Battery eating a hole in my car!!

[blackandsilver]

Hi---I just recently purchased 2 auroras both 2001--I just pulled the back seat out to clean the leather and was inspecting the battery after reading a thread about the threat of battery acid eating a whole in the floor board. Well it has happened to me--I am so bumming! I can actually see the pavment in one corner of the battery---is this a recall item? I think GM is responsible for the repair---I have 71000 miles on it....Only other solution is to pull the battery, treat the rust and weld a new piece of metal in there---or sell it...let me hear some feedback--thanks

[Custom88]

aww crap. I checked under my back seat too, about 4 months ago and started to see some heavy corrosion around my battery.. I FORGOT about it though. I better go check this. Thanks for the reminder, although it's unfortunate this is how I had to remember that. I hope it works out ok. There is a dealer TSB about this, but it is not a recall because it is not a "safety" defect.

[Marc]

I have a 2001. I pull the rear seat frequently to check for this. Nothing so far.

[scottydl]

As I mentioned in the other battery thread, I would call your local dealer and politely (but sternly) explain and plead your case to the service manager... they have some discretion on what repair costs the shop can eat, in order to keep a happy customer.

[Aurora40]

Who did you buy the car from, and how recently? It's possible you can get the dealership that sold the car to you to repair this.

You can try a GM dealer too, though they wouldn't have any obligation to repair it. You didn't buy the car new, and didn't buy it under GM warranty. You bought a used car with 70k miles on it.

That said, if you can't get anyone to repair it, why would you sell it? You can pay to have the repair done. It doesn't have to be free or not at all. If you sell it, it'll just sell for less taking into account the repairs that need to be made to it.

Edit: FYI for anyone interested, here is the Techline info about it. I don't have info from the TSB:

Owners of some 2000-05 LeSabre, DeVille, Aurora, or Bonneville vehicles may comment on corrosion in the floor pan in the area where the battery is located. This may be caused by acid weeping from the battery, or from a dislodged battery vent tube. A new repair floor pan kit p/n 88948594 has been released to assist in the repair of this condition. Refer to Bulletin 05-08-61-002 for repair procedures and part number information.

TIP: Clean the area of the floor pan where acid may have been present, using a solution of baking soda and water. Rinse and dry the area thoroughly.

From: www.gmtechlink.com/images/issues/mar05/TLMar05e.html#story5

[blackandsilver]

Hi Aurora40---thanks for the reply and the link...I did buy it from a dealership in North Carolina and I live in Indianapolis--- I won the auction on this car on e-bay. I really feel like I got a deal---about about 2500 less than wholesale..The dealership put a rack in it at the cost of 1000 the day before I picked it up and just recently paid for the air conditioning issue that I posted a thread about a few weeks ago----I just feel this is really a safety issue---I mean this thing is rusting a hole in the bottom of the car---how can that not be a safety issue? Anyway--just wanted to vent a little (something my battery is having problems doing Ha Ha) thanks for the link I will find a dealership here to give me a quote on repair kit...

[Aurora40]

What did the dealer you bought it from say?

[blackandsilver]

I did not tell the dealership.........I really feel like this guy has gone overboard to make me happy. Having the battery under the seat makes it one of those out of sight out of mind. Now owning a Aurora if I was ever to buy one this would be one of the first things I would check.... The original dealership that gave told me it my A/C compressor was bad when it was just a leaky hose---owes me one--so I am going to go that route and most likely have them repair it---or treat the area under the battery and get some sheet metal and make be a tray for it myself....anyone have the online link to this repair? Thanks aurora40

[scottydl]

It's great that the dealer has been good to you thus far... but I would still bring it to their attention, if for no other reason than to advise them of the problem for future Auroras that they sell. Granted the battery is out of sight for their quality check, but it's still something that should be checked on any car IMO...