Occasionally, a vehicle in for service or in dealership inventory may require a jump start for a dead battery.
One case at a GM dealership recently illustrated the importance of proper battery maintenance and using GM-approved battery chargers or booster packs.

Several vehicles returned to the dealership with both low-beam headlamps burned out.
The cars had low mileage, but had been recently jump started after being in dealership inventory for several months.

It was found that the non-approved booster pack used to jump start the cars was exceeding 20 volts at the headlamps, which caused the bulbs to be stressed during the jump start.
Typically, the bulbs failed a few drive cycles later.

GM testing confirmed the condition using the same booster pack, showing the high voltage spike as the cause of the burned out headlamps.

The use of non-approved battery chargers and boosters can also damage control modules and other electrical components. This damage is not covered by the new vehicle warranty.
Warranty claims for component damage caused by non-approved equipment at the dealership may be debited.

TIP:
The battery charger has to allow for an AGM selection when charging an Absorbent Glass Mat battery; otherwise, there is a risk of damaging the AGM battery.

These conditions also may be seen when a vehicle is brought in for service after a roadside assistance event.
It’s recommended to communicate to local roadside service companies the importance of using the proper battery jump starters.

Maintaining Batteries

For information on maintaining vehicle batteries in dealership inventory and the proper use of equipment during jump-starting procedures, refer to Bulletin #09-00-89-002:
Properly Maintaining Vehicles in Dealer Inventory and Bulletin #15-06-03-001: Cold Weather and Long Stand Time Battery Maintenance and Testing Tips.

Battery Chargers

The EL-50313 Midtronics GR8 is an essential tool shipped to all dealerships for warranty repairs.
It creates a printout that can be attached to the repair order.

There are several other battery chargers/testers that are GM-approved and offered through GM Dealer Equipment. Convenient devices to use outside the service garage are new GM-approved micro jump starters.
These portable jump starters are small enough to fit in a pocket or tool box and feature a 12V lithium-polymer power supply to start an engine as well as charge electronic devices, such as a phone or tablet.