[jblackburn]

There is a service bulletin & extended warranty coverage (special coverage 14311) out for a faulty negative battery cable until 120,000 miles.

I believe this is what's going on with your car. Ask the dealer to look up the extended warranty coverage & evaluate your car. It sounds unsafe to drive in this condition.

 

[jblackburn]

jblackburn, thanks so much. If it might not be a matter of the battery being drained (or is it?), is it no use trying to jump it? Would I just have to have it towed there?

What's the battery voltage on the dash say?

You could try jumping it if low, but it might be better just to take it into the dealer as-is and let them have a look at it in its current state so they don't give you any kind of run-around.

 

[jblackburn]

Jump it and have the battery tested as a first step. Entirely possible it's a bad battery, but you may have both issues.

Every time I go to the dealer it's at least a several hour wait, so this will at least save you some time if it is indeed just a bad battery. I have had terrible luck with the AC Delco batteries in my Cruze.

 

[jblackburn]

Glad to hear they're takin care of you.

I wonder if that was why my car kept eating batteries...though I have never had any other electrical problems.

 

[jblackburn]

MAP, MAF, and a lean code. Sounds like they didn't fully connect an air hose. Or there's a leak somewhere.

I went to pick up a car once with the CEL on. The service advisor didn't like me very much after that.

 

[jblackburn]

Both of those usually come on in conjunction with the Check Engine light.

 

[jblackburn]

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.

Supposed to be a bad crimp causing the issues.