My Battery Was Dead This Morning . . .

[bdonkersgoed]

Hello Everyone,

I got in my car to drive to work this moringm and my battery was dead! I had to boost it with my brother's car :(

Anyways, the battery is a newer high-quality Canadian Tire battery with more crank than the original. I've had it in the car for about a year now.

I noticed my battery was pretty weak when I left work yesterday. When I went to start the car, there was little juice to crank the engine.

Does it sound like I have an alternator problem? I hope not, 'cause I just spent more than $2000 on the car in the last two months, and don't feel like more repairs :(

Thanks,

Bryan

[jkosasih]

Hello Everyone,

I got in my car to drive to work this moringm and my battery was dead! I had to boost it with my brother's car :(

Anyways, the battery is a newer high-quality Canadian Tire battery with more crank than the original. I've had it in the car for about a year now.

I noticed my battery was pretty weak when I left work yesterday. When I went to start the car, there was little juice to crank the engine.

Does it sound like I have an alternator problem? I hope not, 'cause I just spent more than $2000 on the car in the last two months, and don't feel like more repairs :(

Thanks,

Bryan

First of all is your battery light (inside the instrumental light) come on? check your fuse make sure your alt fuse is not blown, then check the alternator it self. To check the alternator the easy way, first before you crank the engine you check the battery volt by using the voltmeter, read howmuch volt is the battery, if it is over 12 that is a good battery, if it is below the 12 then go to the next job. Start the car (jump if you have too, but after it start don't forget to take the cable jump off) while the engine still running re-check again the reading on voltmeter to your battery, if the alternator is good it should read between 13-14 volts if it still read the same before the car start than your alternator is not good.

[mbpgawest]

jkosasih is on the right track. One thing to consider is that most batteries will only last 3-4 years. Sudden changes in weather can be the final blow to a battery. The first few days of summer with warmer temps or winter with cooler temps can effect the battery if it is on it's way out.

Please let everyone know what your results are. ;)

[mburnickas]

My Lexus Original battery only lasted till last week. Install date was 09-1997!

Got a new Red top and Boy, what a battery!

[bdonkersgoed]

Thanks fo the input guys!

Well, I am thinking that the problem is not the battery itself, since it is less than a year old. It is a Motormaster premium brand . . . should be pretty good. At least it comes with a free tow trunk jump starting if it dies (which I will probablyneed to use after work today :P )

I will definitely check the alternator using the above method when I take the car home tomorrow. I have a really good voltmeter there, and I believe it has an alternator checker that you can plug into the cigarette lighter . . . nto sure how well it works though.

I looked up the prices on used alternators, and at least they are not too expensive. About $75CAN will get me a used one.

Regards,

Bryan

[bdonkersgoed]

Yeah, I ended up using the free tow truck service . . .

Got in my car, and the battery was dead. I got a boost from the two truck and drove 30 kms and had to get gas. Pumped up and the battery was still dead! The battery should have recharged after 30 kms, shouldn't it?

Anyways, I got a boost from a lady in a Mustang, and I actually had to let my battery charge a bit before it would turn over. This shouldn't have been needed as I was just driving the car :(

So, it sounds like my alternator is fried. I checked the fuse and it was OK.

Is it posible that it is something more simple like wiring shorting out or something? The tow truck guy thought my alternator was OK because it was charging up his boosting apparatus after my car had started . . .

I am so confused! Please help! I took my motorcycle to work today so that I wouldn't have to worry about the battery . . .

Thanks,

Bryan

[jkosasih]

Yeah, I ended up using the free tow truck service . . .

Got in my car, and the battery was dead. I got a boost from the two truck and drove 30 kms and had to get gas. Pumped up and the battery was still dead! The battery should have recharged after 30 kms, shouldn't it?

Anyways, I got a boost from a lady in a Mustang, and I actually had to let my battery charge a bit before it would turn over. This shouldn't have been needed as I was just driving the car :(

So, it sounds like my alternator is fried. I checked the fuse and it was OK.

Is it posible that it is something more simple like wiring shorting out or something? The tow truck guy thought my alternator was OK because it was charging up his boosting apparatus after my car had started . . .

I am so confused! Please help! I took my motorcycle to work today so that I wouldn't have to worry about the battery . . .

Thanks,

Bryan

Bryan please don't drive the car unless you already test the alternator using the method that I've told you in the earlier post. It is really sound like alternator is bad. Anyway please response after you do the checking/fixing. PS: Please remember all the wire that you unplug and tight the belt.

[mburnickas]

Sure, test the alt and then the battery. check the battery before and after running the car. Also I would load test the battery.

My batteries always last a looooong time. GSXR1100 was 10 years, car was 7 to almost eight and tractor was 6 years (diesel)...jsut lucky I guess.

[bdonkersgoed]

I'm hoping that it is the battery, because it is still under warranty B)

Don't you guys find it weird that the alternator in my car was able to recharge the tow truck guy's boosting battery pack? If the alternator was bad, it wouldn't be able to charge the pack, would it?

Also, I did get a shock when I got out of my car yesterday . . . I actually got two shocks. I usually get one shock due to static buildup, but two? Could this meant hat I might ave smoe bad wiring somewhere? I was fiddling around with my wiring in the signl lights a couple of weeks ago . . .

Also, how long (driving) should it take for the alternator to recharge the battery?

Thanks for your help guys!

Bryan

[amf1932]

Also, how long (driving) should it take for the alternator to recharge the battery?

It could take a long time to bring a discharged battery up to full charge. This is assuming that the cells are in good shape.

Bring the car into Sears or someplace that has a 'Load Tester' to determine if the battery is bad.

[SKperformance]

you need a new ground to the battery

[amf1932]

you need a new ground to the battery

SK, How did you determine this fix???

[SKperformance]

common issue when the chargin system works and the batteries repeatedly fail.

Once changed it will be able to charge the battery properly again ,which is why the car runs fine but doesn;t start as the alternator keeps it going as usual.

Once replaced it will provide the charge back to the battery again.

It is comon to have the cable corrod under the battery tray where you don;t see it and it is attached.

[bdonkersgoed]

Well, here's the story:

First of all, I really do hate Canadian Tire service, and the only reason why I brought the car there was because the battery I had in the car was a Canadian Tire top-of-the-line Eliminator battery. I purchased this battery about 1.5 years ago, so it is still under warranty for another 1.5 years.

I brought the car into Crappy Tire to gt the battery tested. The techies check the battery, and find that there is some kind of plastic or something inbetweent the positive terminal and the battery cable. Also, the positive cable was supposedly a little loose. Anyhow, they told me that the battery was all charged up and the car was starting off of the battery again.

I pay my $24.00CAN for the testing and hop in my car to drive it out of the shop. Turn the key . . . no power!

So, I go back to the service desk adn tell an embarassed employee that the battery is still dead. His reply . . . "Oh, maybe I should have ran the full testing on the charging system and everything. What I did was just charge the battery and put a multimeter on it, and it looked OK". Well duh! I could have done that myself at home in no time flat! So, the car goes back into the shop to get the load and charging system checks done (which is what I thought they were doing in the first place).

I shop around in the store for 30 minutes and return to the service desk. The employee apologizes for his error, and tells me that the battery is indeed no good. He already installed a new battery under warrenty and my car is good to go. Oh, but wait, the load test costs $40.00CAN! And I had already paid $24.00CAN for the crap multimeter test before!

So, I complain a little, and say that I thought it was kind of stupid that I should have to pay for a test that I would not have needed if the battery (under warranty!) had never died! His reply, "oh, but the test doesn't just test your battery . . . it also tests your charging system." Big deal! I wouldn't have to have the charging system checked if my battery (under warrenty!) was functioning properly! :chairshot:

After a little while of politely stating my case (and I am not a vocal person by any means) he decided to charge me $13.00CAN for the second test, so the total bill comes to $37.00CAN. Also,the battery installation was free (which, IMO should be free anyways because I wouldn't have to install a new battery if the warranteed battery hadn't failed).

Oh well. $37.00CAN is a small price to pay to have a functioning battery again :) At least the battery hasn't failed yet since the new one was installed about 2 days ago.

Thanks for your help guys!

Bryan

[amf1932]

Too bad you didn't go to Sears to have your battery checked! They do a complete load test on your battery without any cost to you. ;)

[bdonkersgoed]

Well, it's just that I bought my battery at Crappy Tire, so I figured I should go there (in case the battery was crap, and it was). I thought the load testing was free, but apparently not

Anyways, Sears was too far away for me anyways. I live in a small town, and the closest Sears is 60 kms away. Besides which, I don't think any of the Sears around here has Auto Departments

Oh well, at least the whole situation is done and I have a functioning car again B)

Regards,

Bryan