battery is suddenly dead

A few days ago, I tried to start my '01 GP, and the car would just turn over a few times and stop. the odd thing was after the car failed to start, I would turn the key to the "off" position, and then I would hear the doors unlock twice. I repeated this a couple of times, and it did the exact same thing every time. My car started after it was jumped. I tried starting it today (2 days after it was jump started) and it did the same thing.

Will a new battery fix this, or is there a short in the electrical system that could be draining the battery? up untill this problem occurred, the car started fine, no warning lights on dash, no indidcation that the battery was dying.

I'm not sure about the doors unlocking twice - others will probably have info about that. Sounds like the security system being reset or something like that.

No matter what, get your alternator checked. If your alternator went bad your battery was having to run everything all by itself with no recharge. If you put a new battery in without checking the alternator, it would be dead in a day or two (of driving). Shorts elsewhere in your electrical system that would drain the battery are also a possibility, but I'd start with the alternator...

I had a similar problem, but I was lucky enough to have caught the alternator going before the battery was toast. Did you ever notice dash lights or headlights dimming in the days leading up to this?

As 00GTP4ME stated, make sure you have the charging system checked before replacing the battery. Check the battery and battery cables for bad connections caused by corrosion, dirt, grease, etc...

If the battery is just low due to a bad alternator or corroded cable not recharging it, it's kinda like replacing a fuel tank because you forgot to get gas.


There's an outside chance you may have other issues, but check these things first and let us know.

Yes, do let us know how the alternator tested - I'm curious.

It was the battery, completely shot. the alternator tested fine. I figured the battery would give some warning when it was dying, like hard starts or the battery warning light on the dash. Oh well, its fixed now.

Most of the time when the battery fails you get no warning. There are ocasions that you might. When my battey failed, the night before it kinda hesitated when starting. Then the next day it just clicked and would not start.

Same exact thing just happened to my g/f's battery in her 02 3100 GP SE. She was sitting in the parking lot, car off, windows down, she sat there reading on her lunch break, and when she went to start, Dead, nothing, no lights, no power to roll the windows, wouldn't even crank at all. She got a jump start and was able to start it and roll her windows up. It has been fine for the past day or so, but we are going to get the battery load tested if not replaced. I'm pretty sure it is the original one still.

haha...i guess the one in my SE finally decided to die too. havent drove the car in a good 2 months or so, was gonna take it to work today since the MAF is bad in the GT...got inside and had NOTHING. jumped it...drove it for a while, then wouldnt start again. guess the battery finally decided to go. '97 with the original Delco battery...lol

My battery died 2 days ago too. I have a 02 GP GT and it had the original AC Delco battery. So I put in a new AC Delco battery. Wow 7 years for a car battery. :biggrin:

drob99. Odd, both you and my g/f have on 02 with approx 90,000 miles. Both had the battery take a poop at around the same exact time. Must be a conspiracy! Either way like you said, 7 years out of a battery isn't too shabby.

I've got nine years and running on our Jeep's factory battery! Needless to say, I keep a jump-station in it wherever it goes...

In my GP I got almost 9 years. Not bad for an eveready battery. I had to replace the battery earlier this year.