Our battery goes dead if we have the gate up for more than 15 minutes and it makes me mad, dealer says it is fine.

04 V8 AWD, car has 66000K on it and the battery will work great for day to day but any extra load and it dies.

Is it just at the end of it's life and I need to just deal with it or are these that bad?

I will end up with the same batter I think as I just want it to fit, I will only have the car 3 more years so it should last.

Is Delco still the only 101 group choice?

Ditto on this question.

Lots of things come into play here.

1. GM won't let us replace a battery unless a special tester they made us buy gives us a failure code.
Sometimes this is a nearly impossible task. Even though some of us old timers know when the battery is no good we can't justify replacement because the little magic box says the battery is okay. Some of us know how to "convince" the tester that a bad battery is really bad, but some guys just believe it.

2. Some people think they should be able to turn on the radio, open the doors and detail the car while jamming out. This isn't 1973. Cars a long time ago had a transistorized radio, an ignition system and a blower motor. That was pretty much it. Today cars have on the order of 30 computers, radios, amplifiers, disc drives, TV screens, computer controlled climate systems.... on and on. If you turn the key on or leave the doors open it will activate half the systems on the car. CCA ratings on most batteries these days are a lot lower than some of the older batteries too. There just isn't enough reserve power to do what people think should be "normal".

3. Sometimes it depends on how you operate the vehicle. If you short trip it all the time it rarely has an opportunity to restore the chemical energy to the battery that it needs to be fully charged. Don't forget the battery is a chemical generator that can be depleted. Using small amounts of power for extended periods with no real time to reactivate the chemicals while driving can really take its toll. Even when cars are running with alternators putting out close to 100 Amps, the car might be using 80 to run all the gadgets! It can make for a pretty imbalanced equation. That is one of the reasons carmakers want to go to 42 volt systems instead of 12 Volts. It is just too hard to meet the current demands of modern cars using 12 Volt systems. More voltage would require less amperage and be easier to charge. (among other benefits)

4. Looking for things that might be staying on drawing power when they aren't supposed to is no party either. The tests we have to do in order to identify "parasitic loads" can be a real pain. All the computers have to power down first, then to isolate a possible source you have about 3-5 fuse blocks scattered throughout the vehicle to pull fuses from to find the draw. Most of those fuses go to about 5 different places, and sometimes if you pull the wrong fuse it wakes all the computers up and you have to start over. Also some knucklehead might come up and grab a door handle and do the same thing. Throw on top of that any aftermarket gadgetry that you didn't tell the service advisor about and you have a real headache.

As far as I know AC Delco is the only company making a 101 battery. I have heard some people having luck with a 78 series but you might have to modify the tray a bit or push up on the cowl to get it into place. I haven't tried it.

Our battery goes dead if we have the gate up for more than 15 minutes and it makes me mad, dealer says it is fine.

04 V8 AWD, car has 66000K on it and the battery will work great for day to day but any extra load and it dies.

Is it just at the end of it's life and I need to just deal with it or are these that bad?

I will end up with the same batter I think as I just want it to fit, I will only have the car 3 more years so it should last.

Is Delco still the only 101 group choice?


Would an 04 srx battery still have warranty left on or is there some problems with this battery that will let dealer replace?:cookoo:

+4 years is pretty good given all the power used, stated above. Don't forget to also add in weather strain depending where you live.

At least it is letting you know it is about time to be replaced. My M.B. just quite one day at the mall. No sign of trouble just off.

How much is a battery $100 ? thats $25 a year or 1.5 tanks of gas. Gotta love the relation gas has on everything today. LOL

How many miles are on the car?
Battery is covered for factory warranty 4/40, but as I said they have to get a code out of the tester before they can replace it.

Yes the car is still covered but the tester says good.

We had the gate up keys in my pocket, the battery is just no good.

I will have them replace it when it goes back in for more work, maybe they will look harder when I complain I have to change a battery that should be covered.

It has stranded my wife and kids too many times and it is not worth the $150 to wait for a free one.

Within the past week suddenly and without warning the vehicle wouldn't start. I didn't have the forethought to check the battery voltage in the "no start" condition. I put the battery on charge for about 30 mins and started it. Initially I got a "service battery charging system" message however the voltage display showed 14v suggesting the alternator was probably charging. I called the service dept. to have it checked out but in the meantime put the charger back on the battery. The service writer told me I should have called Cadillac Roadside Service and they would install a new battery. Doesn't sound like that would have happened.... I let the battery charge for an hour or so on the 10 amp charger setting. It now starts fine, the charging voltage still is around 14v, the "service battery charging system" message disappeared after an hours charge so I'm driving it..... but carry a gelcel battery just in case.
Past experience has been consider yourself lucky if an OE battery lasts 3 yrs in Arizona but I thought 14 months was premature!

I just don't trust the battery, it should not go dead if I have the doors open key out for 15min or even an hour I would think. Starting should not be to hard when it is in a +15C garage, we live out of town so at least 15 min of driving to get to town and then it may have to start when it is cold.

No worries I will just buy a new one and call it a day, if I can get them to do it for free I will if not I will just complain about it and tell then if they change me to install it they can just forget it and I will drive the another dealer and buy one just for spite.

I'm missing something. I have left my doors and gate open for hours without a prob.
Isn't there some kinda of timer, that shuts the power down?

Yes you would think, they changed the overhead console as they said that was the power drain killing my battery?

A battery should power a dome light for an hour I would think?


I called the dealer and a local reseller, what a spread and on the same delco battery.

Dealer $224.00
Reseller $164.99

Don't buy from a caddy dealer !! buy it from a other GM dealer. Same part number and quality 1/3 to 1/2 price depending who you know.

4 years on a battery is not really that bad.

That said, I do have to add that there is some odd glitch in the Caddy's somewhere because you can leave your doors open for hours most times and not have a single problem. On other occasions you can turn the car off and it won't restart due to a drained battery within minutes!

I have had this happen on two Cadillac vehicles, an SRX (today) and a CTS-V. Had some trouble finding the battery the first time, so I "took a chance" and kept driving. Problem didn't occur again for about 14 months and then, bam, turn off car, buy coffee, get back in car, and dead. That was the CTS-V. Same thing happened on SRX today. Turned vehicle off, left door open about 5 minutes max (let's even assume 10 minutes) and the car was dead. Took it in and they tested the battery and said its, "fine." Go figure.

I'm missing something. I have left my doors and gate open for hours without a prob.
Isn't there some kinda of timer, that shuts the power down?

I thought so too. But yet, I can not have the doors open for more that a 5 minute period without a "hard time" starting. If it is ten minutes, it is dead. Took it down o the local parts store, and they say that the battery and alt. both show good on the load test and running test.:alchi: I carry a jump box with me everywhere i go now just in case. (your car looks great but you look like a idiot asking a festiva for a jump!:rant2:)

I am so frustrated with the charging system on this car. Did i accidentally turn off the factory disable for the battery save? Is this possible.

What about a red top battery? Any opinions on the extra cranking amps effect on the factory systems. Is it necessary to get a delco 101?

A BCI 78 will fit but it is too high, I think the factory cover needs to ome off.

Now I like the stock look but I also like the car to start and not carry the jump box with us as that is ghetto.

My battery would go dead after about 15-20 minutes of sitting in there with radio/nav everything going (I also hear the 6 disc changer cycling through all the discs). It finally started dying after about 5-10 minutes a couple weeks ago and then I found a puddle of acid underneath the car. I bought the 101 battery from my local dealer for $178, including 8.5% sales tax. I saw the other threads here about the different batteries and then went to walmart and bought their brand, 78N sizel, for $74. It fit right in (was a little tight), but one of the 2 side clips does not fit in due to the carrier strap. However, you wouldn't know it if you didn't look for it. It has a higher capacity, 780 CCA vs 660, if I remember right. Works great for me, I would recommend it.

Sounds pretty good. like the higher cranking amps. 4 years is a while on a battery too.

Batteries are rated 2 ways. Cranking amps and reserve capacity.

Reserve capacity is how long the battery should last with a constant slow drain.

I really think your battery is just too old. You may run into same problem sooner with inferior battery, crap shoot.

Old job I had, was to compare batteries to find the longest reserve life. There are only a few large battery manufacturers and they just use different stickers and cases.
Example, I beleive Exide used to make the Pep Boy battery. Any battery that came off the QC line questionable got a pepboy sticker. Hence some PB batts. were great and the next one was marginal.

I found Interstate was the truest in their ratings (this was 10 years ago) Deka was a great battery but their ratings on some were slightly higher than reality (probably advertising war).

I didn't mean to imply that I didn't think there was anything wrong with the OP's battery.
It should last longer than 15 minutes.
Just wanted to point out some factors that come into play and by no means did I list them all.
Sometimes even when I know a battery is bad it can be a chore to prove it to GM.
Not everyone takes the time to do it. If the tester says "good battery" they back it out.

Batteries are rated 2 ways. Cranking amps and reserve capacity.

Reserve capacity is how long the battery should last with a constant slow drain.

I really think your battery is just too old. You may run into same problem sooner with inferior battery, crap shoot.

Old job I had, was to compare batteries to find the longest reserve life. There are only a few large battery manufacturers and they just use different stickers and cases.
Example, I beleive Exide used to make the Pep Boy battery. Any battery that came off the QC line questionable got a pepboy sticker. Hence some PB batts. were great and the next one was marginal.

I found Interstate was the truest in their ratings (this was 10 years ago) Deka was a great battery but their ratings on some were slightly higher than reality (probably advertising war).


I had used interstate batteries forever prior to shirting to red tops. Just don't know what size I should use. Interstate had always worked great for me.

I have had over 30 GM cars/trucks, I keep my cars/trucks about two years, I have had to replace or had the dealer replace over 20 batteries over the past 20 years. My 03' Escalade's stock battery died do to leaking terminals when it was 3 months old, the dealer replaced it under warranty and the warranty battery died after 6 months, I replaced it with a Optima red top and there was no other problems for the next year and a half.

I will go interstate or delco as I have had good luck with them in the past, I just don't want the 101.

I have a 78 out of my Sierra that I will try this weekend and see how it goes, I know it will fit as others have but just need to see how good it fits.

Posted this on another thread: Battery on my 05 n*AWD failed several times, but when I took it to the dealer they couldn't make it fail. Finally the service writer told the mechanic "make it fail". Sure enough, the service writer told me that the battery had failed (wink, wink), and replaced it under warranty. It is not a good battery, but I took another OEM rather than paying for an aftermarket. I would expect it to fail again in a couple of years like the first one did.

I guess mine started failing about a month ago when I was picking my car from the dealer after a repair. I had noticed all my settings were gone and the clock needed to be set as they had to replace my CD player on warranty.
I thought nothing more of it and set everything back up.
But last week after sitting for 10 minutes with the radio on and the engine off sure enough... It has never done it before but the dic said "Entering sleep mode" then it said battery failure.
After calling roadside assist and trying several times I was able to get it started and get it to the dealer.
It was late and they tried to get a battery code but nothing. There was codes in the system to show "something" happened but?
They told me to bring it back the next day where they were able to get a code and replace the battery on a 2005 and 45842 miles
Same battery type and have yet to have it fail after 5 hours with the radio on.

Had 3 batteries in 3 years in my 05 V8 AWD SRX. I actually have a video of a battery smoking, yet it still tested good. Delco batteries stink, period.

Maybe it's not the battery...............
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Chrysler LLC is recalling 212,347 Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger passenger cars worldwide to fix an electrical problem that could lead to engine stalling and other issues.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a posting on its Web site the recall involves 2007-2008 Sebring and Avenger vehicles with standard tire pressure monitoring systems.
NHTSA said unused electrical connectors for the monitoring system could become corroded and short circuit, leading to problems starting the engine, a dead battery, an inoperative cruise control or engine stalling.

Just ran across this in the '07 manual while looking for something else.

The battery could be drained if you leave the key in
the ignition while your vehicle is parked. You may
not be able to start your vehicle after it has been
parked for an extended period of time.

Ya like 10 min. LOL

Wow....I had no idea. Maybe that is what is draining my battery because I have a key hidden in the dash to allow the transponder to let the truck start with the viper alarm. Would that be the same thing as having it in the actual ignition?

Maybe it's not the battery.....see link
http://www.asashop.org/autoinc/nov2007/techtips.htm

Neat story but I have no clock on my SRX and it does not go dead over time only when it has load, if it sits for a week it is fine open a door and your on the clock.

Buy a autozone 78dl battery--800 cold cranking amps. It will keep you in the game

This thread is from March but I'm having the same problem. Does anyone have any further knowledge? My SRX is an '07 - but I bought in Jan.'08 with a new warranty from the dealer. It has 25k miles. Batt is dead if door open for 10 min., or even less. Thanks for any info.

Buy a autozone 78dl battery--800 cold cranking amps. It will keep you in the game


Ditto Dale, that's the exact unit I put in mine, it's tight, but it fits.