Slow turnover

[RanRich]

Lately (past few weeks) I've noticed the car is slow to turnover after sitting overnight, and still isn't quick to fire up after driving and sitting for a bit. Seems to be getting worse as time goes on. The voltage gauge reads 14.5, so could it be inaccurate and my battery is actually going bad? To me it sounds like slow spark, not like I'm holding the start button and waiting for fuel. Anyone else experience this? My car is a 2009 at 59K right now and I'm scheduled for a 60K service next week for the following:
- Drive belt service
- Trans fluid change
- Oil/filter change
- Clutch fluid change
- Power steering fluid change
- Diff fluid change

What should I add in light of the issue?

[Spooler]

Your battery is going bad. The voltage reading while the car is running only tells you what the alternator is doing. Not how healthy your battery is.

[lj909]

A battery.

Your voltage will read at 14 because the alternator is working correctly. You've got an 09. That battery is getting old.

[SouthArk370Z]

Check the electrolyte level in the battery before tossing it. But, after seven years, it's probably on the way out.

[RanRich]

Thanks guys, good to know what the volt meter actually measures.

Battery recommendations?

[Ghostvette]

Originally Posted by RanRich

Thanks guys, good to know what the volt meter actually measures.

Battery recommendations?

I put an Optima RedTop in mine. Personally, I'd go with an AGM like an Optima.

[RumbleFish]

I went with the YellowTop Optima

[DEpointfive0]

I have a yellow top optima I bought from Amazon.
I recommend Amazon because warranting it out is "hard" by hard I mean I called Optima, they said F U, call Amazon, I called Amazon, they said that sucks, and I said Optima said to call Amazon directly. Then Amazon did something, I called Optima again, and Amazon then sent me a new battery for free. Really not that hard. And now I have a spare dead optima I use for BS 12V crap in the garage.

[RanRich]

Just ordered an Optima RedTop! From what I read the consensus was the YellowTop was a bit more than needed and the RedTop was a perfect fit. Will be here Friday afternoon, gotta love Prime.

Thanks for the help everyone! Following this DIY to knock out this weekend:

Originally Posted by VCuomo

This is edited from something I posted in a different thread:

1. Remove the battery compartment cover (two tabs at the front end of the cover).
2. Remove the four clips from the perimeter of the battery compartment surround. To remove each clip, use a small flat blade screwdriver and gently pry up the center round "head" of the clip, then pull out the entire clip.
3. Remove the battery compartment surround; note the section at the front driver side that goes under the support bar.
4. Remove the passenger side windshield cowl's rubber hood seal just to the rear of the battery compartment - there are four clips embedded in the seal, just put your fingers around them from between the firewall and the seal and pull up
5. Remove the passenger side windshield cowl (two clips that are the same as the battery compartment surround). Note that there is a tab (but no clip) where the cowl goes underneath the windshield seal - pull this up slightly, then pull the cowl out.
6. The battery should now be fully visible and accesible.

Reverse the process to put everything back together again. To reinsert the clips, push the center portion of the clip all of the way up, then insert the clip into the trim piece (the surround or cowl), then push the center portion of the clip all of the way down (you should hear a click when it engages).

HTH!

[RumbleFish]

Originally Posted by RanRich

Just ordered an Optima RedTop! From what I read the consensus was the YellowTop was a bit more than needed and the RedTop was a perfect fit. Will be here Friday afternoon, gotta love Prime.

Thanks for the help everyone! Following this DIY to knock out this weekend:

Some other battery related things to know...

From Trips:
Remove the battery cover and the cover panel, Disconnect the negative then positive then swap in the new battery, and reverse the procedure.

All that's left is to reset your windows, and your fav radio stations and your done.

Here are the window reset procedure just in case.

1. Push the ignition switch to the ON position.

2. Close the door.

3. Open the window completely by operating
the power window switch.

4. Pull the power window switch and hold it to
close the window, and then hold the switch
more than 3 seconds after the window is
closed completely.

5. Release the power window switch. Operate
the window by the automatic function to
confirm the initialization is complete.

6. Perform steps 2 through 5 above for other
windows.

others have noted:...Disconnect, the negative first, then reconnect the positive first on the new battery

[RanRich]

And of course, oil change intervals and clock!