For 1990-2009 cars

Caution: Unless directed otherwise, the ignition and start switch must be in the OFF or LOCK position, and all electrical loads must be OFF before servicing any electrical component. Disconnect the negative battery cable to prevent an electrical spark should a tool or equipment come in contact with an exposed electrical terminal. Failure to follow these precautions may result in personal injury and/or damage to the vehicle or its components.

Important: The battery test that uses J 42000 the Battery Tester requires correct connections to the battery terminals. A failure to obtain the correct connections during the test may result in replacing the battery unnecessarily. In order to avoid an incorrect diagnosis because of poor connections, use to the following instructions:

• | When testing the vehicle with the battery cables still connected, rock the J 42000 clips backward and forward on the terminal bolt in order to cut through any coating or any oxidation that may be present on the bolt.

| New bolts contain a protective coating that may insulate or cause a resistance in the test circuit.

• | If you are not sure that correct connections can be made to the battery terminal bolts in the vehicle, perform the following steps:

1. | Disconnect the battery cables.

2. | Install the test adapters on the terminals.

3. | Test the battery off the vehicle by using the following instructions:

• | If a REPLACE BATTERY result is obtained for a battery that is tested in the vehicle with the battery cables connected, perform the following steps:

1. | Disconnect the battery cables.

2. | Install the approved adapters.

3. | Test the battery off the vehicle by using the following instructions:

4. | Replace the battery only if the second test shows a REPLACE BATTERY result.

In order to comply with the warranty, use the test code from the second test.

• | Use the approved terminal adapters.

| Do not use any common bolts or a combination of the bolts, of the nut, and of the washers as adapters when testing the battery.

| Use the test adapters that are provided with the J 42000 tester, or use the GM P/N 12303040 terminal adapters. If the adapters that are provided with the J 42000 tester require replacement, only use adapters with the GM P/N 12303040. Any other adapters may not contact the correct areas of the battery terminal, causing resistance that may result in an incorrect battery test result.

• | Test the top terminal of the threaded stud batteries off the vehicle by using the GM P/N 12303040 adapters.

| Do not connect the tester to the plain threaded terminals.

Important: In order to comply with the warranty, always place the test code that is displayed by the tester on the repair order. The number is a unique description of the test data for a particular battery at a particular time.

Although the test code may sometimes repeat when retesting the same battery, more often, a different code will result each time that the battery is tested.

Step | Action | Yes | No
--- | --- | --- | ---
1 | Did you perform the Battery Check? | Go to Step 2 | Go to Battery Check
2 | Is the battery in the vehicle, with the battery cables connected? | Go to Step 4 | Go to Step 3
3 |

1. Lightly brush the lead faces of both battery terminals with a wire brush.
2. Install the terminal adapters to both of the terminals.

Are the adapters installed?

Go to Step 5

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4 |

1. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position.
2. Turn the electrical loads and all of the accessory lamps to the OFF position.

Are all of the electrical loads and all of the accessory lamps OFF?

Go to Step 5

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5 | Important: When testing the battery in the vehicle, connect the tester directly to the cable bolts. Do not connect either of the tester clamps to a remote terminal, such as a junction block or such as a jump-start terminal. The use of a remote terminal will cause incorrect test results.

1. Connect the red clamp on the J 42000 to the adapter or to the cable bolt on the battery positive terminal.
2. Connect the black clamp on the tester to the adapter or to the cable bolt on the battery negative terminal.
3. Rock both of the tester clamps back and forth in order to cut through to the bare metal.

After the message GM MICRO 410 appears for a short time on the tester display, the message will change to SELECT TEST.

Does the display read SELECT TEST?

Go to Step 9

Go to Step 6

6 | Does a CHECK CONNECTION message appear on the J 42000 display? | Go to Step 7 | Go to Step 8
7 | Inspect the tester connections to the battery terminal adapters or to the cable bolts for the following conditions:

• | Both sides of each tester clamp must make the correct contact.

• | Verify that the red clamp is connected to the positive post and that the black clamp is connected to the negative post.

• | If the adapters the bolts appear corroded, rock the clamps back and forth in order to ensure a correct connection.

| If necessary, use a wire brush in order to clean the adapters or the cable bolts.

Does the tester display now display SELECT TEST?

Go to Step 16

Go to Step 11

8 | Use a DMM in order to test the battery voltage with the J 42000 tester connected. Is the voltage at 5.5 volts or below 5.5 volts? | Go to Step 9 | Go to Step 37
9 | Charge the battery. Refer to Battery Charging . Is the green dot visible in the hydrometer? | Go to Step 2 | Go to Step 39
10 | Use the scroll keys on the J 42000 tester in order to select either IN-VEHICLE or OUT-OF-VEHICLE testing.Determine the type of testing by using the following guidelines:

• | Use IN-VEHICLE testing if the battery cables are connected to the battery.

• | Use OUT-OF-VEHICLE testing if the battery cables are disconnected and the terminal adapters are installed.

Was IN-VEHICLE testing selected?

Go to Step 11

Go to Step 12

11 | The display on the tester will show ALWAYS TEST AT BATTERY TERMINAL, changing to SELECT RATING. Does the display read SELECT RATING? | Go to Step 13 | Go to Step 37
12 | For OUT-OF-VEHICLE testing, the display on the tester will show USE TERMINAL ADAPTERS, and then change to SELECT RATING. Does the tester display SELECT RATING? | Go to Step 13 | Go to Step 37
13 | Important: Refer to General Specifications for the correct rating for the vehicle's OE battery. If a battery with a lower CCA rating has been installed in the vehicle, the battery may not perform properly during the use of the vehicle even if the battery passes the test using the J 42000 tester.

1. Use the scroll keys on the J 42000 tester in order to select the CCA rating on the battery label.
2. Press the ENTER key on the tester.

TESTING will appear briefly on the display followed by the results of the test.

Are the results of the test displayed?

Go to Step 14

--

14 | Does GOOD BATTERY appear on the J 42000 display? | Go to Step 22 | Go to Step 15
15 | Does GOOD-RECHARGE appear on the display? | Go to Step 25 | Go to Step 16
16 | Does CHARGE & RETEST appear on the display? | Go to Step 29 | Go to Step 17
17 | Does REPLACE BATTERY appear on the display? | Go to Step 26 | Go to Step 18
18 | Does BAD CELL-REPLACE appear on the display? | Go to Step 28 | Go to Step 19
19 | Does SURFACE CHARGE DETECTED appear on the display? | Go to Step 30 | Go to Step 20
20 | Does SELECT TEMP appear on the display? | Go to Step 33 | Go to Step 21
21 | Does SYSTEM NOISE-CHECK LOADS, alternating with RETESTING, appear on the display? | Go to Step 34 | Go to Step 37
22 |

1. Press the CODE button on the J 42000 .
2. In order to comply with the warranty, write the displayed code on the repair order.

Is the green dot visible in the battery's hydrometer?

Go to Step 24

Go to Step 23

23 | Charge the battery. Refer to Battery Charging . Is the green dot visible in the hydrometer? | Go to Step 24 | Go to Step 39
24 | The battery is OK. Install the battery. Refer to Battery Replacement . Is the action complete? | System OK | --
25 |

1. Press the CODE button on the J 42000 .
2. In order to comply with the warranty, write the displayed code on the repair order.
3. Charge the battery. Refer to Battery Charging .

Is the green dot visible in the hydrometer?

Go to Step 24

--

26 | Was the battery tested in the vehicle with the battery cables still attached? | Go to Step 27 | Go to Step 28
27 |

Notice: Always turn the ignition OFF when connecting or disconnecting battery cables, battery chargers, or jumper cables. Failing to do so may damage the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) or other electronic components.

1. Turn the ignition key to the OFF position.

Caution: Unless directed otherwise, the ignition and start switch must be in the OFF or LOCK position, and all electrical loads must be OFF before servicing any electrical component. Disconnect the negative battery cable to prevent an electrical spark should a tool or equipment come in contact with an exposed electrical terminal. Failure to follow these precautions may result in personal injury and/or damage to the vehicle or its components.

2. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
3. Disconnect the positive battery cable.

Are the actions complete?

Go to Step 3

--

28 |

1. Press the CODE button on the J 42000 .
2. In order to comply with the warranty, write the displayed code on the repair order.
3. Replace the battery. Refer to Battery Replacement .

Is the action complete?

Go to Step 2

--

29 |

1. Press the CODE button on the J 42000.
2. In order to comply with the warranty, write the displayed code on the repair order.
3. Charge the battery. Refer to Battery Charging .

Is the green dot visible in the battery hydrometer?

Go to Step 2

--

30 | Important: Surface charge removal is only necessary when the tester detects that a surface charge may affect the results of the test. The tester will not complete the testing sequence until the surface charge is removed. Follow the tester prompts in order to remove the surface charge by turning the vehicle's headlights ON and OFF. If the sequence is followed correctly, the tester will automatically complete the test. If the sequence is not followed correctly, the tester will display the message DISCONNECT AND RETEST.

Does the DISCONNECT AND RETEST message appear?

Go to Step 31

Go to Step 32

31 | Disconnect the tester from the battery terminals. Is the action complete? | Go to Step 2 | --
32 | The tester will display the word RETESTING and show the CCA rating that was selected for the test. If the test is successfully completed, the test results will be displayed. Do the test results appear on the display? | Go to Step 14 | Go to Step 36
33 | Important: Temperature compensation is only necessary when the tester detects that the battery temperature may affect the results of the test.

1. Use the scroll keys in order to indicate whether the internal temperature of the battery is above or below 0°C (32°F). Estimate the temperature by using the ambient temperature that the battery was exposed to the past several hours.
2. Push the ENTER key.

The tester will briefly display the RETESTING message and the CCA rating selected for the test. The test results will then show on the display.

Do the test results show on the display?

Go to Step 14

Go to Step 37

34 | The tester detects that a vehicle electrical load is present.An example of this is a lamp that is on, or the ignition key is not in the OFF position. Turn OFF all of the system electrical loads. Are all of the system electrical loads OFF? | Go to Step 35 | --
35 | The J 42000 automatically retests the battery. A RETESTING message and SYSTEM NOISE message on the display alternates up to 5 minutes while all circuits power down. The test results will display on the tester. Are the test results displayed on the tester? | Go to Step 14 | Go to Step 36
36 | An undetected load or a parasitic drain can cause the alternating RETESTING and SYSTEM NOISE messages to continue for more than 5 minutes.

1. Disconnect the J 42000 tester.
2. Eliminate all electrical drains. Refer to Battery Electrical Drain/Parasitic Load Test .

Are all electrical loads and parasitic drains eliminated?

Go to Step 2

--

37 | A J 42000 problem is indicated. Inspect the tester for correct operation. Is the tester operating correctly? | Go to Step 2 | Go to Step 38
38 | Repair or replace the tester. Is the action complete? | Go to Step 2 | --
39 | A problem exists with the battery's built-in hydrometer. Replace the battery. Refer to Battery Replacement . Is the action complete? | System OK | --