Hey all---maybe you have a suggestion. I have a 96 850 wagon, and in years past, when it's really really cold, it will have a hard start. We plugged in the battery recharger and it was fine.

Ok---fast forward to this week. I had teh ABS controller module taken out and sent in for repair, so I am not driving the car (there is no odometer or speedo). I went out and started it once just to make sure it was happy. (perhaps there is some type of electrical drain on it, who knows). Started---wasn't that happy.

So---went out yesterday.Not good---it turns over, but not enough to catch. I went out and bought a battery charger from Sears (mid life husband took "ours" when he left this summer). Hooked it up, let it trickle charge all night.

Went out this am---said the battery was full--had more umpph but still it wouldn't start.

So what the heck now? It's parked head in in the garage---the battery charger I have has the ability to zap the battery with 50 amps like a "jump". Should I do that?

Could it be an alternator or a starter instead? Do you all have any thoughts on what I should do? Vic should be sending my controller back today and I'd like to get it installed--much less stop driving the gas sucking (in more ways that one) Chevy truck.

Any thoughts? Can I safely use that "jump" mode of the recharger on what it says is a fully charged battery?

I've seen this posted a couple of times in brickboard and it's also happened to me. The 850 glove compartment door has a hadit of warping and when this happens it no longer turns off the lamp. It used to drain the battery if my wife only drove a few short trips each day. Drove me nuts until the light finally burned out. I replaced it and the problem started all over again!! Use some double back tape and stick a spacer in the corner of the door in front of the switch post. A penny works fine most of the time.

I also read these posts and removed the bulb - but it didn't affect my problem. However, it is a good suggestion for Petitcheval to check this. Despite my obvious distaste for Die Hard batteries, her solution could be that simple. Some posts recommned removing the bulb. Using a spacer as you suggested, if it works, is superior IMO to the pain of removing the glove box to get at the bulb plus you still have the (minimal) illumination of the box!

Regards,

Calvin

My 96 850 Turbo had a Die Hard in it when I bought it two years ago. Three times since then, the battery has died. First symptom each time was that if the car sat for more than a couple of days, it would have to be jump started.

The first two times this happened, Sears automatically replaced the battery free of charge. The third time, they were about to replace it again and I asked them to check the alternator. Upon checking, they told me the alternator was bad and offered to replace it for nearly $300 parts and labor (they were going to buy the part from Advanced Auto). I told them I wanted a second opinion.

After some research and testing, I was suspecting the battery to be the problem. So, I took the Wal-Mart battery out of my 92 940 and put it in the 850 and it's worked fine ever since (more than a month now - even on cold mornings).

Now I'll have to say that I put the Die Hard in the 940 and it's doing OK in that car. My theory is that the Die Hard is just not up to the demands placed on it by the 850. While this may or may not be true, all I know is that I have had Die Hards twice and BOTH times (the other was in a 70 something Olds 98) Sears ended up replacing it multiple times. I never had to pay out more, but it was a major inconvenience!

BTW, glad to hear you got the ABS controller out and sent off to Vic. Kind of like the Home Depot commercial - "You can do it, we (Brickboard) can help."

If it still won't start with a new battery, don't blame the starter or altenator yet. Sounds like your old battery died and will not hold more than 10 amps.
Your kick switch in the charger should have had the engine turning over rapidly. I still suspect bad battery.
Let the new one trickle charge over night. It is not fully charged when you pick it up at Sears.
Klaus
--
98 V70Rawd(101Kmi), 95 854T(85K mi), 88 245(165K mi)

Hello Little Horse,
NEVER/EVER use the jump mode of the battery recharger!!! I did this a few years ago on my old 760 and fried the ballast resistor and light control module.
The most likely problem for "no go" is due to your battery. When they start to age some will charge fully but drain after a few attempts to start the car.
p.s. - do you have a cd changer in your 850? I just bought a T-5 wagon and don't know where/if it is located.
Tks,
Armie

oops, too late, but it didn't work anyway. the sucky thing is is that I can't get it to sears to have them check whether it's the battery or the alternator or what.

As far as a cd changer? I bought an after market ALPINE 6 cd stacker which is in the way back of the car (wagon). The stereo was set up for it---I bought it ages ago, and it works like a charm.

drat-maybe I will go buy a new battery-I just called sears. I am going to bring the sick one in for them to test and if it's not happy, get a new one.

Just a quick reminder that if you take the battery out of the car to be sure you have the reset code for your radio...
Also, where did you mount your aftermarket cd changer???
Thanks again,
Armie