Trouble getting Walmart to replace my (N)Everstart battery

[Dr Dave]

Check fuel pressure regulator, remove vacuum hose from port on regulator and see if fuel is leaking out. This is a common problem on GM's, will cause hydrolock, hard start. Most of the time this is not found, untill plastic intake manifold is blown into a hundred pieces.:laughing:

 

[Bird]

I think the reason it is hanging in there is because the car gets daily long drives which charges the battery fully.

Probably no similarity, but this reminds me of a fellow who used to work for me and he bought a new Pontiac. He drove it work 5 days a week, Monday thru Friday, and it sat in the driveway Saturday and Sunday. Every Monday morning, the battery would be so weak it could barely start the car and sometimes not at all. But the dealer kept checking the battery and alternator and they always checked good. They finally figured out that something was drawing a tiny bit of current all the time; not enough to notice unless the car sat without running for 2 days. And eventually, they found it was a defective cigarette lighter. It drew current continuously, but never enough to blow the fuse.

 

[DefEddie]

Never pull the battery cables off a computer controlled car to check an alternator!
Besides the battery being an input for the regulator,the battery acts as a buffer for the sensitive electronics.
It worked as a test on early model cars,but I strongly advise against it on computer controlled vehicles.

 

[Bird]

Never pull the battery cables off a computer controlled car to check an alternator!
Besides the battery being an input for the regulator,the battery acts as a buffer for the sensitive electronics.
It worked as a test on early model cars,but I strongly advise against it on computer controlled vehicles.

This reminds me of when the auto manufacturers first started using alternators instead of generators. Of course we had an auto parts store at the time, so we threw a little BBQ and invited all the mechanics in town to the BBQ and to hear an alternator manufacturer rep explain the differences between generators and alternators. I'll never forget him mentioning that mechanics have for years shorted across the two contacts on generators to see if they were working and he said you can do that with an alternator, too. If you get a spark, you'll know it was working until you did that.:laughing:

 

[jmurray01]

This reminds me of when the auto manufacturers first started using alternators instead of generators. Of course we had an auto parts store at the time, so we threw a little BBQ and invited all the mechanics in town to the BBQ and to hear an alternator manufacturer rep explain the differences between generators and alternators. I'll never forget him mentioning that mechanics have for years shorted across the two contacts on generators to see if they were working and he said you can do that with an alternator, too. If you get a spark, you'll know it was working until you did that.:laughing:

:laughing: Yeah, WAS!

Apart from the obvious reason not to disconnect a battery from a running modern car, you are also putting an immense strain on the alternator by forcing it to power the electricals (fuel pump etc...) on it's own with no help from the battery should you disconnect it. Just like running a car with a dead (dead as in dead as a door nail, not flat) battery.

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

I run Walmart batteries in every thing I own. The main reason being that wherever I am I can find a walmart. I have never had a problem getting one replaced. I have even had batteries replaced that were not bad. Just dead from leaving somthing on. Jusr make sure the battery is dead when you take it in to get it checked.
Bill

 

[brucewj]

Just got back from a trip to see the MIL. My wife's car barely started, but she thought she had left the interior light on, so we made the trip. I got up yesterday morning and the car was slow to start, so I drove it to the Wal Mart super center close to the hotel and told them I wanted a new battery.

About 15 minutes later the Tech guy said it was done, and that he was able to give me $40 credit for my old battery.

Wal Mart has worked well for me.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Glad to see you guys have had better luck than me. I guess I'm too nice. Told the minimum wage guy to give me his cell number so that when its dead I can call him to bring me a battery....

 

[shortthrow50]

[edited to stay out of misinformation conversation

 

[Skyco]

I've had pretty good luck with WalMart batteries- have 2 in my 96 Powerstroke right now. Like others I like the ability to hit a WalMart anywhere if there is a problem with them.
I also have several of their deep cycle marine batteries, some are 6 years old and still work pretty well.
I have never had any batteries last as long as the Motorcrafts that came in my truck though...originals I replaced at 9 years because I was getting antsy over their age..the replacements from Sam's were shot in 2 years, but they replaced them free. That set made it just over 3 and I now have WalMart batteiries in there....we'll see.

 

[Bird]

Glad to see you guys have had better luck than me. I guess I'm too nice. Told the minimum wage guy to give me his cell number so that when its dead I can call him to bring me a battery....

Kyle, have you tried a different Walmart or have you had the battery tested elsewhere? Of course I don't know how far you'd have to go to a different Walmart, since I have 3 within 10 miles.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Bird, I think the tip related above about being sure to discharge it is probably golden.

 

[Soundguy]

Only time I had to have WM replace one under warranty, it tested weak on the truck. All they asked me was if I had time for them to swap it out. I wonder if this is a store problem, regional or a company policy on their batteries? Maybe I was just lucky.

I think it's a store issue.

A while back.. like 3.5 ys, I was witht he wife on vacation and our battery died.. we happened to be in a shopping plaze with a walmart.. so i simply walked over and bought a bat.. swapped it in.. same deal.. 3 yr repalcement.. etc.

well, fast forward to litterally 2 days shy of the repalcement period. wifes car is dead in the driveway one morning.. hmm.. odd. I charge it on a 25a fast charger for about a half hour while I check her cables and swap my battery into her truck to see if she left a dome lamp on or soemthing odd. nope..

ok.. get her truck started.. charge system is fine..

head over to walmart by house.

battery shows low voltage so they can't test.. say they have to charge up and test.. ok.. come in early that morning they open at 6m at that wm tire center.. ( last day!! ) they charged overnight.. and machine said good...

ok.. put battery back in send wife to work. at 3:45pm, she calls me.. bat was low but just barely started. hmm.. she works near another walmart. I tell her to meet me over there... .. we show up, I bring hte bat in. they test it.. takes 3 tests.. 1st test had some error. 2nd test showed good.. 3rd test failed. I explained the long drawn out story, and even said if they would just pro rate it vs the repalcement I'd be happy.. as obviously the battery had a real issue. after a lil chit chat, the woman takes the test strip printed by the machine from the 3rd and failing test and put it on the reciept.. apparrently that test strip print out is what is needed by whoever warranties out the battery...etc.

i ended up paying like 6 or 8$ for some kind of fee or tax or something.. but got a new bat... swapped it back in in the parking lot. I used to think that yukon had a hard to swap battery. now I'm good at it and can do it in about 3 minutes..

that was late last year.. truck is doing ok...

I'd call it a store issue.. some ar emore willing to help than others...

 

[Soundguy]

I run Walmart batteries in every thing I own. The main reason being that wherever I am I can find a walmart. I have never had a problem getting one replaced. I have even had batteries replaced that were not bad. Just dead from leaving somthing on. Jusr make sure the battery is dead when you take it in to get it checked.
Bill

didn't work for me.. the one store I went to when it was discharged dead had to charge it up to test it..

 

[chopped]

On the front of Wal Marts is satisfaction guaranteed. But we now have to work for it.Ive had to tell them a couple times to remove the sign or id call the state. It usually works..

 

[Bird]

On the front of Wal Marts is satisfaction guaranteed. But we now have to work for it.Ive had to tell them a couple times to remove the sign or id call the state. It usually works..

Maybe things have changed, but I've never had any problem with returning anything to Walmart for a refund, even with a couple of items that I simply told them I did not like, such a "non-stick" skillet and a heat resistant cutting board.

 

[Western]

Maybe things have changed, but I've never had any problem with returning anything to Walmart for a refund, even with a couple of items that I simply told them I did not like, such a "non-stick" skillet and a heat resistant cutting board.

As far as I know, firearms is the only thing they wont let you return (to store)

 

[Skyco]

Or ammo..

I've never seen anyone who will take an ammo return. I suppose they fear someone might put reloaded ammo in the box and return it. Then there is a problem where the reloads blow up and they get sued etc....

But I agree with others, I've never had any WalMart not take a return, of course I'm reasonable and meet their time limits etc....

 

[BleedingOrange]

I,ve found the best way to get a replacement battery at Wal-Mart was to deal with the department manager. I got the new battery, and a 30 dollar voucher, for having to go back to them a couple of times on this same issue and dealing with dummies in the garage, who don,t know chit from chocolate. Lol

 

[Bird]

As far as I know, firearms is the only thing they wont let you return (to store)

I never even thought about that. I've bought ammo from Walmart, and like Skyco, knew that it couldn't be returned, but I never bought any firearms from Walmart.

How long has Walmart been around anyway? I was just thinking that, except for a Sig 9mm, I haven't bought any firearms in the last 47 years.:laughing: All my other guns are at least that old.