New battery now warning lights are on & gauges fluctuate

ANNAJO

MEMBER
2004 PONTIAC SUNFIRE
82,400 MILES

Hi, I just got an oil change & new battery in my 2004 sunfire. They also replaced 2 battery terminals. The only problem I had prior to this was I needed a new battery. As soon as I was driving away I noticed all my warning lights on, check engine, brake, anti theft, every single one. I took the car right back & told them, they did something under the hood, but I don't know what. As I was driving home I noticed my gauges going haywire going up & down & then staying down. I was on the freeway, one second it said I was doing 70 the next zero. One second it said my tank was full, the next empty. I called a, mechanic friend of mine from high school & he told me to check my battery connections & the fluid in my battery. I said, what? It's a brand new no maintenance battery. He said check it anyway & so I did. Sure enough my connection was barely hanging on & believe it or not my new battery only had half the amount of acid in it although none had leaked out. So I took the car back & told them what was going on. They guy fixed the connection & then went & got some water from the water fountain & put in my new battery. When I threw a fit about that & informed him I wanted a new battery because that one wasn't going to last as long as it should now, he told me I didn't know what I was talking about. So I went back the next morning when a manager was there. They gave me a new battery & said the other one was too small, didn't have enough amps. They also said if that didn't fix the problem there was always the possibility that when the battery was put on the first time it was hooked up backwards & fried my electrical system. On the drive home the problem seemed resolved. I didn't drive it the day, but when I drove it yesterday, same problems. It seems to act up more if I'm using the a/c or headlights. I took back up there & the guy said I think it's your altenator, which when he checked it wasn't. He said he needed to make some calls. I've checked all my fuses & they are ok. None of this started until I got the new battery put in. Have you heard of this before?

1 Reply

HMAC300

MECHANIC
48,601 POSTS

Sounds liek a bad repair shop. And yes i've heard of this often. If it's anational chain like sears/firestone, etc, complain to them an dsee if they are willing to do anything about it. If not go to the state if tehy have a auto regulation bureau. Also take it someplace where there is a mechanic willing to look at it like an independent repair shop. If the original store doesn't want to fix it/pay for it there is always the courts. Make sure to document everything you have done or had a problem with even if you have to write down your self like dates, answers, etc phone calls.