Can a battery cause havoc with a computer

[junkyardjeff]

I have been trying to figure out a issue with a 84 Ford small LTD (fox body) that it would just die,changed the battery and it has not quit and no cutting out when hitting bumps now. I also changed the ground cable and made new body to motor grounds and is definately starting quicker,the wire coming from the alternator main wire has a fuesable link that the insulation was melted so that got me thinking the previous battery might have been shorting out internally causing the computer to freak out.

[Arnold]

I have seen bad batteries burn up wires/fuses/fusible links/alternators/1 fuse panel,not allow an engine to run..overload the alternator..burn the belt off. Not long ago I changed a weak battery..the new one made the entire electrical system go wonky until I pulled it out.

[Beck]

I attended the Holley training sessions for their fuel injection units a couple months ago. One of the main concerns is battery connections on the new computers. What we consider proper battery connections from our younger years just isn't good enough today. I know we have been doing it like that for 30 years, but todays electronics weren't here back then. This stuff is very sensitive. Grounding is a major issue. Computer power feeds should come direct from the battery, NOT the battery cables that run to the motor, to the battery itself. If you can install a battery with dual posts, the computer should power from the post the "dirty" power is NOT connected to. (Dirty power is anything that has relays, motors, and such)  When released a relay such as line lock, trans brake, A/C clutch puts a big voltage spike into the system. The old GM A/C clutches would put up to a 700V spike out when released. That is death to new EFI computers.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Voltage problems, ground problems all affect the computers.  Even the early design in the vehicle mentioned here.

We had a customer 2 year ago with late Dodge diesel dually.  We rebuilt the trans. His batterys (2) were bad, connections bad.  All this was explained to him. Cause and effect of the systems, ect

Of course he completely ignored us. The truck was jump started in the AM and ran all day till it was parked.  He did not accept the problem

He would complain of trans driveablity problems.  It was expalined  to him again about the system going to full relearn each day with dead battery over nite.

Of course a denied warranty claim on the trans got his attention  and he had the charging systems , batterys , cables all repaired months later