DC works on my electrical system today... battery EXPLODES! Help!!!

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Today I took my truck to my local dealer to have the latest recall done. (electrical relays for the accesories?) I drive the truck home, shut it off, get back in it an hour later and BOOM! Driver side. Battery is in several pieces, dented the hood up about 1/4 - 1/2"!!!!!! Trashed the liner inside the hood, etc Washed all the acid off that I could, but I let the truck sit just like it was. I will call the service manager tomorrow and ask him what happened and tell him to come and look at the truck. Is there anyway that what they did today caused the battery to explode? I'm thinking they got some wires crossed and overcharged my battery. Is this possible? Please help I need this truck back ASAP. If you can write back tonight so I know if I have a case to bring up to them tomorrow morning. Thank you for your time! Jeff

 

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WOW !

Its a good thing you were not under the hood when it blew!

I would not touch it. Call Dodge and have someone come over and look at it. I would call your Insurance co. too.

D/C is 100% to blame. No doubt in my mind. #ad


[This message has been edited by HEMI®Dart (edited 08-30-2000). ]

 

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Did you look to see if they hooked back up backwards,a direct short between the two could cause the wakest to blow?? This can happen due to a spark as well, when batteries charge they emit a gas that is explosive. You might want to mix up a bucket of water with your wifes arm and hammer baking soda to kill the acid .

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95-2500-ExtCab-LB-4x4-Auto-AMSoil Air Filter, Bypass Oil Filter by others, AMSOIL and Mobil Synthetics, TST 255HP and TransGO Shift kit .

[This message has been edited by Randy Hutton (edited 08-30-2000). ]

 

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Sorry, but I believe DC is innocent on this one. If you look on the top of any battery, you will notice the warnings about exploding, etc. When you say you got in it and it exploded, I'm assuming it blew when you turned the key on to crank it. For whatever reason the battery was "gassing", that is, emitting hydrogen gas. Hydrogen is the same gas the Hindenburg was filled with #ad
Unfortunatly, this is normal for batteries to do. Sometimes they do it more than other times. I've had several batteries come back to the store in this condition that had nothing per say wrong with the vehicle #ad
Unfortunatly it's just a part of using lead acid batteries.

 

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I agree with danandme. Its nice to blame someone but I think its one of those things. Check to see if its hooked up right though. My friend had one explode in his boat. It lifted the hatch up a few inches with him standing on it. If you think about it we are all idiots for ever jumping batteries with other batteries for this very reason. Randy is right with his idea of baking soda. Good luck and remember to replace both batteries.

 

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There still had to be a spark to ignite the hydrogen right?I think DC work caused the spark,the gas was there for other reasons.

 

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It could have possibly been a loose battery cable which caused the spark but the gas was produced from something else.

 

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The battery wont explode unless gas is present. After an hour of sitting no gas should still be around. Gas is generated only when charging or discharging and an hour is enough time for it to dissipate.
Good Luck
John

 

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It could most anything that caused it. How Old are the batteries?. Good thing you didnt have your head under the hood!.
From My Expirences at HADDAD DODGE in Bakersfield Ca,I would say it was caused by the Grease Monkey "Tech" doing the recall work. (No Faith).

I run Optima's, They are not suppose to Gas out, Causing an explosion.
Doug.

 

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Hey guys it sounds like an internal short in the battery to me. No ones fault just a bumber, I had one in my 93 do the same thing no warning just BOOOOOM!

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1996 4x4 3500 4. 10 5spd, Diesel Dynamics stage 2 injectors, #5 TST plate, Govoner spring kit, 16cm2 housing with 4" exhaust, Cummins exhaust brake, US Gear overdrive, Grover air horns, Mag-Hytec cover, and more.

 

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Holy Smokes!!

Sorry to hear about your luck, and I agree with BPINE. Sounds like an internal short. When you replace, replace both and I highly recomend OPTIMAs (I have 10 in varied rigs form tractors to boats, 2 red tops in the truck). I have optmas that have 9 years on them and no sign of quiting. #ad


Good luck
Andrew

 

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You failed to tell what was the reason for them to be doing work on the electrical system???????????????
Yes you needed a spark & gas(battery) tell me more.
Latter.

 

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The were doing the recall on the blower motor switch. The dealership and I worked it out. I went and got two new batteries and they cleaned up the engine bay, installed the new batteries and checked out the electrical system at no cost and all seems fine. I bought two Duralast Gold batteries from Autozone. 1000 CA @ 32 degrees, 900 CA @ 0 degrees. 8 year pro-rated and 3 year full refund for $70 each. There might be better batteries, but with that kind of warranty, for that price and the place is right on my way to work, it just made sense for me to go that way. Thanks for all the responses guys. Have a great Labor Day weekend! Jeff

 

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Jeff,what about the hood?

 

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Hood still has 2 dents that are facing out. They are bulged up about 1/8" and each one is about as big as a penny. Looks like crap, but I'm not sure what to do. I may go to a body shop and see if they can gently pound them back down, then try to touch it up with some touch-up paint. The truck already has 118K miles and 5 years old, so those two dents are the biggest, but not the only ones it has! Stone chips and small scratches has been this trucks worse enemy! One day I may have to get all the red repainted anyways. We'll see... JH

 

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Most shops carry a liability coverage (if they don't, they're fly-by-night) for stuff just like this. The spark is most likely from a loose battery cable. I've seen a couple blown batteries, and each time it was just what you describe. One blew when trying to crank, the other when just sitting.

Yes, the batteries retain the oxygen/hydrogen mix AT ALL TIMES. And, they release those bubbles of gas even after being inactive for a while.

YOu should be able to tell if the battery cable was loose. If it was... well, they owe you a little work and some cleanup. Battery acid's going to wreak havoc under the hood, with the paint, sound proofing, wires, sensors, connectors, and a lot of other stuff, too. I've seen a truck with a blasted battery, it's not pretty. It was in a wreck, and the acid really uglied up the underhood. It'll eat your paint and rust out the fenders if it got there... mabye even rust through the hood, too. Don't mess with this... get it fixed up.