battery bad again...
#11
12-17-2013, 09:54 PM
I did not say anything about your car. I said to test the battery it needs a full charge and you can not depend on battery voltage to know if a battery is or is not good.
You can have good voltage and bad CCA, ( cells are not storing much power) you can have bad voltage and decent CCA (A single dead cell) or you could have good voltage good CCA and STILL have a bad battery due to a small internal short. (battery dies overnight)
I would expect that a battery that still have near 100 CCA to be 12+ volts once that battery falls below 10% of its charge it become very hard to predict the voltage. But then again checking voltage or CCA of a near dead battery is a waste of time.
Your alternator could be fine but your car could be draining your battery every night. This is a battery killer. Car batteries are not deep cycle batteries. They are not designed to be drawn low every use. Bad battery cable can cause a battery not to charge correctly even though and alternator is fine, and so on...........
You can have good voltage and bad CCA, ( cells are not storing much power) you can have bad voltage and decent CCA (A single dead cell) or you could have good voltage good CCA and STILL have a bad battery due to a small internal short. (battery dies overnight)
I would expect that a battery that still have near 100 CCA to be 12+ volts once that battery falls below 10% of its charge it become very hard to predict the voltage. But then again checking voltage or CCA of a near dead battery is a waste of time.
Your alternator could be fine but your car could be draining your battery every night. This is a battery killer. Car batteries are not deep cycle batteries. They are not designed to be drawn low every use. Bad battery cable can cause a battery not to charge correctly even though and alternator is fine, and so on...........
I don't think my car is draining every night. It went 5.5 months with no electrical issues at all. I could let it sit an entire week (did once while we were out of town) and it cranked right up. I honestly don't think I'll ever get to the bottom of this but it will never make any sense.
#12
12-18-2013, 08:01 AM
It is not a big deal, It could be a bad/defective battery or like I said a failing lighter socket. Just because a car has worked great for the last 20 years does not mean a ligter socket can not short out tonight.
These kind of things happen even on new cars. Jsut understand the battery voltage is not a variable that means anything.
These kind of things happen even on new cars. Jsut understand the battery voltage is not a variable that means anything.
#13
12-18-2013, 08:09 AM
The bulb was removed from the center console several years ago when I first started having electrical issues. The fuse was out that controlled the lighter socket until yesterday because my son had taken mine out to use his. So what other things could I look into? I have a slight feeling once I get another battery or get to the bottom of the one I have (haven't left yet), I bet my charge gauge will be flatlined and it will be the alternator again. Seems to be the pattern.
#14
12-18-2013, 08:38 AM
There are so many things. About 6 months ago I my 96 Taho was stone dead. I went thru the whole diagnose process and could not find anything. In order to do the draw test I had to disconnect the under hood light(because the hood was open). I could find no draw and the battery and charging system was 100 percent. I assumed one of my kids turned on the interior light and did not fess up and turned it off when they remembered.
Two nights later I was getting into my Camaro in the pitch dark and I noticed a small light coming from under the truck. Turns out the bracket for the under hood lamp had rusted and had bent just enough that the under hood lamp never turned off.
Step one: test the battery, Step two: See if the car has a draw, Step three (if you have a draw) is to track down the draw. No need to jump to step three yet.
Two nights later I was getting into my Camaro in the pitch dark and I noticed a small light coming from under the truck. Turns out the bracket for the under hood lamp had rusted and had bent just enough that the under hood lamp never turned off.
Step one: test the battery, Step two: See if the car has a draw, Step three (if you have a draw) is to track down the draw. No need to jump to step three yet.
#15
12-18-2013, 08:55 AM
Is it gonna be a draw that takes months to rear itself though? I will definitely put it back in the shop after Christmas and let them keep it a few days if necessary. I just developed confidence enough in it to take it in town and actually cut it off. It sure keeps me on my toes. By the way, my under hood light isn't even on. In fact, we didn't locate a bulb when we were looking around for it the other night. Is there anyway the alternator and battery aren't compatible?
#19
12-19-2013, 10:40 AM
If passKey equipped,
Attempt to start,
if no start, remove key from tumbler,
wait min 3 minutes and try starting again with the same key.
If starts, troubleshoot the tumbler socket in reading the key chip - two thin white wires on column harness.
If no PassKey, then jiggle shifter through neutral while ign key is in START position.
If no worky, then either the electrcial portion of the ign switch is bad, neutral safety switch is bad, or N/S sw needs adjustment.
If test light lights up at the purple wire on starter solenoid, then need a new starter with solenoid. Remove & replace.
Attempt to start,
if no start, remove key from tumbler,
wait min 3 minutes and try starting again with the same key.
If starts, troubleshoot the tumbler socket in reading the key chip - two thin white wires on column harness.
If no PassKey, then jiggle shifter through neutral while ign key is in START position.
If no worky, then either the electrcial portion of the ign switch is bad, neutral safety switch is bad, or N/S sw needs adjustment.
If test light lights up at the purple wire on starter solenoid, then need a new starter with solenoid. Remove & replace.
#20
12-19-2013, 11:33 AM
If passKey equipped,
Attempt to start,
if no start, remove key from tumbler,
wait min 3 minutes and try starting again with the same key.
If starts, troubleshoot the tumbler socket in reading the key chip - two thin white wires on column harness.
If no PassKey, then jiggle shifter through neutral while ign key is in START position.
If no worky, then either the electrcial portion of the ign switch is bad, neutral safety switch is bad, or N/S sw needs adjustment.
If test light lights up at the purple wire on starter solenoid, then need a new starter with solenoid. Remove & replace.
Attempt to start,
if no start, remove key from tumbler,
wait min 3 minutes and try starting again with the same key.
If starts, troubleshoot the tumbler socket in reading the key chip - two thin white wires on column harness.
If no PassKey, then jiggle shifter through neutral while ign key is in START position.
If no worky, then either the electrcial portion of the ign switch is bad, neutral safety switch is bad, or N/S sw needs adjustment.
If test light lights up at the purple wire on starter solenoid, then need a new starter with solenoid. Remove & replace.
I doubt it's number 1. That is all about a year old. Even had the electrical ignition box or whatever it's called replaced in steering column along with tumbler stuff. Day one, it acted like it was gonna crank. It turned over but wouldn't start. I'm just afraid that starter will need out and it was so hard for him last time. I think someone welded over the top of it when they removed the cat. If it jumps off, will that rule out anything? Doesn't it have to use it's own starter when being jumped?