every few days, the battery stops charging and dies.... tested the alternator, and that provides a charge...tested the battery, and that takes a charge... the car runs off the battery or alternator...tested and replaced all wires between alternator and battery... cannot figure out what is wrong.
View 9 RepliesSo I have a very confusing problem. In my 92 Chevy Astro the battery occasionally stops charging runs down and dies while I am driving and will not restart via jump but must be fully charged. This first happened a couple months and several thousand miles ago but has occurred 3 times in the last two weeks. Both the battery and the alternator have checked out good, and the alternator belt is tight as a drum. What could this possibly be?
View 6 RepliesI recently bought a 1969 chevy c10 pickup. I have been having problems with the electrical system, the battery consistently going dead despite a new battery and alternator installed by the previous owner. Is there a step-by-step for diagnosis of this problem?
View 3 RepliesI was messing with the battery in my 200 Ford Ranger the other day and must of arc something. I know this because after plugging my battery back up my radio fuse was blown and my alternator was killed. I replaces the radio fuse, that works now, and got a new remanufacted alternator (tested mine at Advance it was dead). I installed it and nothing changed. The battery still wasn't charging. I know the battery is good because I tested it at Advance Auto. I took the alternator back and the shop replaced it with another remanufacted one. Same thing, installed it and the battery doesn't charge.
This time I took the alt back off and had it tested at Advance. The alt was dead. So I don't know if the part store gave me TWO bad alternators or if my truck is killing them. I find it hard to believe it could kill them immediately but my automotive knowledge is not that vast. I took the second (third counting my original) dead alternator back and they gave me a brand new one no extra charge. So I don't want to put a brand new alt in my truck and it kill this one too because I doubt they will give me a fourth one. What is going on? Could it just be as simple as I got two bad eggs?
tonight at 1am: I put the key in and turn the ignition, no start, no click, no dashboard warning lights, no nothing. headlights don't turn on at allearlier in the afternoon - didn't check headlights, but no start, no click, no dashboard warning lights. Sliding 1 key into the ignition gave me a somewhat steady buzzing sound from the car, the kind you get to indicate something electrical is happening (I guess that's what it's for.
I wish I were mechanically inclined.) Sliding the other key into the ignition gave me a much more sporadic buzzing sound. Like metal wasn't making contact, when it should. A few hours previous in the morning - car wasn't starting as described above. Someone pushes the car back from the front so we can make way for another car, to come in and give me a jump. I put the car in neutral, and notice that the dashboard lights and buzzer is on, so on a hunch, I try to start the car in neutral and it starts right up. I drive it to the home driveway, no problem.
2 days ago, I bought the car. A 97 nissan sentra. What it could be? Again, never a clicking sound when starting the car to indicate dead battery. I'm familiar with that.
I have a 2005 Hyundai Tuscon. If we go out of town, or any time we don't drive the Tuscan for three days or more we always come back to a dead battery. I mean really dead. I mean, get a new battery dead. Since 2005 when we bought the vehicle new, we've had nine—9—new batteries put in. The last one was a heavy duty battery recommended by the dealer.
This problem started after the dealer replaced the OEM radio. We've had multiple checks done on the engine to find out where the (battery) draw is coming from. I researched and found a Hyundai Technical Service Bulletin saying that the problem is from a defective stereo. But my dealer says they can't locate the problem.
We've also had the battery posts cleaned and other things done. The vehicle runs fine and has had few problems except for this nagging battery problem.
Car started losing electrical power on the way home from work last week. Dim lights, blower stopped, wipers stop, almost stalled out when getting off the interstate. Barely made it home. 30 minutes later went out to troubleshoot and it started right up. Ran for about 2 minutes and stalled out from lack of electricity. Put voltmeter to alternator and it seemed to only be putting out 8.5v. Took to store to have tested. Replaced alternator and it didn't work. Reman alternator still seemed to only be putting out 8.5v or so.
Checked fuses and cleaned battery terminal and verified good block ground and good body ground. Still having problem. 1996 Taurus. What next? Battery is exactly 2 yrs old and was putting out 11.6 when the problem first started last week. Due to cold and this existing issue, battery is only at 6.5v right now. Can jump the car, but then after removing jumper cables car dies in 30 seconds. Should I have the battery tested? What else could/should I be looking at?
I bought my 2014 Corolla new a little over 3 years ago. Yesterday, when I was leaving work to head home I went to start my car and I was just met with my starter making a loud buzzing noise. My lights in my car, car fob, and etune radio were all working properly, but the car was just not able to start! My coworker told me that he heard of a trick where if you knock on the starter with something while trying to start it, it might give it enough of a kick to get going. Whether or not it was coincidence, it did work.
I was able to drive home, about 15 minutes (still daylight, did not need car lights), with no trouble. When I got home I turned my car off and waited for a few seconds and tried to start again. It worked, but it sounded like it struggled. I did it one more time and it failed with that same noise again. I resolved that I would just go get a new battery in the morning.
In the morning, my car was able to start, albeit with some struggle again. I made it all the way to work, and over lunch I was able to start it again and drive it to AutoZone to have them test the battery starter alternator. They told me the battery was too depleted to test it, so I went across the street to Walmart and bought a new battery. After replacing it, the car started like a champ as expected, and I drove back to Autozone to have them test my alternator and starter. The starter came back good, but they said that there was a fault in the test with the alternator. I gave them my old battery and asked them to trickle charge and test it just to see if it happened to still be a good battery that was just losing charge, or if it really was just a dying battery.
I have a '96 Honda Civic DX model, manual transmission. I replaced the battery, sparkplugs, distributor last summer. Yesterday, hottest day yet this spring, my car wouldn't start. When cranked, the lights came on the dash, the fuel line was running, the check engine light blinked, but then no ignition. Left it overnight, started up fine this morning. Took it to a shop,Mechanic said battery and alternator were good and a replaced starter later, I took it home. Driving home, the idle dropped way too low (no tach) and almost stalled the car (battery light came on) when I pushed in the clutch. Now when I turn it on, it starts, idles regular, then the idle drops again.
View 3 RepliesYesterday my 2002 Ford Focus SE Zetec wagon (140k) died at a stoplight. Before that, the radio would turn off and on like it was possessed. The last five miles before it conked out, the fuel gauge and speedometer dropped to zero (ie same as with key-out). Waited two hours and was able to drive it two blocks home but the same symptoms w/instruments occurred. Battery measured 12.0v @ home. The alternator is the first suspect but what else should get replaced? Any guesses as for cost? DIY or take it to a shop?
View 17 RepliesI have a 2000 Mazda Protege LX with 38k miles on it and a 1.6L engine and it starts fine in the morning to go to work and starts fine in the afternoon to go home from work. If I get home and change clothes, hop in the car to go somewhere, it won't start, turns over like it's out of gas, sometimes sputters and lopes before it just stops firing. It seems to only do this in the afternoon, specifically between 3pm and 5pm, never after dark or in the morning. I can drive all day long as long as I don't cut off the engine.
After sitting for about fifteen to thirty minutes, it will start like nothing ever happened. So far, it only does it once per day. After I get it started in the afternoon, I can seem to go anywhere, stop as many times as needed, and it keeps starting every time. It seems to be getting more frequent as the weather warms, never did it in January or February, but so far has done it every time I try to start it when the temp is around 80 or higher. I get no engine light, temp gauge is normal.
So the problem began with the car not wanting to start up. It would usually get going by the second try but after about a week, my '93 Honda Accord would kind of sputter for a second then die except now the check engine light would come on and I would hear this clicking noise from behind the dash. At this point I would turn the car off, remove the key and try again with the result being either: the engine turns over, the same clicking noise happens, or I end up grinding the starter for 10/15 sec.
More recently the problem has extended to while the car is moving. In the past week the engine will suddenly cut out. I could be backing out of my driveway, taking a turn at 5 mph or driving on the highway, and it will suddenly cut out. Sometimes the engine death is preceded by a drop in rpm, and sometime if i can push in the clutch fast enough the car doesn't die. Beyond that I have no clue.
I recently replaced the master relay and the ignition switch. I also had a new timing belt put in by a mechanic only 5k miles ago. At that time he said that it should last me another 50k miles no problem. It's a '93 Honda Accord LX, 4-cylinder manual transmission.
I can't really afford another mechanic visit right now. One friend thought it might be the alternator, and another scoffed at the notion. I know just enough to follow directions and fix what needs to be fixed, but I'm no good at diagnosing car problems.
I have a F250 towing a Big trailer and the RV folks have told me that while the factory seven prong will supply power to the RV, it would take a days to charge the RV batteries. So...
1) Does the connector not really significantly charge the batteries?
2) Is there a faster way to charge the RV batteries while driving?
3) Would instructions something like I found at How to Charge Two 12 Volt Batteries on an RV Towed by a Ford F-150 | etrailer.com work?
4) Would #3 eventually tax my alternator so badly that I kill it?
5) Would #3 fry the electronics in the trailer?
I'm trying to charge 2 6-volt marine deep charge batteries in series.
So my toddler turned on my dome light on Friday and I didn't realize it all weekend. Monday morning the battery was D.E.D. Charged it all day then jumped it and it turns over but no start. Took it to Autozone for a deep charge and test and ended up with a new battery. Installed it and the engine turns over but still won't start. It ran fine on Friday. This car is my commuter and I don't want to spend the money to take it to the shop. Why it won't now start? Could the dead battery have killed something else while it sat in my driveway?
View 5 RepliesI have a 1993 corolla that runs fine once warm. The problem is a cold idle problem. When starting it cold, it dies unless you feather the throttle. I can keep it running by feathering the throttle until it warms up. Once warm it runs fine. If I let off of the throttle at all during the warmup period, it dies instantly. How does the choke work on these vehicles? Could it be a IACV problem? Anything else it could be?
View 5 RepliesI have both a hydraulic dump trailer with two 12v batteries and an RV trailer with two 6v batteries to supply 12v. Both trailer's batteries are wired to be charged from the tow vehicle if the TV is equipped with a charge line.
Does the OEM 7 pin connector on a 2005 Ford 6.0 F250 CC 4X4 have a charging line on it? If so which terminal / pin is it?
What gauge of wire is it and how much amperage will it deliver to the connector? For testing, when is it hot? When the truck is running only? When the key is on? Is it hot all of the time?
I ve been noticing that the alternator isn't charging correctly, or at least it seems like it. We drive short trips sometimes two times a day, a mile or less. One day, night actually, I noticed it started to not turn over with it's usual enthusiastic sound. When the batteries get discharged to a certain point, the voltage at idle will be less than 12 volts. If I rev the engine for a bit, the volts jump up, but at idle it drops back to 12 or below. Seems to me that it should be at least 12v or above if the batteries are discharged, and more towards 12.5ishV if the batteries are fully charged.
After I put it on a 6A charger overnight, the voltage upon starting is above 12, sometimes over 13. But if the batteries start to dwindle down from short trips, the voltage drops to 12 or below at idle.
I did install the smaller pulley a few years back, and that worked massively. I couldn't get 12V at idle before installing the smaller pulley. But now it seems like I'm back to that same situation before installing the smaller pulley.
So, I m guessing that a alternator bench test is in my future? The batteries are fairly new, tho they have been down to nothing at least twice from boneheaded moves by yours truely!
And, I'm speculating that this charging situation contributed to the recent FICM replacement that I went thru.
How many Volts available at plug for charging FW batteries, and what can be don to trick alternator in to keep charging when truck batteries full, install larger wires? From alternator or truck battery, if yes which battery. 2015 F350 Lariat 200 alternator.
View 14 RepliesI have a 2003 F550 6L diesel flatbed truck. Last week, the overdrive button would activate by itself. I'm assuming there was a loose wire so I taped the button to keep the overdrive off. Two days later, the overdrive came on while the button was pressed in and then smoke came out of the steering column/lever area. I pulled over and turned off the truck. The smoke stopped after 10 seconds and I restarted the truck. The overdrive light/functionality no longer worked and the instrument cluster also wasn't working.
The next day I was driving, and the truck died at a stoplight. I got it towed home, and opened the steering column and noticed that the overdrive button wire had burned. I removed the harness clip and charged the batteries. It started but the instrument cluster still didn't work. 2 minutes later the truck died. I replaced the alternator but still it won't charge the batteries. The truck dies 2 minutes after getting a battery boost to start the truck. The instrument cluster also doesn't work. What could be causing this issue?
This 2005 LeSabre with a 3.8 v-6 ran fine but had a marginal battery. Then the key got left on overnight leaving the battery totally dead. After jumping the battery and letting it charge, the engine cranked fine but refused to start. Haven't had a chance to check for fuel or spark. Why would a dead battery trigger this no start condition?
View 2 Replies2009 Hyundai Accent w/~90k miles
The other day my car failed, showing all the signs of a bad alternator (battery light on, lights dimming/flickering, etc.).Had a mechanic look at it and it was definitely the alternator - the bracket had even broken - as well as the battery.After replacing, though, it still has a problem with charging the battery, at least on initial start.Basically, when you start the car, the battery light comes on immediately. Hit the accelerator or drive 15-20 feet and the battery light goes out and the alternator starts charging again.
The mechanic thinks it is a wiring problem and said that would cost 800+ to fix. He suggested I just live with it. Does his diagnosis seem correct? Are there other things I should look at and/or test?