2008 Chevy Cobalt Battery Always Dying

[Gabrielle Bumpus]

I have a 2008 cobalt Lt. I bought it about a year ago as soon as I took it home, I realized the locks were constantly unlocking itself. I disconnected the wires where I need to manually lock and unlock everything now. Within the first week of owning it the battery would not charge and I needed a new one. So I immediately replaced it. My brand new battery lasted maybe 3 months and I needed a new one again (Walmart confirmed it was a trashed battery so I got a new one free) After 2 weeks of having the second new battery, each day that I tried to start it, it needed to be jump started. I checked all fuses and everything was fine, my dad is also a car builder and he had no idea what was causing my battery to constantly drain, other than possibly a new alternator. The mechanic we took it to couldn't find a solution, and three weeks of holding my car and doing testing, he mentioned it could be the alternator. I got it replaced and it seemed to work!... Fast forward 2 months later, my car is doing the same thing AGAIN. Since I've had the car, the blinker's sound randomly doesn't work, the radio will also randomly turn blank and shut music off. Could this be a bad grounding in the car? How could I test for a bad grounding? And is any one else having these same issues?

 

[Dennis Schiller]

Maybe I can help. I have a 03 Cobalt which runs fine and a 95 T-bird that drains the battery.
So here are some pointers.
1. It is possible to buy two batteries which are both bad regardless of car trouble.
2. You need to measure how much current is leaving the battery with key out, lights off etc. It should be extremely low (My T-bird is drawing 0.16 amps; too much).
3. I'll go check the Cobalt an edit post with a 'good' number.

OK, when first connected, the battery supplies 2-3 amps to initialize on board computers and such. After about 30 seconds the amps drops to 0.48 (cheat the truck lid latch to turn off the little light bulb. I suspect after one-half hour or so, the amps will drop again.

If you have more than 0.48 amps, start pulling fuses.

OK,It is now down to 0.016 amps, less than 1/2 hour.

 

[Gabrielle Bumpus]

My dad and I have already checked the battery, it’s the nearly the same voltage as yours. Not very high. I’ve checked the fuses as well, and also had a mechanic double check them after I had. I just wonder if I have an electrical problem, there’s weird stuff that happens to it at random times with the radio, the speakers, the doors unlocking themselves and my back windows won’t roll down! I opened my passenger side door, like got into it to see why the window wouldn’t roll down and it was extremely rusted out... I wonder if it’s a lemon car that must have had severe water damage from a flood or something. The car DID come from another state and I know that’s common for flood cars to be passed around like that. Lots of stuff are rusted in weird hard to reach spots.. I don’t think Oregon has a lemon law though? Super frustrating, because I suspect it and feel like the dealership really scammed me on this one.

 

[Shaggy]

My dad and I have already checked the battery, it’s the nearly the same voltage as yours. Not very high. I’ve checked the fuses as well, and also had a mechanic double check them after I had. I just wonder if I have an electrical problem, there’s weird stuff that happens to it at random times with the radio, the speakers, the doors unlocking themselves and my back windows won’t roll down! I opened my passenger side door, like got into it to see why the window wouldn’t roll down and it was extremely rusted out... I wonder if it’s a lemon car that must have had severe water damage from a flood or something. The car DID come from another state and I know that’s common for flood cars to be passed around like that. Lots of stuff are rusted in weird hard to reach spots.. I don’t think Oregon has a lemon law though? Super frustrating, because I suspect it and feel like the dealership really scammed me on this one.

I hate those electrical gremlins! For the battery, did you check to see if even the alternator may not be charging it correctly?

 

[SideShow Bob]

I realize this thread is over a month old but,
Even if you have a lemon law in your state, it would only apply to a new vehicle, you bought a 9-10 year old vehicle.
The only thing that would apply is “Caveat Emptor”.
Especially if the title was a salvage or rebuilt one.

 

[Shaggy]

I realize this thread is over a month old but,
Even if you have a lemon law in your state, it would only apply to a new vehicle, you bought a 9-10 year old vehicle.
The only thing that would apply is “Caveat Emptor”.
Especially if the title was a salvage or rebuilt one.

What is Caeat Emptor. A term I never heard of

 

[SideShow Bob]

What is Caeat Emptor. A term I never heard of

 

[SideShow Bob]

Caveat emptor is a neo-Latin phrase meaning "let the buyer beware." It is a principle of contract law in many jurisdictions that places the onus on the buyer to perform due diligence before making a purchase. The term is commonly used in real property transactions but applies to other goods, as well as some services