common reactor

Okay, before I say anything I thoroughly searched the forums, and did not come up with a specific answer to my problem. I bought my S about a week ago from a guy who barely ever drove it (15,000 miles on a 2002) and the car has been running absolutely perfect. No mechanical problems whatsoever, and it starts right up. So today, I go out with a couple of friends for maybe 4-5 hours...I come back to my friend's house and the darn thing wouldn't start.

I knew it was the battery, so I jumped the car and drove it home. My question is this...first of all, do I need a new battery? Several different people have given me advice on it, and I've been told that I either need a new battery or it's just going to recharge. I need to get to work tomorrow at 4:00pm, and if I need a new battery I can go early to autozone and get one.

If it just so happens that I need a new one, my friend's father (who is a mechanic) said that on some newer cars, when you replace the battery it messes with your computer, and sometimes even erases the memory. If that's untrue, I did not make that statement. I know close to nothing about this stuff, so I hope someone can help me out before tomorrow. Thanks.

shotiable

i thought it only resets your radio... i mean i pulled out my battery in my accord when i was installing my audio system... and that was almost a year ago... still nothing wrong with it... it just erased the radio's memory... and the clock... but other than that pulling out the battery didnt affect it in any adverse way... and my accord is MY05...

common reactor

Thanks, yeah actually when I jump started it, the radio said "code" on it and wouldn't play CD's.

xviper

A battery in an '02 that hasn't been driven much "could" be done by now, but you'd have to test it by putting a full charge into it and seeing what happens. However, since you are going to depend on it today, you should just go out and buy a new one.

negcamber

The oem battery is an oddball size. I know our search is a pain to use...but use it to find the right battery to buy. (maybe there is some info in the FAQ...Viper might know since he's been the FAQ keeper).

And yes...your ecu will be reset. No biggie...does not make the car undrivable. Also, the S2k has a learning ecu that learns your driving style and adapts to you. Takes about a week for it to learn after reset.

Ek9

What the guy was probably talking about is some of the truely odd things that new car's are doing. I believe it was the new Civic SI, I read that if you disconnect the battery with 15 minutes of turning off the engine. The car won't start again. It was something to do with on-board diagnostics the ECU ran after the engine was turned off that couldn't be interrupted.

If the guy let the battery discharge over winters, then it'll freeze or partially freeze which can kill it. A 2002 battery's on borrowed time anyway.

Jump it and see what the voltage is, if it's 14, then the charging systems probably working.

common reactor

i just bought a new one from pep boys, thanks though guys.