# Restoring dead battery? (2001 vivic) **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [June 3, 2021, 11:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/restoring-dead-battery-2001-vivic/177224 "2021-06-03T23:27:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jameson.luttrell\_154832](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@jameson.luttrell\_154832](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jameson.luttrell_154832)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2021, 11:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/restoring-dead-battery-2001-vivic/177224/1 "2021-06-03T23:27:37Z")
I have a week old battery. I didn’t notice the break lights were stuck on. The battery went down to 0.5 volts. I charged it off another battery in parallel and a Viking charger. It wouldn’t go above 11.4 v. I installed it and jump started it. It’s at 12.1 volts. Wont start. Is there any hope for it fully charging? Tips tricks would be appreciated. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 12:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/restoring-dead-battery-2001-vivic/177224/2 "2021-06-04T00:28:51Z")
A battery that reads 0.50 volts is a dead battery, and cannot be recharged. It needs to be replaced. Tester ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 1:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/restoring-dead-battery-2001-vivic/177224/3 "2021-06-04T01:21:53Z")
> [@jameson.luttrell\_154832](#): > > I have a week old battery. Week as in 7 days or Weak as in feeble? ---
**Author:** ![bcohen2010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@bcohen2010](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bcohen2010)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 4:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/restoring-dead-battery-2001-vivic/177224/4 "2021-06-04T04:50:04Z")
> [@Tester](#): > > A battery that reads 0.50 volts is a dead battery, and cannot be recharged. > > It needs to be replaced. I successfully recharged a battery which was completely dead, using a trickle charger. The slow charging at very low current is easier on the battery than the rapid charging at high current which most chargers attempt to provide. Most non-trickle chargers have a protection feature, which will prevent charging unless a certain minimum voltage is detected. ---
**Author:** ![SteveCBT](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevecbt/32/3192_2.png) [@SteveCBT](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveCBT)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 9:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/restoring-dead-battery-2001-vivic/177224/5 "2021-06-04T09:47:48Z")
Lead acid batteries do not take kindly to deep discharge. The plates get a sulfate on them which reduces the ability to be recharged. As @bcohen2010 says, while it is sometimes possible to recharge with a trickle charger , they end up with reduced capacity. Might be good enough for a while though. ---
**Author:** ![COROLLAGUY1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/corollaguy1/32/7575_2.png) [@COROLLAGUY1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/COROLLAGUY1)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 12:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/restoring-dead-battery-2001-vivic/177224/6 "2021-06-04T12:19:01Z")
You can revive an old dead battery if you have access to a 200amp charger: [![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/e/6/e65a5ec907ba30a7165fa155dc840d2ae9c5a2e6.jpeg "How To RENEW CAR & TRUCK Batteries at Home & SAVE BIG MONEY DO THIS ONE https://youtu.be/VYtkn-N\_p4s") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYXx70MqJ-0) ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 12:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/restoring-dead-battery-2001-vivic/177224/7 "2021-06-04T12:44:43Z")
I had a 6 volt battery in one of my old Harleys go south on me once and not take a charge. No battery or dealer within a 100 miles so I gave the following a shot and believe it or not; got another year out of that battery. Dumped out some of the electrolyte and filled it with Miller beer. Surprised me too but not something I would recommend. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 2:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/restoring-dead-battery-2001-vivic/177224/8 "2021-06-04T14:49:09Z")
We are still waiting to find out if is a (1) week old battery. I don’t think any batteries are sold with less than a 90 day warranty. Or is it a weak, old battery ? Not being snarky, it makes a difference. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 2:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/restoring-dead-battery-2001-vivic/177224/9 "2021-06-04T14:59:57Z")
> [@ok4450](#): > > Dumped out some of the electrolyte and filled it with Miller beer. Would Bud or Coors work? ---
**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 2:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/restoring-dead-battery-2001-vivic/177224/10 "2021-06-04T14:59:58Z")
> [@ok4450](#): > > Dumped out some of the electrolyte and filled it with Miller beer. Surprised me too but not something I would recommend Would Bud Light work as a substitute? Did you noticed any erratic behavior? 🙂 Myself, I tried both “trickle charge” and “high-amp-shot” things on old/failing batteries and more often than not had to go to the store for the replacements anyways. It’s only an attempt to delay the inevitable replacement ☹ ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 5:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/restoring-dead-battery-2001-vivic/177224/11 "2021-06-04T17:51:47Z")
Miller is all I had at the time. I had no distilled water and no desire to go to the store so I fed it what was on hand…and I hate Miller beer. I was as surprised as anyone when the battery actually took a charge… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jameson.luttrell\_154832](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@jameson.luttrell\_154832](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jameson.luttrell_154832)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 9:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/restoring-dead-battery-2001-vivic/177224/12 "2021-06-04T21:11:26Z")
7 days old ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 9:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/restoring-dead-battery-2001-vivic/177224/13 "2021-06-04T21:25:52Z")
Seems to be a problem with your battery charger, you can’t wear out a battery in 7 days. Consumer Reports discharge and recharge batteries hundreds of times for their battery tests. How many hours did you charge the battery? ---
**Author:** ![jameson.luttrell\_154832](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@jameson.luttrell\_154832](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jameson.luttrell_154832)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 9:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/restoring-dead-battery-2001-vivic/177224/14 "2021-06-04T21:28:11Z")
A while. The charger stopped charging so I took it off. ---
**Author:** ![jameson.luttrell\_154832](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@jameson.luttrell\_154832](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jameson.luttrell_154832)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 9:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/restoring-dead-battery-2001-vivic/177224/15 "2021-06-04T21:28:32Z")
Do they discharge them to 0.5 volts? ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 9:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/restoring-dead-battery-2001-vivic/177224/16 "2021-06-04T21:34:22Z")
10.5 volts is a discharged battery. 0.50 volts is a deeply discharged battery. Not good for a starting battery. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/4/d/4db586d63990af6a3d2d31ff9b75cb753e9305ff.jpeg) Tester ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 9:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/restoring-dead-battery-2001-vivic/177224/17 "2021-06-04T21:35:27Z")
Probably not. I brought home many dead batteries from the scrap pile and charged them to use in my cars, trucks and camper. The battery in my car sat dead in my garage for ten years before being recharged. I charged it for 3 days. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 9:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/restoring-dead-battery-2001-vivic/177224/18 "2021-06-04T21:41:42Z")
> [@ok4450](#): > > Miller is all I had at the time. I had no distilled water and no desire to go to the store so I fed it what was on hand Well, the stuff that they sell is pretty close to water, so I think that you made a good choice under the circumstances! 😏 ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 10:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/restoring-dead-battery-2001-vivic/177224/19 "2021-06-04T22:03:33Z")
I’ve seen some batteries that were garbage pretty much from the get-go. A few weeks or few months in some cases. My personal worst was a new battery I installed in my BMW motorcycle. Put the battery in at 8 that evening and rode it to work the next day. Got off at 5 and the battery was stone dead with not enough oomph to turn on the idiot lights. Pushed it into the shop, charged it for an hour, and still no-go. Around 5 volts was the best it would do but since it was covered by warranty a new exchange fixed that problem. It almost lasted 24 hours… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 10:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/restoring-dead-battery-2001-vivic/177224/20 "2021-06-04T22:27:23Z")
> [@jameson.luttrell\_154832](#): > > 7 days old > [@Purebred](#): > > I don’t think any batteries are sold with less than a 90 day warranty. +1 Has the OP actually read the details of the warranty on his 7 day old battery? Instead of dithering about how to resurrect it, he should be able to swap it for a brandy-new battery. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/restoring-dead-battery-2001-vivic/177224.md?page=2)