Starting problems / Battery trouble
Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 6:03 pm
Wasn't sure whether to post this in the Engine forum or in the Electrical forum because the problem seems to be a little of both.
Hoping to get your thoughts on the following:
Have a 2011 V8 LE with about 48k on the odometer and all the bells and whistles. In the last two weeks I've had to jump start it twice. The first occurrence was when the temperature was reading 14 below zero on the vehicle's temp readout. What perplexes me is that the engine turned over more than a dozen times on three separate turns of the ignition. It simply would not fire. I am mindful of pausing between auxiliary position on the ignition and start position in order to permit the fuel pump to prime. Each time the engine simply failed to fire though it turned over plenty of times. As one would expect after the third attempt at turning to start the battery did not have enough juice to turn the starter and I resorted to jumping the vehicle. Ironically, with the jumper cables hooked up the engine fired up right away. Did not even have to 'boost' the other car by revving the engine/alternator. Simply hooked them up and immediately turned the key and the R51 roared to life.
The second instance was two nights ago. In this case the vehicle had been sitting for six days in a covered parking lot at the airport. The temperature was in the low 20s. I turned the ignition to Aux for a couple second to let the fuel pump prime and then turned the ignition to start only to be met with an engine unwilling to fire. Did the same thing again and after a couple of turns the starter provided that familiar clicking sound telling me the battery was toast. A passerby was around to provide a jump and again the R51 roared to life seconds after hooking the batteries up via the cables.
I have several questions regarding these experiences. First, the vehicle is only three years old. Shouldn't a modern battery last longer than this? I understand there are all kinds of drains on the battery with the info center, digital everything, heated seats, heated steering wheel, etc. but it's also a huge battery being run by an alternator mounted to a rather large 5.6L V8. Seems to me it should last longer than this.
Second, is this symptomatic of something wrong with the engine? Is a tune-up in order? I can't understand why despite the battery having enough juice to turn the engine over a dozen times the damn thing won't fire.
And lastly, is there a way to turn off all the damn power draining processes that run in the background? I swear, I get in the Pathfinder and turn the key and the thing lights up like a Christmas tree. I turn the blower off at night, I don't use the automatic lights, but still the entire interior gauges and center console all come to life the second I turn the key. These power drains could be the difference in a couple of starter-powered RPM.
Hoping to get your thoughts on the following:
Have a 2011 V8 LE with about 48k on the odometer and all the bells and whistles. In the last two weeks I've had to jump start it twice. The first occurrence was when the temperature was reading 14 below zero on the vehicle's temp readout. What perplexes me is that the engine turned over more than a dozen times on three separate turns of the ignition. It simply would not fire. I am mindful of pausing between auxiliary position on the ignition and start position in order to permit the fuel pump to prime. Each time the engine simply failed to fire though it turned over plenty of times. As one would expect after the third attempt at turning to start the battery did not have enough juice to turn the starter and I resorted to jumping the vehicle. Ironically, with the jumper cables hooked up the engine fired up right away. Did not even have to 'boost' the other car by revving the engine/alternator. Simply hooked them up and immediately turned the key and the R51 roared to life.
The second instance was two nights ago. In this case the vehicle had been sitting for six days in a covered parking lot at the airport. The temperature was in the low 20s. I turned the ignition to Aux for a couple second to let the fuel pump prime and then turned the ignition to start only to be met with an engine unwilling to fire. Did the same thing again and after a couple of turns the starter provided that familiar clicking sound telling me the battery was toast. A passerby was around to provide a jump and again the R51 roared to life seconds after hooking the batteries up via the cables.
I have several questions regarding these experiences. First, the vehicle is only three years old. Shouldn't a modern battery last longer than this? I understand there are all kinds of drains on the battery with the info center, digital everything, heated seats, heated steering wheel, etc. but it's also a huge battery being run by an alternator mounted to a rather large 5.6L V8. Seems to me it should last longer than this.
Second, is this symptomatic of something wrong with the engine? Is a tune-up in order? I can't understand why despite the battery having enough juice to turn the engine over a dozen times the damn thing won't fire.
And lastly, is there a way to turn off all the damn power draining processes that run in the background? I swear, I get in the Pathfinder and turn the key and the thing lights up like a Christmas tree. I turn the blower off at night, I don't use the automatic lights, but still the entire interior gauges and center console all come to life the second I turn the key. These power drains could be the difference in a couple of starter-powered RPM.