gsl54

A few years ago I had a 77 Corvette, the Battery was located behind the drivers seat, it was not vented. Why must the HHR battery be vented? Can I buy a regular battery?

Sno White

Not to mention all the old VWs with their batteries under the rear seat.

Personally I do have an additional Optima battery next to the stock battery. The stock battery does have a broken vent.

If the old batteries with the fill plugs were in use today I would not follow this practice.

To each his/her own.

I do not have a problem with the new batteries, however if I were a large corporation like GM I would do exactly what they have done and vented the battery to the outside for liability reasons. However, I would have designed a better vent that is not so easily broken, i.e. a flexible vent.

solman98

It's vented for a reason, safety. Would it be a "problem" if you ran a non vented battery? Probably not. But at what point would a "problem" be discovered? Too late maybe?

Laco

If you get the correct battery, it will have the necessary connection for the vent tube. Takes all of three seconds to connect, then you never have to even think about it again, and batteries do vent gasses when they are charging. Despite what was done years ago, that battery shares air space with you and your passengers, why even take a chance when its so easy to connect the external vent?

donbrew

But, don't touch the vent tube if the temperature is below 50F, or it WILL break!

Ain't lawyers great! I wonder if there are any documented cases of injury due to passenger compartment mounted batteries. Oh, and how about you get rear ended at just the right angle and the battery goes flying around spitting acid on everything in sight?

And, those old VW's had generators and regulators instead of alternators, making for easier over-charging and other malfunctions.

There oughta be a law.....!

geg

Traditional battery (liquid electrolyte inside) should be ventilated for HHR. This is your safety.
You can use another battery, but it will be your own risk. Although I personally think - this risk is not very high.
There is a battery with gel inside. This battery does not require ventilation. In addition, it has many other benefits: more energy reserves, the performance of smooth, such a battery is not afraid of the cold (frost in Alabama relevant?). Lack - gel battery is expensive.
If I had the extra money - I would have bought a gel battery from the truck or from a solar power system, enough trunk space for the installation.

mister hhr

The way they build cars now you can't use any other battery except what the book list per applaction.

db/sb

Well, that's not really true. You can put any battery in it that will fit. It's just more prudent to use the proper battery.

IgottaWoody

Yup..Red top Spiral wound gel cell! Took one out of my race car after 2 seasons, sat 2 years..thru it in truck one morning and it fired right up. Thing lasted 6 years before it finally went flat.

SS fan

Ha Ha How does a battery go flat, thought that was tires....

Hey I just changed one the old nipple is impossible not to snap, good thing they send a new one with the battery. I used my heat gun to warm up the tube, helped a lot to get the old nipple out and the new one in....