Service Bulletin

Bulletin No.:

20-NA-132

Date:

April, 2023

WARRANTY ADMINISTRATION
Subject:

Warranty Administration – 12V Battery Testing and Warranty Replacement
Requirements (U.S and Canada ONLY)

Attention: This bulletin applies ONLY to the U.S. and Canadian markets. Reference the Applicable
Warranties section of Investigate Vehicle History (IVH) for Coverage Information.
Brand:

Model:

Buick

GM
Passenger
Cars and
Trucks
(including
Medium
Duty)

Cadillac
Chevrolet
GMC

Model Year:

Breakpoint:

from

to

from

to

2010

2024

—

—

Involved Region or Country

United States and Canada Only

The EL-50313 Midtronics GR8 Battery Tester/Charger
or EL-52800 Diagnostic Charge Battery Station (DCBS)
must be used in diagnosing battery replacements and
maintaining batteries on new vehicles in dealer
inventory. A 15-digit (GR8) or 20-digit (DCBS) Warranty
Code on the printed test result slip captures critical
information on batteries that require replacement. This
code must be entered on the warranty transaction (see
below for details).
Important: Effective January 1, 2024, the GR8 will no
longer be approved equipment for testing batteries
under warranty. Only a DCBS battery test result of
“battery is bad” along with a DCBS warranty code will
support warranty replacement of a battery (see
exceptions in the “Special Cases” section lower in this
bulletin).

Copyright 2023 General Motors LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Engine:

Transmission:

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Page 2

April, 2023

Bulletin No.: 20-NA-132

GR8 Example: English and French Canadian Versions

6313524

Legend
(1)
(2)

Printout must reflect “Diagnostic Mode”
and “Out of Vehicle” Test Info.
Do not enter MID Info number.

(3)

The “Warranty Code” is the correct code
to enter on the transaction. This 15-digit
code is unique to each test performed
and is decodable by GM.

The “Warranty Code” is the correct code to enter on the
transaction (1). This 20-digit code is unique to each test
performed and is decodable by GM.

DCBS Example: English and French Canadian Versions

6312471

Bulletin No.: 20-NA-132

April, 2023

Page 3

6312472

Note: Only diagnostic tests performed by the DCBS
Trolley will generate a warranty code. Tests using the
DCBS remote will not generate a warranty code.
1 and 2 shown above is an example of a battery test
slip that is ACCEPTABLE for support on a warranty
battery replacement which contains the 20-digit code
(1) and showing the Diagnostic tool (Trolley) (2).
3 and 4 shown above is an example of a battery test
slip that is NOT ACCEPTABLE for support on a
warranty battery replacement which contains no
20-digit warranty code (3) and showing the Diagnostic
tool (Remote) (4).
Important: Only Warranty Codes generated by a GR8
or DCBS using current software are valid for batteries
replaced under warranty. Warranty Codes generated by
past versions of software or the old hand-held tester
are not valid.

12V Battery Testing
When testing 12V batteries, always follow current
Service Information (SI) procedures for Battery
Inspection/Test, including:
• Ensure that the GR8 or DCBS is programmed with
the dealerships correct 6-digit BAC code. This
code will then appear at the top of all battery test
result printouts.
• Disconnect the battery from the vehicle. When
using the GR8, select the “Out of Vehicle” test.
• Enter the correct VIN and Job Card Number.

•

Select the proper battery type (Flooded or AGM)
and CCA rating. If you are unable to determine
battery type and CCA through visual inspection,
refer to Service Information to identify 2019 and
newer model year OEM battery types and CCA
ratings. After entering the VIN or Year/Make/
Model, locate the 12V Battery Usage table under
General Information/General Information/
Specifications. Battery information is also included
in Techlink (https://gm-techlink.com) in the
“Reference Charts” section and includes
2016-2018 model years.
Important: Selecting the correct battery type and CCA
rating during setup will ensure correct test results and
prevent damage to the battery. If using a DCBS, it is
recommended to use the VIN scan feature which will
automatically populate the battery type. Battery
replacements performed as a result of a failure to
properly set up the GR8/DCBS will be subject to
chargeback.
Note: There are 2 common types of battery CCA
Ratings; EN CCA & SAE CCA. EN is a European
Standard and SAE is a North American Standard.
Dealers are to use the SAE number when testing 12V
batteries.
•

On vehicles with two batteries, including Stop/
Start vehicles with Auxiliary batteries, each battery
must be electrically isolated and charged
individually. The Auxiliary battery may not be
connected in a manner that will allow both
batteries to be charged at the same time and must
be charged individually, which will result in two
printouts.

Page 4
•

April, 2023

When testing a vehicle with two batteries, you
must identify the correct specifications for each.
Specifications may differ between a primary and
auxiliary battery.

Cold Battery Testing – Battery Temperature at Less
Than 0°C (32°F)
Notice: Batteries that are deeply discharged will take
an extended time to recharge. Batteries that are cold
(below freezing) can falsely fail testing. Batteries that
are cold and deeply discharged must first be warmed to
above 4°C (40°F) prior to testing & charging.
When a 12 Volt battery is cold (below freezing), its
capacity starts to reduce. This can be observed in the
voltage level of the battery, as well as measured cold
cranking amps. A cold battery is also resistant to
charging. The colder the battery, the more these
characteristics are affected. Therefore, warm the
battery prior to testing. Longer warming times will be
needed depending on how cold the battery is. External
surface temperatures are not reliable for determining
actual battery temperature; measure at multiple points
for best results.
Note: If you suspect that a battery may be frozen,
inspect the case for cracks prior to charging. Do not
charge a frozen battery.

Bulletin No.: 20-NA-132

Level of testing based on Indicator:
• Green – No issues are detected with the battery
and it is unlikely the component will require
replacement at this time. For customer concerns,
follow standard diagnostic procedures. A battery
test and “replace battery” test result IS
REQUIRED prior to battery replacement.
• Yellow – Verify proactive alert SAC002 – SAC005
and follow the diagnostic service procedure for the
applicable code. A battery test and “replace
battery” test result IS REQUIRED prior to battery
replacement.
• Red – Verify proactive alert SAC001 and follow
the service procedure for this code. If proactive
alert SAC001 is present, replace battery. A battery
test IS NOT REQUIRED. Transactions involving
battery replacement due to SAC001 are not
eligible for Diagnostic Add Time and dealers must
enter “SAC001” in the Battery Tester Code field.
• No Indicator/Blank – Either the battery condition
is not available on the vehicle, or there is not
enough information to make a determination on
the condition of the battery. For customer
concerns, follow standard diagnostic procedures.
A battery test and “replace battery” test result IS
REQUIRED prior to battery replacement.

Tool Software Updates

New Vehicle Inventory

Dealers are responsible for having the latest software
installed prior to tool use.
• For the DCBS, refer to owner manual instructions
for software update instructions. The DCBS must
be connected to a computer with Optimus every
30 days to prevent lock out of the remote. Update
the software when available; if no software update
is available, the remote will automatically unlock
and reset the 30-day.
• GR8 must be equipped with software version
192-675P_July_2017 or newer. Please note,
effective January 1, 2024, GR8 will no longer be
approved equipment for testing batteries under
warranty.
Battery replacement transactions involving of batteries
tested with outdated software are subject to debit.

If a new vehicle arrives at your dealer from
transportation that will not start due to a discharged or
defective battery, the claim must be submitted within
one week of the vehicle arrival at the dealer. Vehicle
delivery documentation must be provided when
submitting the transaction.
Once a vehicle is in dealer inventory, dealers are
responsible for battery maintenance up to the point of
delivery to the customer. Refer to Service Bulletin #
21-NA-043 for requirements on properly
maintaining vehicles in dealer inventory and
Service Bulletin # 22-NA-115 Battery Maintenance
Report FAQs.

Proactive Alerts
On connected vehicles, GM is able to evaluate the
condition of the battery and report the state of health to
the customer through the Vehicle Diagnostics Report
and/or to the dealer through the Multi-Point Inspection
screen on Service Workbench. Technicians may also
validate alerts by using the Scan Tool through Vehicle
Diagnostics/Vehicle Proactive Alerts.

Dealers in the U.S. Only
• U.S. dealers are to utilize the Battery Maintenance
Report located in the GlobalConnect Dealer Maxis
app to identify vehicles in dealer inventory that
require charging or moving. Dealers should
perform required actions within 7 days of the
report using the process identified in Service
Bulletin # 21-NA-043 and 22-NA-115 Battery
Maintenance Report FAQs.

Bulletin No.: 20-NA-132
•