Car is disabled... please help
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Sugar Land, TX
Posts: 184
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
2009 Cadillac CTS-V
Car is disabled... please help
So last night I'm on my way home. I'm using distronic for the first time and about a mile before I get to the house I get an error on the dash, something like "Distronic is no longer available" and it disengages. I drive home normally.
This morning I try to start the car and it's completely shut down. Keyfob won't work. Horn won't honk. Completely shut down. The only thing I can see is the hazard triangle light is flashing very quickly and dimly.
Sounds obvious but uh... dead battery?
This morning I try to start the car and it's completely shut down. Keyfob won't work. Horn won't honk. Completely shut down. The only thing I can see is the hazard triangle light is flashing very quickly and dimly.
Sounds obvious but uh... dead battery?
#3
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Sugar Land, TX
Posts: 184
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
2009 Cadillac CTS-V
Hey, thanks for the reply.
I replaced the battery with a Duralast Platinum. I'm hoping that the battery is what triggered the distronic error. I have no idea how old that battery was... it was a Mercedes branded battery, but for a 2004 with 40k miles, it *could* have been the original.
All is well now. I have power and the car is back on the road.
I replaced the battery with a Duralast Platinum. I'm hoping that the battery is what triggered the distronic error. I have no idea how old that battery was... it was a Mercedes branded battery, but for a 2004 with 40k miles, it *could* have been the original.
All is well now. I have power and the car is back on the road.
#4
Former Vendor of MBWorld
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 1,181
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
4 Posts
Whatever we're tuning!
Hey, thanks for the reply.
I replaced the battery with a Duralast Platinum. I'm hoping that the battery is what triggered the distronic error. I have no idea how old that battery was... it was a Mercedes branded battery, but for a 2004 with 40k miles, it *could* have been the original.
All is well now. I have power and the car is back on the road.
I replaced the battery with a Duralast Platinum. I'm hoping that the battery is what triggered the distronic error. I have no idea how old that battery was... it was a Mercedes branded battery, but for a 2004 with 40k miles, it *could* have been the original.
All is well now. I have power and the car is back on the road.
Your battery should not just die while driving if the alternator is putting out the appropriate amps and voltage.
#5
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Sugar Land, TX
Posts: 184
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
2009 Cadillac CTS-V
Check the output voltage of the alternator. If that is fine and you happen to have another dead battery then it could your alternator is not putting out sufficient amps.
Your battery should not just die while driving if the alternator is putting out the appropriate amps and voltage.
Your battery should not just die while driving if the alternator is putting out the appropriate amps and voltage.
As it turns out, I left the head lights on. It's not really my fault. I always have my lights on Auto so they turn off automatically one minute after I turn off the car. I'm out of my garage by then so I didn't notice that the lights didn't turn off.
The lights setting was changed by the valet guy.
I had the battery recharged and returned the Duralast. This totally doesn't explain why the distronic failed on me last night. So I'm going to try to duplicate it.
Thanks for the replies, guys.