New Spark EV - towed for dead battery

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ElectricFeels

New member
Joined
Mar 21, 2014
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3
I owned my Chevy Spark EV blissfully for 11 days and felt really good about my purchase/lease. Unfortunately I had to have it towed to the dealership at 11PM after it wouldn't start. Here is the sequence of events:

1. Attempted to start the car per usual, foot on gas etc.
2. The screens lit up with every service light and a series of different error messages in the steering wheel screen including "Service Stabili Track," "Battery Saver Active," "Service Brake Assist" and "Shift to Park" (Car was already in Park)
3. The car didn't make the 'start up' noise it usually made and wouldn't drive forwards or backwards
4. After all the error screens turned off (20-30 minutes later) we had Triple A come out and Jump start the battery under the hood (which the manual says is ok to do)
5. We jump started the vehicle and the car did the same thing when we powered it up, meaning all the service lights and screens turned on, but this time we were able to shift it into Neutral
6. We loaded it onto a flatbed and took it back to the dealership
7. They replaced the battery the next day and the paperwork from the dealership reads "1 battery had bad cell diag charging system 13.9 volts, battery fail load test, replace battery"

I asked if there was any 'user' error, if I was charging it incorrectly, or if I should charge it more or less, they didn't seem to think so and said that "it was rare and just a bad cell." I figured I would post my experience here to make sure it was truly 'rare' and let other users know that this error/defect exists in some batteries. I'll keep you posted if anything else occurs. I'm still proud and happy with my car, I just have a serious ping of doubt since it's only 11 days old. Let me know what you all think, or if you've experienced similar issues.
 
You may have just gotten a bad battery. This usually happens when the manufacturer goes with the cheapest battery possible to cut costs.

Something similar happened to Tesla Model S' and their 12v batteries failing because they cheaped out on them.
 
High tech everywhere and you're left stranded by a bum 12 volt battery. It fits in with the normal failure curve: things are most likely to fail very quickly, then failure drops to nothingness for quite a while, and finally as old age sets in the failure rate increases.

Outside of hooking it up to a charger, I can't think of anything you could do to destroy that battery. When you plug in you charge the traction battery, not the 12 volt. It's charge is maintained by the car using energy from the traction battery while the car is running.
 
ElectricFeels said:
I owned my Chevy Spark EV blissfully for 11 days and felt really good about my purchase/lease. Unfortunately I had to have it towed to the dealership at 11PM after it wouldn't start. Here is the sequence of events:

1. Attempted to start the car per usual, foot on gas etc.
2. The screens lit up with every service light and a series of different error messages in the steering wheel screen including "Service Stabili Track," "Battery Saver Active," "Service Brake Assist" and "Shift to Park" (Car was already in Park)
3. The car didn't make the 'start up' noise it usually made and wouldn't drive forwards or backwards
4. After all the error screens turned off (20-30 minutes later) we had Triple A come out and Jump start the battery under the hood (which the manual says is ok to do)
5. We jump started the vehicle and the car did the same thing when we powered it up, meaning all the service lights and screens turned on, but this time we were able to shift it into Neutral
6. We loaded it onto a flatbed and took it back to the dealership
7. They replaced the battery the next day and the paperwork from the dealership reads "1 battery had bad cell diag charging system 13.9 volts, battery fail load test, replace battery"

I asked if there was any 'user' error, if I was charging it incorrectly, or if I should charge it more or less, they didn't seem to think so and said that "it was rare and just a bad cell." I figured I would post my experience here to make sure it was truly 'rare' and let other users know that this error/defect exists in some batteries. I'll keep you posted if anything else occurs. I'm still proud and happy with my car, I just have a serious ping of doubt since it's only 11 days old. Let me know what you all think, or if you've experienced similar issues.

I'm a little unclear...did the 12V battery fail or your car's battery (main propulsion)?
 
ElectricFeels said:
Yes, the battery with the bad cell was the 12V battery under the hood.


Oh ok...I assume that's not quite as serious as the main battery pack failing?
 
tigger19687 said:
Can someone tell me what brand battery is under the hood?

Just curious
Absolutely AC/Delco. After all, they are a subsidiary of GM.
 
In a few years the low tech acid battery will be replaced by Li ion just like the traction battery. Right now it's much cheaper to go with Delco and the likes of it.
 
I'm not completely buying the failed battery story. If the battery had really failed the displays and 12V system would go blank. There is a possibility that the VCM had a glitch and froze. Removing the battery powered down the system. Installing a new battery powered up the system which caused a fresh re-boot from scratch. Free from glitches.
We have all seen our Microcrap computers lock up and only respond to a complete power down and re-boot.
 
Just last night I had a strange issue with my 2014 only has 5,500 miles. It said I had 71mile range drove maybe 2miles to the bank and shut it off with power button and it kicked back on, ok strange pushed agin it turned off. Got back in car and I turned it on then it was tripping out it said low battery 21 mile range wtf. Limped it home 2 miles away then said it had 20mile range ok, turned it off agin to open my gate went back to start and dead nothing lit up. So hooked up charger for 15min or so and then it turned on and pulled it in driveway. Charged it full moved it back and forth next day in driveway a few times today and all good. Then tonight moved it back in my driveway to plugged it in and no charge light nothing checked charger power good, checked car power nothing. So I checked 12v battery under hood after reading this post, opened hood and as soon as I touched neg battery cable it powered up agin. So I looked closer at the neg 12v cable where its factory crimped and sure enough it moves in and out just a little, so I happen to have a nice hydraulic china crimper gave it a few crimps and movement is gone! Also looked over all the other connections at 12v battery under hood and they seam tight. I would suspect that if these cars are driving on shitty bumpy roads this can excel these problems, here in New Orleans the roads have been horrible for hundreds of years so I limp it around and hunt for the best route. Might be why these where only sold in OR. & CA. they have nice smooth roads :D Any how I will post my results if this fixes the problem.
 
refinerysmells said:
... looked closer at the neg 12v cable where its factory crimped and sure enough it moves in and out just a little, so I ...gave it a few crimps and movement is gone!... Any how I will post my results if this fixes the problem.

Excellent home repair !!

Can you imagine taking it to your local Chevy dealer and they go on a fishing expedition????
Please keep us posted !
I'm taking a look at my big 12V connectors this afternoon.

Just a note:
The Spark EV is now available in Maryland . Mine is in Kansas City. So I may have the one farthest from it's homeland !
I was telling someone on the Volt forum who wanted a Spark EV that they are in MD now. He lives in Massachusetts. If he bought one ,with DCFC, he said he could actually drive it home!
A road trip car! (of sorts...)
 
Yep the neg 12v battery crimp connector was the problem! It has no more issues. Once some GM service tech figures this out maybe a possible GM recall for the 2014 EV Spark or maybe not worth the money for them. At least its a simple cheap fix here is the tool I used, got mine on ebay 1 year ago but now there at harbor fright. http://www.harborfreight.com/hydraulic-wire-crimping-tool-66150.html It would be a good idea to make certain the 12v under hood battery pos. & neg. connectors are always tight! And that would be the first place to check if your spark ev glitches out. Funny when cars have a week battery/starting sound here in New Orleans the peeps here go right to there battery under the hood and wiggle the terminals and poof da hood AAA has arrived and there car starts.
 
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