Worked on an Enclave today

[scharmer05]

A family friend of ours just got an Enclave before Christmas. He wanted to upgrade the speakers so we tore it apart today and put in new speakers all the way around and a new 4 channel amp. Infinity Kappa Perfect Components and an MTX 4-channel for anyone who knows or cares about audio. Let me first say that everything I took apart was put together VERY well. Better than any vehicle I've done stereo work in fact. Kudos GM.

As is the trend, the electronics are more complex than anything else I've worked in, but after a couple hours of rewiring, bypassing the factory amp, and some troubleshooting after that with my buddy who works at a local car audio dealer, we got everything working. It sounds perfect now.

Weirdest thing I came across was the fact that the battery is not under the hood, back in front of the second row seats in the floor. Something I have never dealt with, but it made it very easy to add an amp, mostly because you don't have to run the amp lead through the firewall, and also because you don't have to run the lead nearly as far.

I did a search about the battery location after we were done. Apparently they say it adds to the Lambdas low center of gravity despite their size and frees up room in the engine compartment. They also ran remote battery leads to the engine compartment for jump starting. Just found that interesting.

[Satty]

Bonnevilles had their batteries under the back seat, I'm sure other GMs do as well. Miatas had theirs mounted in the trunk. Nothing is worse than the f@#ktarded Dodge setup that required removing one of the wheels to access the battery through the wheel well.

[76ChevyTrucker]

Another reason batteries have started to be moved into the passenger compartment and trunk is that you have less of a chance for the battery to get cooked by underhood temps (which heat is the biggest enemy to a battery's life anyway), and it also helps cut down on limitations posed by not exactly huge underhood space. Just make sure that any battery that IS under a seat has any and all vents to the outside free and clear. The last thing you want is to have the battery vent into the passenger compartment.

[loki]

sounds like an expensive set up. i'm partial to polk db in my monte.

the thetas also don't have the battery under the hood. ( not sure where though )

[76ChevyTrucker]

I know that the wife's Cobalt has the battery located in the trunk. My batter in the Impala is still under the hood, but I'm fairly certain that the next ride I have won't have the battery there.

[Sixty8panther]

BMW has also had right-side trunk mounted batteries, better weight distribution.

I think as far as stupid location of a car component the spare tire in engine

compartment is a good one... Subaru & Yugo come to mind. Stupid.

[76ChevyTrucker]

Now, that is one I haven't heard of before.

[balthazar]

>>"Nothing is worse than the f@#ktarded Dodge setup that required removing one of the wheels to access the battery through the wheel well. "<<

Except porsche requiring removing one of the wheels to change the oil.

[knightfan26917]

I think as far as stupid location of a car component the spare tire in engine

compartment is a good one... Subaru & Yugo come to mind.

In the engine compartment? Heh ... that must have some insulation due to the heat?

The battery on the Dodge Charger is located in the trunk ... found that out while I had the rental for my 2006 road trip.

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[scharmer05]

Wow, I have done stereos in quite a few cars, and this is the first time I have run into a battery not in the engine compartment. It makes electrical work a breeze. I'm suprised to hear about all the others that do as well.

[Drew Dowdell]

final Gen rivieras have theirs under the rear seat

Lincoln LS has it's battery in the trunk... contributed to the near 50/50 weight distribution. at Ford for canceling that platform.

[Satty]

>>"Nothing is worse than the f@#ktarded Dodge setup that required removing one of the wheels to access the battery through the wheel well. "<<

Except porsche requiring removing one of the wheels to change the oil.

I was talking batteries, if you want to talk Porsches, how about the Boxster that requires removing the engine to give it a tune-up or do anything beyond an oil change?

[CARBIZ]

The Aurora battery was under the seat. The HHR/Cobalt is in the trunk, but boosting can be done back or front. The BMW X5 battery is in the back and a nightmare to get at. I think a lot of vehicles are trending this way. Makes sense from a weight distribution/heat point of view. I guess the theory is that batteries don't fry like they used to, so access is not as important, but you have to wonder with the explosion of electrical toys on vehicles today (including the increased availability of 110V a/c plugs on newer vehicles like the Malibu) will do to future battery life.

[Drew Dowdell]

I've wondered when we'd go to Lithium Ion batteries. They hold a charge better, they're lighter, and they aren't susceptible to cold temperatures like lead acid.

[caddycruiser]

I've wondered when we'd go to Lithium Ion batteries. They hold a charge better, they're lighter, and they aren't susceptible to cold temperatures like lead acid.

Interesting question...

[daves87rs]

The Balt's battery is in the back?

I'll have to check that out...

I've been lucky I guess..almost all of the cars we have/had them up front....

[PurdueGuy]

Ion is also in the back (not surprising since it's a plastic Cobalt)

Friend of mine had one of those old subaru's with the tire under the hood. Weird. Looked pretty much like this, but it was a FWD sedan:

*edit*

found a pic of the underhood spare tire!

Edited January 14, 2008 by PurdueGuy

[76ChevyTrucker]

a tire just shouldn't go under the hood unless its an old bug...

[Camino LS6]

Bonnevilles had their batteries under the back seat, I'm sure other GMs do as well. Miatas had theirs mounted in the trunk. Nothing is worse than the f@#ktarded Dodge setup that required removing one of the wheels to access the battery through the wheel well.

Ferrari is the same way - have to yank the pass side front wheel.

[76ChevyTrucker]

I have to say that I'm glad that I haven't had to work on anything that requires removing a tire to gain access to someting as mundane as the battery or oil filter. I mean pulling the tire to get to the altenator, or some other engine component, yeah, but not to just change the damned oil. Kinda like the biggest complaint about the motorcycle I'm going to get is that I'll have to pull one of the exhaust pipes off to change the oil, but at the same time, if I'm changing the oil, I might as well clean it up too, which means with the pipe off I can clean and polish it better, so I guess that it isnt' such a bad thing.

[Robert Hall]

Interesting..I've never encountered one of the under the seat batteries..how do you access it--does the seat bottom fold up and there is a closed compartment w/ the battery?

[Camino LS6]

I'm trying to remember what it looked like in the Jag XJ I used to have to deal with.

IIRC, you yanked up the seat bottom and there was a plastic flap over the battery.

[76ChevyTrucker]

yeah, you basically pull off the seat bottom (normally just will pull out) and the battery will be pretty much just sitting there, fat and happy.