[MIKON8ERISBACK]

Long story short:
*2001 Monte Carlo SS sits in the driveway for about 6 months.
*Battery dies.
*Battery is revived via jumpstart.
*Car is left to idle for about 30 minutes.
*I notice this weird problem. I am not joking about any of this.

I turn the car off after a good half hour of idling and I notice that the speakers in the car are performing a 2 second bass reflex. This is accompanied by constant voltage fluctuations and slight but audible fluctuations in engine performance. The bass reflex happened when I turned the ignition off and when I pressed the automatic door lock button.

The engine oil pressure and temperature are within acceptable margins, I think...

The bass reflex happened when I had the stereo off as to put as little load on the battery as possible during the charging process. WTF?

The car has over 130,000 kilometers on it and sat in the driveway for quite some time. Not the best conditions I know, although this past winter was among the mildest on record in a climate where the daily average temperatures during the Winter months are below freezing at the very least.

This strikes me as a very urgent problem and I am scared to death that this may indicate a very serious safety hazard. I wonder if the car computer will malfunction and spontaneously set off an air bag... I'm dead serious.

This post has been edited by MIKON8ERISBACK on Saturday, Jul 28 2012, 16:57

[Triple Penetration]

My father had a similar problem, but it was more lik killing the whole soundsystem and making dash lights flash.

The car had been staying on the same driveway for a month, but knowing England, it had been raining for almost everyday and we discovered a leak just on the windscreen's sealing, flowing all the water into the car's interior and electronics. The car wasn't safe to drive anymore, as it showed abs, fuel pump, oil and srs lights are on and needed to have something done on them. We're not sure if we actually could drive the car, but as it was practically useless and taking space on the driveway, we just scrapped it.

In your case, I'd just go to a repair workshop and ask if they can do a diagnostic on the car, that will most probably give you an answer.

Just a guess tho but it is always helping when electronics are involved.

[MIKON8ERISBACK]

QUOTE (Triple Penetration @ Sunday, Jul 29 2012, 09:43)

My father had a similar problem, but it was more lik killing the whole soundsystem and making dash lights flash. The car had been staying on the same driveway for a month, but knowing England, it had been raining for almost everyday and we discovered a leak just on the windscreen's sealing, flowing all the water into the car's interior and electronics. The car wasn't safe to drive anymore, as it showed abs, fuel pump, oil and srs lights are on and needed to have something done on them. We're not sure if we actually could drive the car, but as it was practically useless and taking space on the driveway, we just scrapped it. In your case, I'd just go to a repair workshop and ask if they can do a diagnostic on the car, that will most probably give you an answer. Just a guess tho but it is always helping when electronics are involved.

Thanks for the reply. The A/C needs to be re-filled with refrigerant and the possible leak in the tube fixed also. I've heard nothing but bad things about bureaucratic red tape involving A/C refrigerant.

[κενιη]

If the battery is sh*tting the bed and not able to hold a full charge you might be running most of the car off of just the alternator after it starts. Have you tried swapping in a newer or more constantly used and charged batter into it to see if the problem persists? I would find a battery out of another vehicle you have on hand and try it out in the car and see what happens. Automobile batteries don't exactly like being out of a charge and even more so for extended periods of time.

So...in short...try another battery from another car. Even if the pole position or type doesn't match up, just hook it up to the Monty Carlo's battery leads with the loaner battery on the ground next to the vehicle. If the problem persists, I would get it checked by a mechanic because you could end up frying the electrical system...and thats never a good thing.

[sivispacem]

Is the stereo system aftermarket? Sounds like a bad earth or other mistake in wiring it to me.

[MIKON8ERISBACK]

QUOTE (κενιη @ Monday, Jul 30 2012, 17:54)

If the battery is sh*tting the bed and not able to hold a full charge you might be running most of the car off of just the alternator after it starts. Have you tried swapping in a newer or more constantly used and charged batter into it to see if the problem persists? I would find a battery out of another vehicle you have on hand and try it out in the car and see what happens. Automobile batteries don't exactly like being out of a charge and even more so for extended periods of time. So...in short...try another battery from another car. Even if the pole position or type doesn't match up, just hook it up to the Monty Carlo's battery leads with the loaner battery on the ground next to the vehicle. If the problem persists, I would get it checked by a mechanic because you could end up frying the electrical system...and thats never a good thing.

Yep. It turns out the battery has bit the dust after a good 12 years of use. It refuses to hold a charge for more than a day or so. I'm having trouble getting the battery out because there's a metal bar sitting in the way held down by some bolts that are too tight for my wrenches to grasp.

[MIKON8ERISBACK]

QUOTE (sivispacem @ Tuesday, Jul 31 2012, 04:37)

Is the stereo system aftermarket? Sounds like a bad earth or other mistake in wiring it to me.

The stereo is not aftermarket. It's the standard GM/Delco stereo system with CD player, cassette, and good old AM/FM.

[Carlover325]

QUOTE (MIKON8ERISBACK @ Wednesday, Aug 8 2012, 08:36)

QUOTE (κενιη @ Monday, Jul 30 2012, 17:54) If the battery is sh*tting the bed and not able to hold a full charge you might be running most of the car off of just the alternator after it starts. Have you tried swapping in a newer or more constantly used and charged batter into it to see if the problem persists? I would find a battery out of another vehicle you have on hand and try it out in the car and see what happens. Automobile batteries don't exactly like being out of a charge and even more so for extended periods of time. So...in short...try another battery from another car. Even if the pole position or type doesn't match up, just hook it up to the Monty Carlo's battery leads with the loaner battery on the ground next to the vehicle. If the problem persists, I would get it checked by a mechanic because you could end up frying the electrical system...and thats never a good thing. Yep. It turns out the battery has bit the dust after a good 12 years of use. It refuses to hold a charge for more than a day or so. I'm having trouble getting the battery out because there's a metal bar sitting in the way held down by some bolts that are too tight for my wrenches to grasp.

My step-mom's '06 Impala has that annoying bar, too.

[MIKON8ERISBACK]

QUOTE (Carlover325 @ Wednesday, Aug 8 2012, 21:25)

QUOTE (MIKON8ERISBACK @ Wednesday, Aug 8 2012, 08:36) QUOTE (κενιη @ Monday, Jul 30 2012, 17:54) If the battery is sh*tting the bed and not able to hold a full charge you might be running most of the car off of just the alternator after it starts. Have you tried swapping in a newer or more constantly used and charged batter into it to see if the problem persists? I would find a battery out of another vehicle you have on hand and try it out in the car and see what happens. Automobile batteries don't exactly like being out of a charge and even more so for extended periods of time. So...in short...try another battery from another car. Even if the pole position or type doesn't match up, just hook it up to the Monty Carlo's battery leads with the loaner battery on the ground next to the vehicle. If the problem persists, I would get it checked by a mechanic because you could end up frying the electrical system...and thats never a good thing. Yep. It turns out the battery has bit the dust after a good 12 years of use. It refuses to hold a charge for more than a day or so. I'm having trouble getting the battery out because there's a metal bar sitting in the way held down by some bolts that are too tight for my wrenches to grasp. My step-mom's '06 Impala has that annoying bar, too.

Any advice on the wrench I need to get it out of the way?

[Lurch]

QUOTE (MIKON8ERISBACK @ Thursday, Aug 9 2012, 07:27)

QUOTE (Carlover325 @ Wednesday, Aug 8 2012, 21:25) QUOTE (MIKON8ERISBACK @ Wednesday, Aug 8 2012, 08:36) QUOTE (κενιη @ Monday, Jul 30 2012, 17:54) If the battery is sh*tting the bed and not able to hold a full charge you might be running most of the car off of just the alternator after it starts. Have you tried swapping in a newer or more constantly used and charged batter into it to see if the problem persists? I would find a battery out of another vehicle you have on hand and try it out in the car and see what happens. Automobile batteries don't exactly like being out of a charge and even more so for extended periods of time. So...in short...try another battery from another car. Even if the pole position or type doesn't match up, just hook it up to the Monty Carlo's battery leads with the loaner battery on the ground next to the vehicle. If the problem persists, I would get it checked by a mechanic because you could end up frying the electrical system...and thats never a good thing. Yep. It turns out the battery has bit the dust after a good 12 years of use. It refuses to hold a charge for more than a day or so. I'm having trouble getting the battery out because there's a metal bar sitting in the way held down by some bolts that are too tight for my wrenches to grasp. My step-mom's '06 Impala has that annoying bar, too. Any advice on the wrench I need to get it out of the way?

The one that fits it? Do you really not have the right socket for it? They're usually a pretty common size.

[Carlover325]

I just used a socket wrench and it came right off.

[MIKON8ERISBACK]

QUOTE (Lurch @ Thursday, Aug 9 2012, 14:29)

QUOTE (MIKON8ERISBACK @ Thursday, Aug 9 2012, 07:27) QUOTE (Carlover325 @ Wednesday, Aug 8 2012, 21:25) QUOTE (MIKON8ERISBACK @ Wednesday, Aug 8 2012, 08:36) QUOTE (κενιη @ Monday, Jul 30 2012, 17:54) If the battery is sh*tting the bed and not able to hold a full charge you might be running most of the car off of just the alternator after it starts. Have you tried swapping in a newer or more constantly used and charged batter into it to see if the problem persists? I would find a battery out of another vehicle you have on hand and try it out in the car and see what happens. Automobile batteries don't exactly like being out of a charge and even more so for extended periods of time. So...in short...try another battery from another car. Even if the pole position or type doesn't match up, just hook it up to the Monty Carlo's battery leads with the loaner battery on the ground next to the vehicle. If the problem persists, I would get it checked by a mechanic because you could end up frying the electrical system...and thats never a good thing. Yep. It turns out the battery has bit the dust after a good 12 years of use. It refuses to hold a charge for more than a day or so. I'm having trouble getting the battery out because there's a metal bar sitting in the way held down by some bolts that are too tight for my wrenches to grasp. My step-mom's '06 Impala has that annoying bar, too. Any advice on the wrench I need to get it out of the way? The one that fits it? Do you really not have the right socket for it? They're usually a pretty common size.

I used an adjustable wrench.

[Lurch]

Crescents aren't for breaking things loose. Use a normal wrench or better yet, a socket. You can't work on cars if you don't have the right tools.

[MIKON8ERISBACK]

UPDATE:

I did some thinking and came to the conclusion that the problem was an old 11 year old battery that had lost it's ability to hold a charge. The result was that the battery was failing to balance the load between the alternator and the car's electrical system. Thus causing the stereo to malfunction and the lights to rapidly flicker as if they were on a 25Hz AC power supply.

When I first noticed the problem, I seriously thought that a rectifier somewhere down the line (if even exists) had somehow failed and that the alternator was now feeding a 25Hz AC power supply to the lights. Of course, that was just an illogical conclusion with no thought whatsoever.

Me and my older cousin recently replaced the battery and the car is back on the road and in the possession of my older cousin's wife. The problem I described has ceased as far as I can notice.

The next obstacle is fixing the A/C. Next summer may be yet another record breaker.

Off topic: This past summer has been one of the hottest if not the hottest on record.

I apologize for bumping this topic. I just thought I needed to give you the low-down to let you know that the problem has been solved.

Lock if need be.

This post has been edited by MIKON8ERISBACK on Tuesday, Sep 25 2012, 06:31