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ckgrick
Cruiser Fan
Posted: May 21, 2004, 9:01 AM
Post #1 of 17
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Battery Discharge Repercussion
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My wife left the key in the ignition (she’s easily distracted) in the acc position last Tuesday night in our new PT convertible (as of May 14th). I get in to go to the store Wednesday morning…dead PT convertible. OK, get my portable jumpstart out and start the PT. Lookin’ good now. Go to store, come home but notice the windows aren’t dropping down anymore when the door is opened. Try power window control – dead. Try to lower top – dead. Not lookin’ good now. 
Call DC dealer. The car is so new their PT Technician isn’t even scheduled to go to the convertible training course until June 1st. They don’t know what the problem fix is but bring it in and they’re sure they can easily figure it out. We live in the San Juan Islands so this is not the simplest activity but what’s the alternative?
So the wife (I had a prior commitment and it was her fault in first place) and Dylan (the standard poodle) take the PT on the first ferry to the mainland Thursday. The Service Technician is stumped and calls DC Headquarters and talks to 6 of the “top engineers.” Seems this is a known problem with the convertible and they are working on a retrofit for the ROM chip causing the situation. The engineers’ best guess approach is that the ROM needs to be slowly brought back to life by trickle charging the battery rather than all at once. So a quick fix is out and the wife and Dylan settle down for a while.
It’s now afternoon and things aren’t going well. Trickle recharged battery still has no effect. In desperation the Service Technician takes the battery out and then reinstalls. Eureka! All is now well.
Dylan and the wife just make the 3:25 ferry and are home just before 5 PM.
I know zip about cars other than how to drive them (and some might debate that). I have dealt with computers for a long time and while hardly an expert, I do know a fair amount. My feeling is that the problem is analogous with the difference between a soft and hard boot. Even though the battery didn’t have enough juice to start the engine it was still sending some reduced power to the ROM chip involved which caused it to malfunction. By disconnecting the battery completely it forced the ROM to reset to its default setting.
As an aside the DC dealer (Burlington, WA) was very apologetic and didn’t charge anything plus bought my wife lunch and gave Dylan many treats.
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Posts: 41 | From: Lopez Island, WA
| Registered: May 4, 2004, 7:15 AM
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SmittysPT
Cruiser Veteran
PT Cruiser Club Member
Posted: May 21, 2004, 10:26 AM
Post #2 of 17
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Re: [ckgrick] Battery Discharge Repercussion
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Glad it all worked out for your family. Bet you will not forget this the next time.
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Jack Smith (Smittys PT)
Webmaster
Colorado Cruiser Club
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Posts: 2750 | From: Colorado Rockies
| Registered: Mar 22, 2001, 12:00 AM
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ckgrick
Cruiser Fan
Posted: May 21, 2004, 2:39 PM
Post #3 of 17
(1290 views)
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Re: [SmittysPT] Battery Discharge Repercussion
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I was somewhat discreet and didn't mention the "discussions" we had over how unnecessary this whole debacle was. My wife has been taking tomaxifen for some years and it has definately affected her memory, so I try to remember to be understanding.
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Posts: 41 | From: Lopez Island, WA
| Registered: May 4, 2004, 7:15 AM
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Sunspot
Cruiser Addict
Posted: May 21, 2004, 5:35 PM
Post #4 of 17
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Re: [ckgrick] Battery Discharge Repercussion
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I truly understand how drugs can affect the brain/mind. She needs to make a point of starting a new habit of the minute the key goes off it comes out of the ignition. A new car and a new battery should not have discharged that fast. If they replaced it with a new battery, you should have no more problems.
Good luck. Happy Cruisin'. Cruiser Cute!!!
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Posts: 808 | From: Harrington, WA
| Registered: Jun 10, 2002, 12:00 AM
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PT RAGTOP
Cruiser Expert
Posted: May 29, 2004, 3:34 AM
Post #5 of 17
(1254 views)
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Re: [ckgrick] Battery Discharge Repercussion
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There was a Product bulletin on this, NOT A TSB that said to disconnect the battery fully then reconnect it and the car would "relearn" the window programming. I got this bulletin about 1 month ago from my local dealer.
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Posts: 153 | From: Oakville
| Registered: May 29, 2004, 3:29 AM
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ckgrick
Cruiser Fan
Posted: May 29, 2004, 7:31 AM
Post #6 of 17
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Re: [PT RAGTOP] Battery Discharge Repercussion
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Thanks. Wish my dealer had known that. Could have fixed it over the phone. Seems DC is having a failure to communicate even within their own engineering staff. A little disconcerting.
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Posts: 41 | From: Lopez Island, WA
| Registered: May 4, 2004, 7:15 AM
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daro2248
Cruiser Newbie
Posted: Jul 2, 2004, 7:06 AM
Post #7 of 17
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Re: [ckgrick] Battery Discharge Repercussion
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Thanks for the post. I just bought the ragtop myself and while in love with my new car am looking for information as it is a brand new 'thing' for Chrysler. Per your analogy to a computer reboot, I had the same thing happen to me with a misunderstanding between my Mazdas electrical system and a remote start system installed on the car. Everything failed until someone pulled the battery out - instant success. Se ya on the boards - Karen
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Posts: 1 | From: Sinat Peters, Mo
| Registered: Jul 2, 2004, 6:50 AM
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PT RAGTOP
Cruiser Expert
Posted: Jul 4, 2004, 1:58 PM
Post #8 of 17
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Re: [daro2248] Battery Discharge Repercussion
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Any questions, let me know or post and I will try to find an answer. My company services Chrysler dealers, so I am in them all the time and I get all TSB's and Tech Alerts.
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Posts: 153 | From: Oakville
| Registered: May 29, 2004, 3:29 AM
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jamieh64
Cruiser Newbie
Posted: Feb 25, 2005, 6:35 PM
Post #9 of 17
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Re: [PT RAGTOP] Battery Discharge Repercussion
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Disconnecting the battery for about 5 minutes cured mine with the same problem, saved me the first trip back to the dealer!
jamie
05 Silver Touring Turbo Convertible.
(This post was edited by jamieh64 on Feb 25, 2005, 6:37 PM)
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Posts: 3 | From: Oregon
| Registered: Sep 5, 2004, 2:33 PM
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streonwold
Cruiser Fan
Posted: Feb 25, 2005, 7:50 PM
Post #10 of 17
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Re: [jamieh64] Battery Discharge Repercussion
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According to my mechanic, when they had the battery disconnected for a few days, the glass and roof controls did this on my rag top. They tried "everything" (ie. disconnect the battery to reset the e-prom, etc.) and couldn't get the glass and roof to work.
I'm told they finally did "the Honda fix", and the problem went away. It seems that if you disconnect the battery and then touch the + and - cable ends together, it resets the computer and away you go!
The local Chrysler mechanics were stumped about this, too!
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Be Well,
Steve
2005 Electric Blue Touring Edition Convertible
2002 Patriot Blue Grand Caravan Sport
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Posts: 46 | From: Angus, Ontario
| Registered: Feb 17, 2005, 10:47 AM
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murkler
Cruiser Fan
Posted: May 9, 2005, 7:11 AM
Post #11 of 17
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Re: [ckgrick] Battery Discharge Repercussion
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Wish I would have read you post several days ago! I posted to "Ask Mike" with the same problem. I was messing around with my wife's new convertible, (I took the battery out). After three days, someone posted about disconnecting the battery for 5 minutes. All is well now except for the CD player. Did you have problems with yours? The radio works, but I can't get to the CD mode, to play, insert or remove CD's.
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Posts: 13 | From: N/A
| Registered: Jan 12, 2004, 6:48 AM
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ckgrick
Cruiser Fan
Posted: May 9, 2005, 7:52 AM
Post #12 of 17
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Re: [murkler] Battery Discharge Repercussion
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I never tried the cd player while it was sick, so I can't really comment. If everything else is working correctly (top, windows), I'd say the player is defective. I wouldn't think a battery discharge would or should have permanently harmed it. Time to go to the dealer if it doesn't recover.
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Posts: 41 | From: Lopez Island, WA
| Registered: May 4, 2004, 7:15 AM
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murkler
Cruiser Fan
Posted: May 9, 2005, 8:34 AM
Post #13 of 17
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Re: [ckgrick] Battery Discharge Repercussion
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I have the orginal Top/Window appointment with the Dealer this morning, so I will just change it to the CD Player. The CD was working fine before I removed the battery. In fact my wife has several CD loaded that I can't get out.
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Posts: 13 | From: N/A
| Registered: Jan 12, 2004, 6:48 AM
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richardf
Cruiser Fan
Posted: May 9, 2005, 9:05 PM
Post #14 of 17
(457 views)
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Re: [ckgrick] Battery Discharge Repercussion
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This stuff is scary. I just got a convertible with the goofy windows and 6 cd changer radio. I need to change my picture.
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Posts: 23 | From: Ohio
| Registered: Aug 26, 2002, 12:00 AM
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murkler
Cruiser Fan
Posted: May 10, 2005, 9:20 AM
Post #15 of 17
(450 views)
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Re: [richardf] Battery Discharge Repercussion
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The dealership tried pushing all the buttons on the radio and CD with the same results I had. They decided the CD is bad and ordered a new one.
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Posts: 13 | From: N/A
| Registered: Jan 12, 2004, 6:48 AM
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streonwold
Cruiser Fan
Posted: May 10, 2005, 11:49 AM
Post #16 of 17
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Re: [murkler] Battery Discharge Repercussion
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Quote:
The dealership tried pushing all the buttons on the radio and CD with the same results I had. They decided the CD is bad and ordered a new one.
Did they get your CDs out of it?
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Be Well,
Steve
2005 Electric Blue Touring Edition Convertible
2002 Patriot Blue Grand Caravan Sport
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Posts: 46 | From: Angus, Ontario
| Registered: Feb 17, 2005, 10:47 AM
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murkler
Cruiser Fan
Posted: May 10, 2005, 1:09 PM
Post #17 of 17
(438 views)
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Re: [streonwold] Battery Discharge Repercussion
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The CD's are still in. They tell me they will send them to me!!
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Posts: 13 | From: N/A
| Registered: Jan 12, 2004, 6:48 AM
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