Hi All and thanks for reading! We left our 2000 Cherokee in the garage for 3 weeks while on vacation. When we got home the battery was dead. The battery is over 10 years old so we we were only a little surprised. Anyway, we charged up the battery (my hubby is too cheap to buy a new one just yet) and the car started fine. But now the engine idles too low and the car stalls out. The mechanic up the street says that because the battery died and sat for so long the computer needs to reset and we should run it for about 30 minutes or so. Did that (about 45 minutes) and the idle is still too low and it still stalls out. Any ideas? Thank You!

 

Your hubby IS too cheap!

Your battery is almost assuredly failing. The way to test it is to bring it to any parts store and ask them to perform a LOAD TEST. Load testing is the only accurate way of determining battery condition. The parts store will do this for you for free.

When the battery is marginal, it can provide enough juice to start the engine, but not enough juice to keep the engine management system happy and therein lies your symptoms. Stalling is the #1 symptom of a weak battery. A 10 year old battery owes you NOTHING......replace it.

I'm betting that the battery miserably fails the load test. Please keep us updated.

 

I second this. Also, don't do what I did last time I needed a battery (granted I was broke). Don't skimp. 'Valucraft' and all low level batteries suck.

 

Yes your computer needs to relearn how to run but it shouldn't take more than 30 minutes to do so if it's getting proper voltage from the system. Spend the $80ish and get a new battery.

 

Vacation for three weeks??? Id be cheap too haha

 

We're the proud owners of a new Interstate battery ($99). Works great and no more engine stall. Once again, you guys are right on target! Thanks for your help. It was like pulling teeth to get hubby to budge but we did take it to a place and have it tested and they showed him that the battery was toast. He couldn't argue any longer. The battery was actually 13 years old.

 

Glad we could help. And your next step would be to contact Guiness Book of World Records for them to verify your record of "world's oldest battery".....

 

Let us know if you get 13. Months. out of the new interstate.
I'm serious.