Hi. I have a 2008 dodge caliber. my car’s computer got fried and the car stop running. the car had a battery from walmart that wasn’t the size needed. there was a short that apparently drained my battery and fried the computer. I need to know if is possible that the shortage of the battery could cause the computer to get damage.
Did they install it backwards?
No, as long as they installed it correctly it can’t blow up a car’s computer. It may not be the right capacity and not be able to properly run the car but it can’t blow things up.
They are blowing smoke likely because they did something wrong.
No, the battery did not fry your computer…Now, if someone connected jumper cables wrong, THAT could burn up the ECM…
the dealer told me today that it was a shortage on the battery. the computer of the car was dead. needs to be replace. i am not sure that since the battery was the wrong one, that could damage the car or is just one of those things that happen all the time
what can cause the computer of the car get damaged. they also said that the wiring that runs from the left front light to the computer where damage and had to be replace.
Is there more to this story? Did Walmart install an “R” battery where one was not called for, or vice versa (the “R” means reversed terminals, for example, group 24R is identical to group 24 except positive and negative are switched. Not everybody knows this, possibly including many Walmart techs)? Were there sparks and lots of smoke? Was the battery not properly secured, possibly causing it to short to ground from bouncing and flopping around? Installing a higher or lower capacity battery will not cause this, but some of the things I suggest will cause this.
If the battery shorted out the only effect to the computer is it 's loss of 12 volt power supply. Once a computer on a modern vehicle loses that 12 volt power supply the computer shuts down below 10.5 volts DC. Once that happens computers/modules may have to go through a relearn process in order for them to work properly again.
You can read about it here. http://www.aa1car.com/library/battery_disconnect_problems.htm
Tester
I am going to guess that they are talking about battery acid damage to the wiring harness. When a battery has a shorted cell and the car is driven for long enough the acid boils and sometimes vents. If ignored the acid can do a great deal of damage.
It really sounds to me like they hooked it up backwards, then tried to cover their butts. Whatever happened, it sounds like Wal-mart should be liable. I would consider having it towed elsewhere to have someone not involved in damaging it assess the damage, then bill Wal-mart for the repair.
If they did hook it up backwards, there could be damage to any of the car’s computers (it likely has at least 4), the instrument cluster, the stereo, etc.