Automotive

Car Battery for my Infiniti G37s

  • Last Updated:
  • Mar 25th, 2019 7:42 pm
Banned
Aug 21, 2018
273 posts
36 upvotes

Car Battery for my Infiniti G37s

My car battery doesn't seem to be retaining the charge for very long.

Sure, I have a lot of stuff going on inside the car (e.g. automatic locks, 2 console displays, etc, etc) but it seems like even if I don't drive for 2-3 days, it's almost about to die until I take it out for a spin and then it's good for another few days. However, if I don't drive it for 2-3 days, then I'm forced to boost the battery via either a portable battery charger or another car. I had to boost it 3 separate times within the past 4 months. Kind of getting sick and tired of doing this.

I had some issues with a custom installation for one of my consoles as it's an After-Market console in order to install a NAV/Bluetooth system inside. I took it to a mechanic to do a diagnosis. Car wouldn't start in the parking lot so they had to boost it up. Then took it back home and drove around for a long time, making sure that the battery got sufficient time to charge so I wouldn't have to boost it again.

Fast forward to today and it's dead again right inside of my garage. It needs another boost, and it hasn't even been a full day since I took it out to drive for the afternoon.

Now I need to boost it again via a portable battery charger. I cannot boost it via another vehicle as it's parked inside of my garage with the wall in front of it. Ugh... So sick and tired of this!

It must mean that I need a battery replacement for this. Is there a specific type for this type of vehicle or is there a general / high quality / long-lasting type that I can get inserted in? And from where? I assume Canadian Tire... What can I expect in terms of price range?

All thoughts and recommendations are welcome.
47 replies
Deal Fanatic
Jul 26, 2007
7579 posts
5273 upvotes
Toronto
It might be parasitic battery drain. You need to check if your 2 console isn't in sleep mode or turned on completely draining your battery. It could also be interior lights, headlights to name few that might be defective. Go through each electrical device one by one until you find the source of the drain.
Banned
Aug 21, 2018
273 posts
36 upvotes
peteryorkuca wrote: It might be parasitic battery drain. You need to check if your 2 console isn't in sleep mode or turned on completely draining your battery. It could also be interior lights, headlights to name few that might be defective. Go through each electrical device one by one until you find the source of the drain.
It seems like the top console was always on. Meaning that there was nothing on the screen but it wasn't "completely blacked out" like the bottom console was. Like you could see a bit of the fuzziness when the screen is on but it's a black background, but faint fuzziness was still there.

Now that the car died again, there's nothing on either console, so now I have to boost it back up again.


I talked to some other people and they said it's most likely a defective/parasitic battery that needs to be replaced. Do you think that's what it is?
Deal Fanatic
Jul 26, 2007
7579 posts
5273 upvotes
Toronto
You just fixed your problem. Remove the top console for a week and see if your car battery dies again.
Banned
Aug 21, 2018
273 posts
36 upvotes
Only problem was that I spent a lot of money ordering an after-market console display in order to install the custom Bluetooth/NAV system. Hundreds and hundreds went into this. The top console is actually the default stock console that came with the vehicle, while the bottom is a custom NAV/Bluetooth system I ordered and got installed.

I had to order and get the shop to use the "Metra Kit" to do an efficient installation.

I do not believe that removing the top stock console is an option for me. I also need this in the vehicle as well in order to display required information such as the tire pressure, fuel economy, the trip computer, etc.
Deal Addict
Oct 3, 2017
1294 posts
1241 upvotes
First question to answer is how old is your battery? Best prices for batteries with 3 year free replacement are Costco and Walmart. The date of manufacture is on each battery (round sticker) if you do buy a new battery pick most recent. If more than 6 months look elsewhere. A battery that is 4 years old or more probably needs replacement but if you have a drain then it needs to be found and fixed too. Did your battery problems start soon after these installations or has everything been fine for a while and things started to act up seemingly out of the blue?
Deal Fanatic
Jul 26, 2007
7579 posts
5273 upvotes
Toronto
Your top display in ON. It is drawing power from your battery. If you remove the fuse, you will know if your car will die or not. There is no other way. Your audio installer botched the install.
Deal Fanatic
Oct 26, 2008
7022 posts
2907 upvotes
Victoria, BC
EnlightenedMind wrote:
I talked to some other people and they said it's most likely a defective/parasitic battery that needs to be replaced. Do you think that's what it is?
After that many complete discharge events the battery most likely does need to be replaced.

The parasitic drain normally refers to the car itself, not the battery (although in some cases a battery can develop an internal short circuit - doubt this is your main problem though).

So need to get the car diagnosed for a parasitic drain and fix that first or a new battery will suffer the same fate.

You should 'enlighten' us with your location and then someone might recommend a good place to take it to.

As the crowded engine bay in a G37 makes battery replacement more challenging than average, best to use a place that covers both the parasitic issue and willsupply and install a new battery.

Re. suggestions for getting battery from Walmart or Costco - you don't have much leeway at all on the physical dimensions of the battery for it to fit in the space.
Don't attempt that unless you have the exact dimensions of the existing battery, and are fairly handy. (BCI Group size cannot always be relied upon.)
Just lifting the battery in and out of its confined space requires a bit of technique.
Deal Expert
Jan 27, 2006
21844 posts
15620 upvotes
Vancouver, BC
Contrary to popular belief, driving around for a short period of time WILL NOT completely recharge your low car battery especially if you have added additional electronics to the car without upgrading your alternator. Each piece of additional electronics will add a greater draw on your electrical system reducing the ability of your car's alternator to provide the car battery with a decent charge regardless of how long you drive it. You have been lucky that your short drives have lasted that long in terms of charge.

I would do the following:

1. Do some basic maintenance on your battery - clean the terminals, ensure that those terminals are tight, top off the battery fluids if you can, and charge the battery with an external charger (it may take hours to completely charge a low battery depending on the charger).
2. Get the battery tested only after doing the basic maintenance. If you test it before, the test will only reveal the current status of the battery which is currently low so it's not going to help you much.
3. Fix the issue with your top display!
Banned
Aug 21, 2018
273 posts
36 upvotes
@George613 - Not sure if this helps but here are a couple of pics I took of the battery. I can't tell the date but I would presume its maybe 7-8 years old based on the car's model year.

When I first bought the car from the dealership (7-8 months ago), it needed a boost. I thought it was typical since it hasn't been driven too much but perhaps the issue was there at the very beginning?

So it's a persistent problem since the beginning, I would say. Even BEFORE the After-Market console Bluetooth/NAV System was installed, and there was the only 1 stock console display on the top.

20181130_165226.jpg
20181130_165237.jpg
Last edited by EnlightenedMind on Nov 30th, 2018 6:58 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Banned
Aug 21, 2018
273 posts
36 upvotes
macnut wrote: After that many complete discharge events the battery most likely does need to be replaced.

The parasitic drain normally refers to the car itself, not the battery (although in some cases a battery can develop an internal short circuit - doubt this is your main problem though).

So need to get the car diagnosed for a parasitic drain and fix that first or a new battery will suffer the same fate.

You should 'enlighten' us with your location and then someone might recommend a good place to take it to.

As the crowded engine bay in a G37 makes battery replacement more challenging than average, best to use a place that covers both the parasitic issue and willsupply and install a new battery.

Re. suggestions for getting battery from Walmart or Costco - you don't have much leeway at all on the physical dimensions of the battery for it to fit in the space.
Don't attempt that unless you have the exact dimensions of the existing battery, and are fairly handy. (BCI Group size cannot always be relied upon.)
Just lifting the battery in and out of its confined space requires a bit of technique.
Interesting... The very first drain happened when I picked it up at the dealership and they needed to boost the car. This was about 7-8 months ago. I attributed this towards being a normal occurrence though.

As for location, west Mississauga/Oakville/Burlington/Hamilton area... Can anyone recommend a good place out here?

I'll definitely need assistance with the fit, placement, etc. from a professional. Don't want to risk further issues.
Banned
Aug 21, 2018
273 posts
36 upvotes
craftsman wrote: Contrary to popular belief, driving around for a short period of time WILL NOT completely recharge your low car battery especially if you have added additional electronics to the car without upgrading your alternator. Each piece of additional electronics will add a greater draw on your electrical system reducing the ability of your car's alternator to provide the car battery with a decent charge regardless of how long you drive it. You have been lucky that your short drives have lasted that long in terms of charge.

I would do the following:

1. Do some basic maintenance on your battery - clean the terminals, ensure that those terminals are tight, top off the battery fluids if you can, and charge the battery with an external charger (it may take hours to completely charge a low battery depending on the charger).
2. Get the battery tested only after doing the basic maintenance. If you test it before, the test will only reveal the current status of the battery which is currently low so it's not going to help you much.
3. Fix the issue with your top display!
Damn, and here I thought that this would fix the issue. At least, this is what people have been saying as well, so I guess it's just a rumour?

I'll try out some basic maintenance and make sure it's clean inside. As for the testing of the battery, I assume a regular mechanic is able to do this just fine?
Deal Expert
Jan 27, 2006
21844 posts
15620 upvotes
Vancouver, BC
EnlightenedMind wrote: @George613 - Not sure if this helps but here are a couple of pics I took of the battery. I can't tell the date but I would presume its maybe 7-8 years old based on the car's model year.

When I first bought the car from the dealership (7-8 months ago), it needed a boost. I thought it was typical since it hasn't been driven too much but perhaps the issue was there at the very beginning?

So it's a persistent problem since the beginning, I would say. Even BEFORE the After-Market console Bluetooth/NAV System was installed, and there was the only 1 stock console display on the top.


20181130_165226.jpg

20181130_165237.jpg
I'm not an expert on the G37 but looking at your picture, it looks like an aftermarket battery and maybe the wrong one at that. The battery looks a little smaller than what should be in the battery tray (that plastic tray on the bottom).

If you needed a boost right from the start, the dealer may have pulled a fast one on you. Any car that you pick up from a dealer (even a used one) should not need a boost!
Deal Expert
Jan 27, 2006
21844 posts
15620 upvotes
Vancouver, BC
EnlightenedMind wrote: Damn, and here I thought that this would fix the issue. At least, this is what people have been saying as well, so I guess it's just a rumour?
Common with urban myths which refuse to die. If you do the math on how much charging is typically done while driving with the capacity of the battery, you'll soon realize that it will take HOURS of driving at decent speeds (to keep the RPM up in order to maximize the alternators output) for a battery to get a decent charge especially if it's low to start off with. It gets worse if your car's electrical system is drawing more power due to even factory lights, heating/cooling,...
EnlightenedMind wrote: I'll try out some basic maintenance and make sure it's clean inside. As for the testing of the battery, I assume a regular mechanic is able to do this just fine?
In theory, yes. But that's a YMMV as some 'regular' mechanics' are better than others.
Deal Expert
User avatar
Jun 12, 2007
20807 posts
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London
EnlightenedMind wrote: Interesting... The very first drain happened when I picked it up at the dealership and they needed to boost the car. This was about 7-8 months ago. I attributed this towards being a normal occurrence though.

As for location, west Mississauga/Oakville/Burlington/Hamilton area... Can anyone recommend a good place out here?

I'll definitely need assistance with the fit, placement, etc. from a professional. Don't want to risk further issues.
To check the condition of the battery, go to any Partsource store when its not too busy. They will test it in-car for free. Once you know the condition, you can decide what to do next
Deal Expert
User avatar
Feb 11, 2007
21248 posts
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GTA
Here's what you need to do.
- buy an intelligent battery tester (from CT or Partsource) and give your battery a complete charge
- fix you power draw problem, by either pulling the fuse to your top console, or putting a manual switch on that fuse, or switch that top console to a switch circuit so there's no power when the car is off.
- buy a new battery and give it a good charge, maybe an Optima Yellowtop deep cycle since you have a lot of electronics. charge your battery once a month.
- you could test your battery at CT or Partsource, but it's most likely been dying since you bought it. You should have had the dealer install a new one when you bought it.
If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.
Banned
Aug 21, 2018
273 posts
36 upvotes
engineered wrote: Here's what you need to do.
- buy an intelligent battery tester (from CT or Partsource) and give your battery a complete charge
- fix you power draw problem, by either pulling the fuse to your top console, or putting a manual switch on that fuse, or switch that top console to a switch circuit so there's no power when the car is off.
- buy a new battery and give it a good charge, maybe an Optima Yellowtop deep cycle since you have a lot of electronics. charge your battery once a month.
- you could test your battery at CT or Partsource, but it's most likely been dying since you bought it. You should have had the dealer install a new one when you bought it.
Appreciate this.

Fully charged the battery via a portable battery charger and voila - the top console now actually shows up! So it had to do with not enough power in the battery I suppose.

Unfortunately, the climate control buttons still don't work. So it's back to the original issue at hand.

Looks like I'll have to go back to the after-market car radio pro installers to get them working... They may need to take it out and put it back in. Too bad it's going to cost me a bit more money to do.
Member
Jul 24, 2014
211 posts
170 upvotes
Ontario
EnlightenedMind wrote: Appreciate this.

Fully charged the battery via a portable battery charger and voila - the top console now actually shows up! So it had to do with not enough power in the battery I suppose.

Unfortunately, the climate control buttons still don't work. So it's back to the original issue at hand.

Looks like I'll have to go back to the after-market car radio pro installers to get them working... They may need to take it out and put it back in. Too bad it's going to cost me a bit more money to do.

If the climate control buttons aren’t working due to a botched install of your aftermarket radio, the shop shouldn’t charge you to fix it.

Call them up and explain the situation. Hopefully they will just ask you to bring in the car so they can correct the issue.
Deal Expert
User avatar
Dec 23, 2003
18021 posts
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Toronto
A couple things I may suggest:

- Please check out my Car Battery sticky as it might give you some things to consider like looking for Parasitic drain.

- I would also suggest you check out your charging system to make sure the Alternator is providing proper charging.

- If the Alternator voltage is low, it could be as simple as checking the Alternator belt or Serpentine Belt if the vehicle has this. This generally needs to be replaced on many vehicles by 160K.

- Since you already got a battery charger, Parts Source can do a free in car battery test and they can also check the Alternator voltage to see if it is within range.
Deal Fanatic
Jul 26, 2007
7579 posts
5273 upvotes
Toronto
seeparks wrote: If the climate control buttons aren’t working due to a botched install of your aftermarket radio, the shop shouldn’t charge you to fix it.

Call them up and explain the situation. Hopefully they will just ask you to bring in the car so they can correct the issue.
Because the installer crossed the wires with top console with climate control button. Hence the phantom drain and all his problems. Find a new installer.

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