1996 Chevrolet Suburban

THE ORIGINAL BATTERY LEAKED AND CAUSED A POWER OUTAGE,CAUSING THE POSITIVE CABLES TO EVENTUALLY START CORRODING INTERNALLY.THE DEALER REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE BATTERY UNDER WARRANTY.SEVERAL MONTHS LATER THE REPLACED BATTERY CAUSED THE SAME PROBLEM,BUT THIS TIME IT INTERNALLY CORRODE THE POSITIVE CABLES.I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT THE BATTERY LEAKED AGAIN AND CORRODED THE POSITIVE CABLES.THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE BATTERY.SO I HAD TO BUY A NEW BATTERY AND BOUGHT A NEW PAIR OF POSITIVE CABLES AND INSTALLED THEM MYSELF.I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH GM AND THEY DID NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.I CONTACTED AC DELCO TO TELL THEM THAT I FELT THAT THEY HAD A BATTERY PROBLEM AND THEY NEVER CONTACTED ME BACK.

FIRST TIME AT 30,000 MILES, SYMPTOMS APPEARED TO BE DEFECTIVE STARTER OR STARTED SOLENOID- FOUND THAT THE BATTERY WAS LEAKING AT THE POSITIVE TERMINAL AND CORRODED/RUINED CABLE CONNECTING TO BATTERY. DEALER IN NORTH CAROLINA [PARKS CHEVROLET, CHARLOTTE REPLACE BATTERY AND CABLES, FREE]. SECOND TIME, AT 50,000 MILES, I CHECKED BATTERY AND FOUND LEAKING AGAIN - SOAKED CABLE CONNECTIONS IN BAKING SODA WATER SOLUTION AND RE-INSTALLED WITH NEW BOLT. SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE CLEANED THE CABLE CONNECTION AT BATTERY POSITIVE POST WITH SODA/WATER SOLUTION AT APPROXIMNATELY 10,000 MILE INTERVALS. FROM TALKING TO OTHER OWNERS, IT APPEARS THAT THE BATTERIES ARE THE PROBLEM - LEAKING AT THE POSITIVE BOLT/TERMINAL CONNECTION. AS A FORMER MECHANIC AND FACTORY SERVICE REP, I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AVOID A SERIOUS THREAT TO SAFETY BY FREQUENT INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE, BUT THIS IS REALLY A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND MAY HAVE FRIGHTENING RESULTS UNLESS SOME ACTION IS TAKEN TO CORRECT

IN FEBRUARY MY CAR DIED WHILE LEAVING A PARKING LOT. I TURNED OUT TO BE ACID CORROSION ON THE BATTERY. I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO HAVE MY POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE REPLACED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY DUE TO ACID CORROSION. EVEN AFTER CLEANING THE ACID OFF I AM STILL HAVING PROBLEMS AND WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE BATTERY EVEN THOUGH IT SAYS IT IS STILL GOOD. I KNOW OF ANOTHER SUBURBAN (95) ALSO HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM.

THE BATTERY LEAKED/SPRAYED ACID ONTO THE ENGINE AND RIGHT FRONT SIDE COMPONENTS OF THE SUBURBAN. THE AIR BAG SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, BUT THE REST OF THE COMPONENTS WERE JUST CLEANED OFF (THIS INCLUDED BRAKE HYDRAULIC CABLES AND LINES, BRAKES, AIR CONDITIONING HOSES, RADIATOR, ETC.). THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER SAID THEY DON'T COVER THE BATTERY BECAUSE IT IS NOT MADE BY THEM ALTHOUGHT I THINK THE COMPANY IS OWNED BY THEM. WE HAD TO BUY A NEW BATTERY AND PAY FOR ALL THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR AND STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LONG TERM AFFECTS OF THIS CORROSIVE ACID WILL BE. IT LEFT A HUGE ORANGE PUDDLE IN OUR GARAGE FLOOR WHICH WE CAN'T GET RID OF. WE TOOK VIDEO AND PICTURES OF THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR, BATTERY AND GARAGE. THE CRACKED FRONT TRANSAXLE CASING WAS ONLY DIAGNOSED AFTER THEY HAD REPLACED THE SEAL ON THE FRONT AXLE TWICE SINCE IT WAS ALWAYS LEAKING FLUID. THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL HAD THE SEAL REPLACED 2 OR 3 TIMES BUT IT STILL LEAKS. THE FUEL PUMPED FAILED ON OUR CAR LEAVING US STRANDED. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE TRUCK NEEDS TO KEEP A 1/4 TANK OF GAS AT ALL TIMES IN THE TANK SO THAT THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN. THE AIR CONDITIONER HAS NEVER REALLY WORKED WELL ON THIS MODEL, IT APPEARS THAT IT IS UNDERSIZED TO HANDLE THE THERMAL LOAD. WE ALSO HAD TO HAVE THE SPOT WELDS ON THE DOOR JAMS FILED BECAUSE MANY SHARP BURRS EXISTED WHICH WERE A SAFETY HAZARD.*AK

PINION SEAL ON REAR DIFF. LEAKED AT 36K MILES, FUEL INJECTORS CLOGGED AT 40K AND INOPERABLE OXYGEN SENSOR. BATTERY LEAKED AT SIDE TERMINAL (38K MILES), CORRODED BATTERY CABLES AND SHELF. WINSHEILD WIPERS DO NOT GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE STARTING POSITION WHEN TURNED OFF. CURRENTLY HAVING PROBLEMS WITH STARTING THE VEHICLE. STARTER WAS CHECKED AND IS O.K. PROBABLY ELECTRICAL, DUE TO LEAKING BATTERY OR A COMPUTER PROBLEM.

UPON EXITING FREEWAY I NOTICED A BURNING ODOR. PARKED THE SURBURBAN AND LIFTED THE HOOD AND DISCOVERED THE LEFT FRONT AREA OF ENGINE ON FIRE. I EXTINGUISHED THE FLAME AND THE RESULTING DAMAGE EXHIBITED SPARK PLUG WIRES 1 AND 3 TOTALLY BURNT TO ASH. WIRE HARNESS TO AIR CONDITIONING AND ENGINE TEMPERATURE SENSOR INSULATION WAS BURNT AWAY. OIL FILLER NECK IS COMPLETLY MELTED AWAY AS ARE THE SPARKPLUG WIRE MOUNTING BRACKETS. PLASTIC VACCUUM HOSE FOR EMMISSION DEVICE WAS ALSO MELTED IN HALF. UPPER RADIATOR HOSE IS BADLY BURNT. SUSPECT ELECTRICAL WIRE HARNESS PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE SINCE THE BATTERY SPLIT OPEN 1 YEAR PRIOR SPILLING ACID ALL OVER BRAKE LINES AND AIR CONDITIONER PLUMBING. *AK

BATTERY FAILURE RESULTING IN POSITIVE TERMINAL PULLING OUT OF BATTERY AND ACID SPILLING ON AIR CONDITIONING AND BRAKE LINES. REPLACED BATERY AND CONNECTIONS CAME LOOSE AND TRUCK SHUTDOWN COMPLETELY. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON THREE OCCASIONS. THE TERMINALS HAVE BEEN CLEANED EACH TIME AND TRUCK WILL RUN FINE. INITIAL FAILURE RESULTED IN BATERY ACID SPILLING ON INNER FENDER AND BRAKE LINES. PROBLEM WAS FOUND BEFORE ACID ATE THROUGH BRAKE LINES AND AIR CONDITIONING LINES. DURING OTHER FAILURES BATTERY TERMINAL HAS NOT PULLED OUT OF BATERRY BUT POSITIVE TERMINALS HAVE HAD CORROSIVE BUILD UP CAUSING TRUCK TO SHUT DOWN COMPLETLY. AFTER PULLING CONNECTIONS LOOSE AND CLEANING THEN TRUCK FUNCTIONS FINE FOR A FEW MONTHS THEN IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. THIS POSES A SERIUOS CONDITION DUE TO LACK OF WARNING .*AK