[Arcanox]

I'm here at the Kalahari Resort again (where my car completely died last year...).

I parked out front to wait for some friends to get to the hotel and unload my stuff. I kept my flashers on just so the hotel knew I hadn't parked there indefinitely.

About 45 minutes later I went back out and my flashers were flashing very short abrupt flashes with longer in between each flash than usual. Instead of an even amount of on-off time (like the turn signals), they were blinking for a split second then staying off for a couple seconds. I tried remote starting it but nothing happened (I think 4-ways prevent a remote start). I was afraid my 12v died, but the car started with the button in the car and after a short while, the flashers returned to their normal rate.

Is this a programmed behavior or was my 12v about to die? I know that the flashers on a regular car will start blinking more slowly when the 12v dies.

EDIT: in case anybody was curious, you can lock the doors with the remote fob when the vehicle is running. You get the triple honk when closing the door, but the doors can still be locked with the remote to avoid someone driving off with the car. I kept it running until my friends got there and I unloaded everything just so the battery could recharge.

 

[Loboc]

Newer Volts do have a 12v battery-saver protocol. Reducing use might have kicked in if it thought the battery was in jeopardy of being discharged too much.

There are observations on the forum saying that it is completely stupid that the huge drive battery can’t be used on demand to jump a dead 12v. This legacy 12v system design is an Achilles heel for many EVs.

 

[2VoltFamily]

EDIT: in case anybody was curious, you can lock the doors with the remote fob when the vehicle is running. You get the triple honk when closing the door, but the doors can still be locked with the remote to avoid someone driving off with the car. I kept it running until my friends got there and I unloaded everything just so the battery could recharge.

Every model year of the Volt will do that.

 

[volt spain]

Tonight recharge time!!!.

 

[Arcanox]

Tonight recharge time!!!. get in amazon .com Battery Tender, most models even the least expensive ($30) are good for AGM batteries and will not overcharge the system on "float/maintenance mode". By the way how old is your battery ?.

It's been started and driven for several short trips since the night this happened so I don't need to charge it, but the AGM is 2 years old this past September.

 

[volt spain]

Many say they wii last +4 yrs,,,but many others think AGM batteries should last 8-10 yrs since they live in the cool part of the car,,and do not work very hard ,since the ICE is started by the high voltage battery. For safety I carry under the driver seat a small portable lithium battery enough to start the car in any emergency...Good luck.

 

[Steverino]

Many say they wii last +4 yrs,,,but many others think AGM batteries should last 8-10 yrs since they live in the cool part of the car,,and do not work very hard ,since the ICE is started by the high voltage battery.

My Volt battery is over 6 years old. I'm curious to see how long it lasts.

 

[jcanoe]

My Volt battery is over 6 years old. I'm curious to see how long it lasts.

Probably right until you really need it to work, then it will undoubtedly fail to start your Volt.

 

[MinnVolt]

Many say they wii last +4 yrs,,,but many others think AGM batteries should last 8-10 yrs since they live in the cool part of the car,,and do not work very hard ,since the ICE is started by the high voltage battery. For safety I carry under the driver seat a small portable lithium battery enough to start the car in any emergency...Good luck.

I have a 2013 with original battery. Can you give me any info about the lithium battery you carry? Rating? Source?

 

[somms]

I have a 2013 with original battery. Can you give me any info about the lithium battery you carry? Rating? Source?

FWIW: Even a rather small (mAh) capacity automotive battery jump starter like the one pictured above would provide more than enough current be able to turn ON the Volt since CCA isn't a requirement...

 

[wizard_of-ahs]

FWIW: Even a rather small (mAh) capacity automotive battery jump starter like the one pictured above would provide more than enough current be able to turn ON the Volt since CCA isn't a requirement...

I carry a VERY similar pack.............https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EWV2W6C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[hellsop]

I'm here at the Kalahari Resort again (where my car completely died last year...).

Just stay out of the Dells, man. That place is hexed for you.

 

[Kraven]

@wizard of ahs

How long does your pack stay charged for? Have you ever used it?

 

[Barry]

The Volt has a battery saver mode that will (usually) save you if you leave something on such as the headlights, an interior light or a door open. It will turn those things off after a period of time. But I suspect the 4-way flashers operate outside of that safety. They probably run as long as you leave them on and the 12V battery has power. I think you ran your 12V battery very low by doing that. A way to leave the flashers on more safely is to leave the car turned on. In that case, the 12V battery will be maintained as long as you have traction battery charge or gas in the tank and the car stays turned on (it will auto off after about 2.5 hours unless you defeat that somehow). And as you already explained, you can still lock the car like that.

 

[Arcanox]

Just stay out of the Dells, man. That place is hexed for you.

That's what I was starting to think! Thankfully I made it out without a MIL this time, on my own power and not a tow truck's

 

[wizard_of-ahs]

@wizard of ahs

How long does your pack stay charged for? Have you ever used it?

I've only had it about 3 months....it's still fully charged. Luckily, I have never had to use it and hope I never will have to

 

[hellsop]

How long does your pack stay charged for? Have you ever used it?

Lithium Ion batteries that are shelved don't lose much charge at all. Under room temperature conditions, if fully charged, they'll lose about 5% in the first couple of days and then about 1% a month. Not all devices shut completely off, which is why I said "shelved". There's no predictability for those. Could stay charged for years, could drain in two weeks. Who knows? Most car packs, though tend to shut down pretty completely, and have physical switches for low-current functions, and depend on just plugging in a heavy duty cable to an otherwise uncompleted circuit for the jumpstarting function.