1997 LeSabre, had been sitting for months.

Battery drained, put it on a charger for an hour and tried to start it. Showed usual symptoms of low battery, heard solenoid clicking, dash lights fading in and out, no crank.

Let it charge another couple hours, now when the key is turned, it acts dead, even with the charger connected. No lights, no solenoid click, power windows don't work, etc. The charger alone is easily capable of powering things that aren't working. Battery was sitting at around 12.3V when I briefly disconnected the charger a few minutes ago.

Once upon a time ago I vaguely recall that the resistor chip in one of my keys was iffy, is it possible that this could cause lack of anything being powered instead of it just not starting? This same key did seem to work an hour before it acted dead.

It'* possible the battery is at end of life, must be 5 years old, but I suspect this is not the only problem. I have a jump starter pack that I'm charging up to try that but I'm wondering if there is something else I should be looking at.

I haven't been to this forum in a while, are we not allowed to edit posts or something?

The vehicle has no modifications, not any add-on security system or anything. 3.8L of course. I did clean the battery clamps but am thinking it acts more like a fuse or relay to suddenly go completely dead.

When a battery is old, and its caused to go completely dead, they will and do die. So, I would suggest a new battery.

Your pellet has nothing to do with it.

I got my jumpstarter changed and hooked it up, and still nothing. The car was pinned in and I was getting in through the passenger'* door, but I read about a different GM vehicle with a multifunction alarm module so after I got in, I opened the driver'* door.

The result was I heard an odd sound I've never heard before, a very faint beeping noise a few times behind the dash on the right side, but then I closed the door, tried the key, still dead, opened the door and no further beeping.

I'm pretty sure my jumpstarter also has plenty of power to at least get the dome light working and even that wouldn't come on. Yes I did check the interior light switch/sliders.

I'm letting it sit off the charger overnight and will have a helper with me so I can monitor the battery voltage while the helper turns the key, but I don't think it'* the battery alone that'* the problem. Once I have better access I will also check the fuses. I can't recall, is there a master power distribution box under the hood or is everything in the passenger compartment, at least everything that could be related to this?

I don't think it'* time to get very complicated.

An old battery that'* been run completely flat will probably never come back to life. You can charge all night and probably see little for it.

When you connect your jump battery, your old battery will be sapping some of the power from the jump battery. It might work.

Have you checked and cleaned the connections on the battery? If they aren't tight and clean it will do weird things.

Either way, time for a new battery.

Until you replace the battery I have no other suggestions.

Get the old battery out.

Got another look at it in the Light Of Day. I'd cleaned the contacts but apparently left some crusty debris behind. Cleaned that out and it fired right up, without any further battery charging so the battery is at least in fair shape because it had sat overnight till now.

Unfortunately, a whole new problem popped up, getting a code P0301, cyl 1 misfire. Cleared the code and it came back within ~15 seconds. Didn't have time to accumulate any real time data, but at least I know the battery is taking a charge so it isn't vulnerable to freezing temperatures we're having now.

Come to think of it, I don't think the vehicle even has 1000 miles on it since I did the plugs and wires, but it ran fine the last time it was driven. I'll pull the plug and see if it'* getting spark, maybe swap it to a different cylinder with the wire, but I wonder if it'* more likely that the fuel injector is gummed up from it sitting for so long. I'll have to dig around and see if I have some spare injector o-rings left over from doing the intake manifold/gaskets.

I have a tip that I just used for a misfile on my 1998 Buick LeSabre. Use an induction pickup timing light; one of those that has the boxy clip that goes around the spark plug wire. You can see which cylinder if firing or not firing. I haven't used the timing light in ages but it sure came in handy for this job. I had a misfire on two of the cylinders; the two from the same coil. I switched the coil with one of the others and the misfire stayed on the same cylinders so I suspected the ignition module. Replaced the ignition module and all was good. I had already replaced the wires and plugs last year and didn't suspect a bad wire or plug but you could check for that as well. I had the ignition module on hand so easy to swap out without paying to find out. I probably would have done a wire and plug check even with new wires if I hadn't had the ignition module on hand.