Yikes. I could never justify spending $200 on a battery for a car I paid $1,800 for

 

With you being in Clt, take the battery to the Zone or Advance and let them charge it, as well as test it.
I dont care for the Advance batteries however the AZ batterys are great!

That said, Im wondering if its not a connection. If you are doing nothing between the first failed start, and the 2nd successful start...thats not a battery issue. Dig deeper in the well, or be prepared to throw money at it till you fix it.

YMMV
Ron

 

There can be an ENORMOUS difference between battery brands. And without the battery, you cant run anything.....you know. Dont skimp on a battery. Doesnt matter what your vehicle cost was, ALL vehicles need a battery so you cant look at it like that.

 

Have you added any water to it?

 

Fuuuuuck i just realized what it could be.

When I put my new fender on, i noticed the battery-side of my hood doesn't close all the way. It's lifted like a quarter-inch and about 1/2" in from the fender than it used to be.

This problem only started since that happened, and each time i've had the problem, it was raining for hours on end prior to starting it.

Water is definitely seeping in. That's what all my ideas point to.

 

Water on top of the battery isnt going to do it.

 

you don't think so? Even a good amount of water getting in? or on the connections even?

why'd you ask if i added water to it then?

 

I wash my engine bay all the time with no problems no I dont cover anything.

 

good point. hmmm idk what it could be then. It's funny that jronald said AZ's batteries rule, and AAP's aren't the best...I got this battery from AAP but usually get everything else from AZ. Just my luck.

 

I had a similar problem a few weeks ago and I had to change my battery cables and that sorted out the problem.

 

The majority of your batteries today are sealed and maintenance free. Getting it wet shouldnt be an issue, and you shouldnt have to add water to it (unless it SPECIFICALLY says to).

 

I guess in the morning I'll be popping it out and cleaning out the cables real good. I replaced my water pump a month ago and so now i'm assuming/hoping it's just a loose positive connection. maybe some moisture in there, from all the rain, could be the main culprit

 

If you bought it from Advance then you dont need a receipt. Your name should be in the computer. Tell them too look it up. Replace it under warranty!

 

Sweet! How long do warranties last? I replaced it October 08 :S

Saddest part is i've only put about 11k on the car in the 3 years

 

Warranties vary with brand and model of battery. You'll have to check with Advance for the warranty on your particular battery.

Even with a type that you can open the cells, as long as the caps are on tight, you can get them wet and there should be no issues.

Years ago, I learned the hard way about cleaning battery posts. There is a film that develops between the posts and terminals and left alone, it will cut off contact completely. It just looks like a darkening of the post, not the fluffy corrosion that most recognize. I learned by the car shutting down completely because I didn't pay attention.

It's entirely possible that you have a bad battery. Age has nothing to do with it. I purchased an Optima a while back for my truck. I had issues with the battery going dead as I didn't drive the thing every day. I went nuts trying to diagnose the problem, short, stuck relay, who knows. End was that the battery was defective. I replaced it under warranty and that ended the problem all together.

And I've used Auto Zone batteries in our XJs for years. They last just fine for me and our Jeeps never sit much.