud, and rocks. Get the things dirty and have some fun. I have 45,000 miles on my H3, a power converter for charging cordless tools at work, a detachable XM radio, TomTom GPS, phone charger, and 17.5 mil cp spot light charger in mine on the original battery and no problems. Ive gone camping and listened the XM radio all night and still cranked in the morning. Listen to your dealers, drive em, get em dirty, its what they were made for!!!

[cmeinck]

I did plenty of 8 wheelin'. The four wheels of my HUMMER + the four wheels on the tow truck. You're right, what a pleasure.