Sunny_SI

I recently hooked up a used battery I picked up from a part out and my buddy whos car it was had no issues with the battery. Since yesterday ive been seeing the battery light on the cluster and yesterday my car died completely when i was at a mall. TODAY, my deck stopped working while i was driving so i was like wtf and decided to turn off my car and start it again at a red light. BAD IDEA! car ended up dieing on the spot and i ****in had to pay $50 to tow my car which was literally a minute away from home. Whats going on!?!?! Alternator? Please Help!

gixxer09

Process of elimination. Could be either Alternator OR the battery. Save yourself time and money. Take the battery to crappy tire. Get them to test it free. If it's good, get them to charge it up. (not sure but there is probably a charge for this as you aren't buying the mattery from them brand new) Then you know it's your Alternator. If you put in the newly charged battery and it keeps dying... then you know its your Alt.....

rick10

get someone to test your baterry , like the person above said , canadian tire can test your battery for free i believe...

I would also make sure your tighen the positive and negative terminals , I had a friend with the same problem and as it turned out he did not tighen the positive terminal ....

good luck

MPR

If there were no issues with your car or your friends car before hand, my guess is to clean the terminals as best you can and reinstall making sure the terminals are tight and making good contact.

Check your ground straps from the motor to chassis as well.

D.T.P

As Mike said, just clean the terminals, use some sandpaper to get all the crap off. Also, get the battery tested, that will help narrow down the problem.

Tyler412x

The problem is your alternator . When your alternator goes your car will run strictly off of the battery until it dies as well . the battery should be fine again once u charge it up but your alternator will need to be change. to test this if u can get it to run again pull off the negative battery cable and the vehicle should stay running just off of the alternator.

trunk_munkey

ok as usual really bad advise with some good stuff. Tyler is correct. Your car can (other than some new cars) run without a battery. Sooooo if stuff starts shutting off and then won't run...... see above

but if you cycle your battery you may find its done too.

MPR

Bad advice? I don't think so.

Process of elimination. Make sure the issue isn't something stupid and simple before you start replacing parts.

JDMej1

exactly. its called troubleshooting "trunk_munkey". the worst advice is to start throwing new parts at a car when you dont know the actual problem. get your battery charged THEN retested after to get the proper reading, or else they will test it, have to recharge it, then test it again to make sure its good or bad.. if they dont then their not doing properly. it could just use a good charge so do that before you start guessing and replacing parts

trunk_munkey

ah my point exactly...... eliminate the battery, if the car shuts off or has a hard time sustaining ignition its his alternator.

one nut to undo, you don't need to replace anything. Unless its what's at fault. Do you think I'm a dealership mechanic?

trunk_munkey

ah here we go hate on the guy with a better idea.... whatever, I've read very good advise from both you on other issues. Face it I have this one.

You don't even need to undo the battery, but most ppl do not own a multimeter but if you do. Measure the voltage on the terminal side of the battery. If it reads less than 13.4 volts its the alternator. The battery gets its charge from that piece of equipment. If you cycle the battery to the point it will not start a honda motor it causes major damage to the acid and the lead plates in the battery. Not saying you can't "boost" it again but it will never hold the same charge again. Let me know if you need anymore electrical advise.

trunk_munkey

sorry after reading my post the car needs to be running when you do the voltage test I refer to.

chris_v2

9/10 it's the alternator under your circumstance, but honda's (esp. 96-00) have a lot of shorting power wires underneath the manifold. I'd check resistance of the alternator power wire before replacement. Takes two seconds and is a very good test.

MPR

No hate, just don't appreciate the arrogant comment. "as usual, really bad advice with some good stuff".

If you have a good idea, just post it. There's no need for the other stuff.

megomaniac

I once read an article in the toronto star motors section, The took a dodge caravan to a canadian tire service depot with starting/ electrical problems.
Turns out they charge 800$ for the repairs.

Upon taking the van to canadian tire, the negative battery terminal was loosened.

I had a buddy with a mazada pickup that wouldn't start, first thing, pop the hood and wiggled battery cables, negative was loose.

Sunny_SI

All great advice. It was the alternator after all. I knew it was the alternator!

rick10

actually it is not really bad advice , since the op said the problem started right after she changed the battery...

I suspect the op did not tell the whole story , like the reason they changed the old battery ( it was probably drained already). The old battery is probably still good as it was the alternator after all...



You have some good advice , no need to make yourself feel superior to others , that's just childish