Cold car issue starting-What the heck?

[TitleMine]

2001 GTS ACR, 32000 miles.

Two days ago, I had a problem with my Viper completely out of the blue. I got to start it and the doors won't even unlock. Maybe a dome light was left on. Maybe freezing weather made the battery go kaput. No warning at all, but W/E. OK.

Get another car in there and jump it. Viper starts after cranking very sluggishly for a bit. OK. Run it for about 25 minutes, get the voltage back up.

The next day, the Viper has power, opens and unlocks fine, but cranks extremely, extremely slow. Can't get it going, so I jump it again. This time I drive it around a decent ways. Turn it off, and back on, starts reasonably well, maybe a bit slower than last time.

Today I go to try it again today, it's now in the 40's, but not warm. This time it opens fine again, but when I turn the key, I get a loud "click click click click click" (starter?) Everything else seems OK inside.

Did my starter just go up? If so, is that the problem (I think I did leave the dome light on the first time)?

If so, I have an even bigger problem. I sold the car, and the buyer is coming to take it Monday night, so this needs to be fixed in a hurry. We can do a starter easily, but I need to confirm so I can get it ordered like, yesterday.

[Fatboy 18]

Do you use a battery tender? Sounds to me like your Battery has a dead cell, Cheapest option go down to Sears and get a replacement battery

[Steve M]

You mention nothing of a battery tender of any sort to keep the battery topped off during storage...I'd start with a new battery and go from there.

Edit: Fatboy beat me to the punch

[TitleMine]

10-4. Please note the car is getting ready to be stored, we have not had a flake of snow or a speck of salt where I live yet.

Anyway, gonna go grab an optima and see how that goes.

[sparkrn]

Battery tender an absolute must for stored vipers, especially older gens.

[Steve M]

10-4. Please note the car is getting ready to be stored, we have not had a flake of snow or a speck of salt where I live yet.

Anyway, gonna go grab an optima and see how that goes.

Skip the Optima...seriously. Their quality control went south (literally) when they moved production to Mexico years ago.

[gage]

the clicking sound is the starter not having enough juice. I was not able to keep the car stored with a tender last winter and got the same sound.

[Fatboy 18]

From what I have read on other posts about Batteries, the Sears Die Hard Battery is the best option

[Viper98912]

I'd venture battery first. Sounds like a dying cell

[TitleMine]

Got it!

[Viper vince]

I have heard the same about the Optima go to Sears and get a diehard!

[01sapphirebob]

Yes...get a Die Hard and dont look back.

[TitleMine]

Took your advice, we got the battery last night, my husband put it in the car, problem 100% fixed. Battery in the car was an extremely dusty "Mopar Performance" unit, so God only knows how long that's been there.

[Fatboy 18]

Love it when a plan comes together

[Steve M]

Crappy batteries cause more issues than most would think...Vipers seem to go through them pretty quickly, probably mostly due to people not driving them often. I've always been a big fan of Battery Tenders...for Vipers, I'd say they are required.

[octopus]

I had the same problem also. Got a Die Hard battery from Sears and have used a battery tender ever since. The battery that was in there was a cheapo brand so I didn't mind changing it for a little peace of mind as well. Hopefully a bunch of people check this thread out and get themselves a battery tender to avoid this little hiccup before winter sets in for good.

[TitleMine]

Hopefully a bunch of people check this thread out and get themselves a battery tender to avoid this little hiccup before winter sets in for good.

So I'm curious...

You guys use a battery tender even when it's not winter time? Because the first time I would have even thought to put the car on a tender was just three days ago. You guys use it just when the car is parked?

[Coloviper]

Both my S351R Saleen and my 96' Viper R/T get plugged in all the time when not using them. Summer, Winter, Spring and Fall. Neighbors kid me that the cars need an electric blanket too but I haven't gone that far. They are cheap insurance and will guarantee a great running car each and every time you put the key in the ignition, which as many have said, the majority sit for long periods of time.

[swexlin]

I used sleep mode on my 03 in an unheated garage, and it worked like a charm. Fingers crossed that it works as well on the 13 as well. I DO drive my cars in winter (CAREFULLY!) as long as the roads are clear and dry. But, sometimes the Viper has to sit for weeks at a time. I have a phobia about plugged in, unattended trickle chargers, hence not using one. We'll see how the 13 does this winter...I might be eating my words!

But, since my Viper on average only gets driven once a week, I use sleep (now called hibernation) every time I park the car, except when I'm actually out in it for the day of course.

Understood that your car doesn't have a sleep mode, I only posted here because I know you're looking to get into a Gen 5.

[Steve M]

So I'm curious...

You guys use a battery tender even when it's not winter time? Because the first time I would have even thought to put the car on a tender was just three days ago. You guys use it just when the car is parked?

Yes, at all times...it's nice on the Gen 3/4/5 cars since you have direct access to the battery just by reaching through the rear bumper. I have a pigtail hanging off of the battery that I can just reach through and grab...just plug it in to the other end from the battery tender and it's done. Before that hooked it up under the hood, but I'm lazy and that was just too much work.

[octopus]

Yes, I use mine year round. Vipers go a bit haywire when the battery isn't fully charged so it's better to take a couple minutes and hook up the tender when the weekend is over. Here's the battery tender that seems to be most popular (I use this one as well):

http://www.batterytender.com/Automot...derR-Plus.html

You can pick it up at Sears. They had a ton in stock when I got mine.