Old battery. This is a no crank, no start situation. Cars were my first love, my strongest passion, and favorite hobby, and that is why I decided to start this blog and write about my discoveries and techniques to improve my cars or fix them. Always test for a parasitic draw on the negative circuit – this way you won’t short anything out. Originally I assumed it was my battery so I switched it out for a new one. 1. Some of the most common reasons for a car battery to die repeatedly include loose or corroded battery connections, persistent electrical drains, charging problems, constantly demanding more power than the alternator can provide, and even extreme weather. Anything less than this, and you have a bad alternator! Bad alternators can absolutely kill a good battery. If you have that 13-15 volts at the alternator that reinforces the short to ground. The car currently can only be jump started. New battery and alternator car keeps dying - 1981 Lincoln Continental. I have no clue where else to go with this. Posted by vastron palmer on Dec 13, 2011. Once you suspect a bad alternator instead of a bad battery, there is a surefire way to check if your alternator is working correctly. My 2016 Outback’s battery has been dead every morning for the last couple mornings. If your vehicle is losing battery voltage (i.e. Try to get as much information as possible so that you can get the right parts quickly when you go to the auto store. It did this a few times so the obvious thing was to buy a new battery- oct 2011. The problem kept up so I had my alternator … With the car engine off, and anything that might consume electricity turned off, including the inside light. When the engine is running, the alternator charges the battery. Your battery is old. Make sure that your battery is fully charged (12.6 volts) before checking for a parasitic draw. I also replaced my MAP and Crank Shaft Sensors. After buying a new battery (car) after a couple of days went to start and battery was dead flat, after having it charged it was flat after a couple days found the problem was shorted diodes in alternator (was draining 5 amps Replacing new alt. First, DON"T check your alternator that way anymore. So recently I experienced some issues with my car where it would shut off while at idle. If your car won't start or your battery keeps dying on you, that doesn't necessarily mean there's necessarily a problem with EITHER your alternator OR your battery, although that is the common logic used by a lot of folks. The car has 102,000 miles on it and I was told … Thank you. I will try putting the battery on a charger ASAP and see if that helps. Guess it's time to re wire it! Clicking this will make more experts see the question and we will remind you when it gets answered. If you pull a fuse and the amperage drops, but it’s still not under the 100mA threshold, you have multiple parasitic draws. First, your alternator might not shut off and end up overloading the battery with too much voltage. With your engine running, you need to connect the multimeter or voltmeter’s positive lead to the stud. Make sure your alternator’s wiring is right to go. Understanding what caused the battery to discharge can help you prevent it from happening again. In the modern charging system, you’ll find the alternator, wiring, battery, and electronic control unit. 2008 Hyundai Accent. You may have a parasitic load draining the battery If your car battery is drained after sitting for some time then you may have a parasitic load draining the battery. Connect the black lead from your multimeter to the negative battery post, and the red lead to the disconnected negative terminal. If your alternator, coil, battery, or starter is bad, the car probably won't start, and it definitely won't be drivable. I guess that is when the alternator will charge the battery a little bit, but the light will then come back on and the car will die again. rachmeal03. The most common explanation is that you have a bad battery. This will give your car time to shut down all of its systems before checking to see if anything is still using power. Asked by AaronO in Bodega Bay, CA on . July 4, 2016, 9:43pm #1. When this happens, it means your battery voltage is completely drained, and this can end up permanently killing your battery. You need to check the output voltage of your alternator to know if it’s working correctly. Unable to get a brand new Honda alternator for less than $500 and `2wks wait, I opted to ... Buying Guides; Deals; Car Reviews; Repair Shops; Community; Cars A-Z ; New battery and alternator yet battery still going dead! The alternator is not providing power to the battery according to my volt meter. Comment; Flag; More. But the CR-V’s alternator can sometimes over or under charge the battery, reducing its performance either way. Ive never heard of that. Yes, you think it’s okay, but did you check it the right way? That’s because what actually starts your car is the cold cranking amps. If your alternator is working and your battery is holding a charge – it means something is killing your battery when your alternator isn’t charging it! Radios and lights are notorious parasitic draws. A mechanic suggested to me the symptoms seemed to point to my alternator or battery. Want Answer 0. This means you have a parasitic draw. June 17, 2016. If it is around 11 volts, the battery has a shorted cell and must be replaced. Level 2: An expert who has achieved level 2 by getting 100 points. You also might have something that is drawing power after you shut off the engine. Nothing is as frustrating as going out to your car and not being able to get it started. If your amperage doesn’t drop, reinsert the fuse before pulling the next one. Once you’ve set up the multimeter correctly and verified that the fuse is working correctly, you can test for a parasitic draw. You’ll need access to your alternator – while the engine is running. There are no signs of corrosion. Just charged the battery properly, started it once, and it lost charge overnite. Now let’s look at the troubleshooting process- Charging System Failure … Or maybe your alternator’s wiring is faulty – keeping it from doing its job correctly. Carcody.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, White Smoke From Exhaust: What You Should Do (The Answer), Turn Signal Works Sometimes : To Fix This do These 5 Steps, 7 Symptoms of Bad Front & Rear Wheel Bearings (and Replacement Cost), 10 Best Competition Subwoofers – Carcody 2021, Check the battery. It was obvious after they told me the cable sparked, but may not be obvious for some people. Why does my car keep dying? Your alternator should be putting out between 13.5 to 15 volts. I have checked all connections to make sure nothing is loose. Correct. A dead battery doesn’t automatically mean that you have a faulty alternator, but it’s the first sign that you need to dig a little deeper. I am the starter and writer of this blog. New battery and alternator, battery gauge was bouncy around before we replaced the battery and the alternator 1 week ago and it is doing it again..... Show More. That's the first culprit to the battery dying. 2006 VW Beetle battery keeps dying. / Car keeps dying new battery and alternator. Running with accessories off you should see voltage of about 13.5 to 14.5. The car has 102,000 miles on it and I was told it is not uncommon for an alternator to need replacing at this milage. 1 Answer. If you see the amperage drop significantly, you’ve found a source for the parasitic draw. Good luck. So, if something is using power, your battery isn’t getting recharged. If you do have a parasitic draw, you need to isolate the circuit that is drawing power. once the battery gets that low,it is completely DISCHARGED,and the alternator WILL NOT recharge that battery!..you will need to charge the battery with a battery charger to get it back up to 12.6-13.00 volts! I'm having the same problem with a Hyundai Accent. When you’re having problems with your car battery you might be wondering whether it simply needs to be recharged or if it’s completely dead and time to purchase a new one. Yet if you ever confront this situation, multiple reasons are contributing towards the same. Battery and Alternator are new and good. car keeps dying. It often happens when you are already running late or on a cold morning. This is the wire that sends voltage back to your battery. alternator/battery problem car keeps dying. By using this site, you agree to these terms: How to know if I need to replace my o2 sensor? Maintenance/Repairs. If you have a multimeter, you can check the voltage – but this only tells you so much. 1 Answer. So recently I experienced some issues with my car where it would shut off while at idle. all tight,none loose...if you don't have that voltage above,you either have a short to ground on the harness or the alternator is bad! The most significant sign of a bad alternator is that your battery will keep dying. If not, you might have a different underlying issue. Sorry U had to unnecessarily replace an alternator. Bought a new battery about 2 months ago. However, even though the alternator is good, the battery may keep dying. It’s especially disappointing when it keeps happening over and over. I changed the oil and replaced my main belt as well. I will disconnect the battery before charging the battery. A dead car battery can be disheartening, especially if it leaves you stranded. There are two ways that it can do this. Before you go out and order a new battery or alternator, test some of these different systems. For some reason my car has been dying lately. Dan, Technician. Faulty fuse. It doesn’t matter how much voltage your alternator is cranking out if it never reaches the battery! But the light mostly stays on and the car keeps dying. In the short term, you will be able to get away with killing a new battery more often than an old one, but it will shorten the battery’s overall lifespan. Today my car died (when i turned it off). There are a variety of factors that will determine how quickly your battery dies between jumpstarts. Still, now you have a starting point! Either way, it will kill your battery even if you have a good alternator. A $5 fix! If so, this guide will work for you. If it reads “mA,” it’s in milliamps; if it’s merely “A,” it’s in amps. 2006 VW Beetle battery keeps dying (fuse 42 and 14 draw) 9 Answers. The only tool you will need is a multimeter or a voltmeter. In some cases, your vehicle’s … The most common problem is the 120A alternator relay. Pontiac Mechanic: Dan, Technician replied 8 years ago. These wires can get corroded, leading to excess resistance. You need to turn off all the lights and leave the vehicle off for about 5 minutes. The battery light stays on but sometimes will go off for a few seconds. In this post, I will look at the 4 common reasons why your car keeps dying yet your battery and alternator are in good working condition. Even an alternator can’t revive a battery that has been drained of all its power. In February of 2013, Honda released TSB #12-002 outlining procedures for alternator testing with a GR8 Diagnostic Battery Station. You could’ve left your vehicle’s lights on, or other electronic component on the car might not be shutting down when it’s supposed to. The power side to the alternator is a plug and not a screw on wire like I am used to. I have a 96 toyota Camry Le that keeps dying on me. Battery keeps dying 2 Answers. I have replaced everything in this thread. There are a multitude of reasons that your battery might keep dying. Yes, it’s a bit strange considering the alternator is in good shape. If you have a newer multimeter that automatically selects its range, check to see what unit your reading is displayed in. The largest indicator of your alternator not working at all is both battery and ebrake light on your cluster will be lit up, however if the alternator is working but not putting out the proper voltage, this signal may not show up. your battery light is on) the problem may be your battery. On the backside of your alternator, you will see a nut holding a wire on it. Question type: Maintenance & Repair. Simply pull one fuse at a time and watch to see what the multimeter does. You also might have something that is drawing power after you shut off the engine. Check for a parasitic draw. In order to test for a parasitic draw, you’ll need a multimeter with a functioning amp circuit. Show Less. unhook the battery cables before charging it.and no,you should see the alternator output around 13.0-15.0 volts DC.like i said you have a short to ground somewhere or that new/reman alternator is bad.anytime you buy an ALT,STARTER or anything electrical from a parts house like the ZONE,get them to check it before you leave, always! If not, the problem will be with the wires coming to the alternator. With the engine off, a good, fully-charged battery will read 12.6 volts. Sometimes multiple circuits will run through a single fuse, and you’ll need to unplug specific components to find out what exactly is causing the draw. If this is the case, have your car checked … The alternator won't send a charge to the battery if the battery is too low? New alternator and battery.... New alternator and battery. When it’s working correctly, it should put out between 13.5 and 15 volts. So my trouble is pretty simple to explain. Nothing lasts forever, including your car’s battery. Please help. I just bought this car a little over a week ago because I desperately needed a car and now I can’t get it to work enough to even get me to my job. Hello my name is Omar I have an 05 mustang gt in a manual transmission my battery keeps dying and I got it tested and it came out good then I tested the alternator at O’Reilly’s and it came out bad then I replaced it and my battery is still dying. How long the battery itself will last after being repeatedly drained depends on the age of the battery. These circuits contain a fuse – and if you connect the leads to any voltage while it’s set up to test for amperage, you’ll blow your fuse. Any other suggestions? Decided to buy a new alternator (bought it brand new 3 days ago). If it happens repeatedly, your battery or alternator may need replacement. The best, quickest check I can tell you is to put a volt meter across the battery. I will let you know if that works. Probably will need battery charged or replaced because car has been running directly from it. New battery new computer. The voltmeter reads about 11.5V at the terminals after being jumpstarted and the volts continue to fall until the car eventually dies. Not sure how I would use the voltage meter on that. That means you have a draw. It is often an … Conversely, it might not charge the battery at all. Maintenance/Repairs. Read your multimeter. Thank you but it is very hard to check the voltage at the alternator. Print this page; Share this page × Ad. I was told it could just be a couple fuses i needed to replace (I'm sure the original owner didn't care to do so). Car keeps dying new battery and alternator. Q: I just had the alternator replaced, but my car cuts off while driving. If the alternator is in bad shape, it’s common for the battery to dye more often due to undercharging. An easy example to expose this flawed logic is a serpentine belt. Your engine’s serpentine belt powers your alternator – so after you shut off the engine, your alternator isn’t working. It might last anywhere between a few hours to a few days between jumpstarts, depending on how often you drive your vehicle. New alt. Share this conversation. I have bench tested the alternator and it is good. Why does my car keep dying even with a new battery and alternator? I took the alternator back out and to the shop where they bench tested it and told me it was good. If this happens, you’ll need to jumpstart your battery multiple times. I tried following the wires to the battery but the wire bundle goes into the car and I lose the wires from the alternator. To check cold-cranking amps, you need a specialty tool. Keep reading, and we’ll walk you through everything you need to know. The easiest way to do this is to keep your multimeter hooked up to the parasitic draw test while pulling fuses. Check the alternator. The car dies and wont crank/start up again after. There are a few reasons that your car battery could keep dying even if your alternator is good. Connect the other lead to a good ground (the negative post on the battery is a great choice!). You’ll need to find out what is causing all of them to keep your battery from dying! Report; Follow; Asked by Eos_4786 Jan 21, 2017 at 08:00 PM about the 2001 Ford Crown Victoria. Assuming your battery is good and your alternator is charging the battery properly, the next suspect is a short somewhere that is leaking power when you’re not using the car. Hi, I`m Cody. Check for alternator output at the alternator to determine if the power loss is before or after the alternator. It would be best to make sure that the wire running from your alternator to your battery is intact and properly connected. Answered in 38 minutes by: 6/26/2010. Thread starter damianb401; Start date Jul 2, 2010; damianb401 New Member. My car keeps dying with a new battery - could it be the alternator? If you have a blown fuse in your multimeter, you’ll need to replace it before conducting a parasitic draw test. Can anyone point me in the right direction about what might be the issue? This could be as simple as forgetting to turn off your headlights or radio – something more complicated like your ECU not powering down. If your car consistently … william moore. There are a few reasons that your car battery could keep dying even if your alternator is good. A mechanic suggested to me the symptoms seemed to point to my alternator or battery. You will need to jumpstart a battery connected to a bad alternator repeatedly. Category: Pontiac. Ask Your Own Pontiac Question. All lights come on the dashboard when driving, What do I need to look for before long road trip, Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir Replacement, Auto Trans Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid Replacement. January 9, 2020, 11:29pm #1. Any reading over 100 mA means you have a parasitic draw (1 Amp = 1,000 milliamps). The most common explanation is that you have a bad battery. the alternator should have an output of 13-15 volts DC at the battery terminals with the engine running testing with a volt meter.all grounds hooked up,no corrosion anywhere? If you have an old battery, then replacing it with a new one will probably solve your problem. If your alternator is putting out this voltage, then something else is killing your battery. But if you have a new battery that keeps dying, then the problem might be a bad alternator or a faulty electrical system. Have you jump-started your car before? Of course, you could just have a lousy alternator, which would mean that your battery isn’t getting charged as it should. We have replaced the alternator and had the battery tested. You might have a bad battery, your alternator might be going out, or you could have a parasitic draw. If you're not sure why your car battery keeps dying, here are six possibilities.