[NickD]

Big difference between a no start and a no crank. Had a no crank condition in my 2012 around three months ago, but due to a battery with a high self discharge rate. Still had a couple of months of bumper to bumper warranty left, but took me three dealers to replace it under warranty.

But someone moved the clock forward without my permission, so now I am struck with it, if this one goes, will have to buy a new one with my own money. When I first purchased this thing, noted that from the factory that all the battery terminals were dry. Used a battery terminal cleaner and silicone grease on everything to prevent what they call oxidation. So was good for the first 34 months.

This last time, noted the batter clamp bolts were crap, cheap cold rolled bolts and the terminal nuts couldn't even thighten them. So I replaced those with grade 8 1/4"-20 one inch long bolts that fit perfectly. Ha, to make it look stock, tapped the nuts also to the same thread size, nice and tight now.

04 Cavalier battery with a Delco name on it was still good after 8 years, but did a capacity test on it, and replaced it before giving this car to my daughter. Cruze battery also has a Delco name on it, but only God knows who made it. Delco is just a name now.

This new Delco battery replaced by the dealer only had a two month warranty left on it. Those two months went by awfully quick.

 

[NickD]

With a fully charged battery, as told by a maintenance type charger that tapers off to zero amps, the rest is a no brainer.

Just switch the headlamps on, blower motor and place the positive lead of a voltmeter on the terminal of the battery. Not the cable, but the actual battery terminal.

The negative lead on the engine block. If you read greater than 0.1 volts, you have battery connection problems. Same with the positive battery terminal, but have to go to one of the hot fuses in the underhood fuse box.

 

[NickD]

What's wrong with the negative battery cable anyway? On mine, only about a foot long, terminal bolt is crap, replaced that. Now just looked at the other end that goes to a junction point, bare copper wire in a ring terminal. That copper is turning brown, copper oxide that is a great insulator.

Another chore, remove both cables, wire brush those terminals and dip in a hot soldering pot.

This how we used to do this, saving another couple of cents to lay out a lot more for warranty repairs. Mine lasted through warranty.

 

[NickD]

For whatever reason and don't ask me why, when many codes are set, they stay set, regardless of the cause that set them in the first place.

My friendly Chevy dealer that made a couple bucks off of me wanted 30 bucks to just reset the codes. Agreed to it with my just out of warranty 04 Cavalier, but the only guy that knew how to plug the scanner in just left. So I drove up a block to Advanced Auto and the reset the code for free.

This darn thing has the carbon canister mounted low and behind the fuel tank. With slush on the road, gets wet and freezes up the purge valve so a code is set. After it thaws out, its okay again, but that stupid CEL is still on. Cruze is the same way. Try Advanced, Autozone, O'Reilly's. They will tell you the code and reset it for free.

But if it comes back, then you have problems.