WTF - Alternator or Dead Battery? Help!
08-21-2009, 09:08 AM
#41
Newbie - Just Registered
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 1
I've had the same problem and from my experience its not the battery nor the alternator... check yo starter... everything electrical would come on but the car just wouldnt start.. when i took apart my starter i found the problem... replaced the starter and had no problems since...
08-24-2009, 07:30 PM
#42
Newbie - Just Registered
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 7
I had my car quit today and I jumped it off and as soon as we unhooked the jumper cables it died............but the weird thing is that I never got any kind of warning light on the dash..............don't they have some kind of charging light.
08-24-2009, 07:43 PM
#43
When your alternator is dying I THINK the indicator lights are ABS & battery at the same time, but I could be mistaken. Yours might have died too quick. Time to get out some wrenches.
09-22-2009, 10:28 AM
#47
sorry to bring this thread back, but got the same problems with 2k max, but mine problem has a little twist.
about two days ago, after driving back from L.I. I noticed that the car was struggling to start, but would start, and ran fine. First thought was battery, but the battery is new about 3 to 4 months old a diehard gold. Checked the fluid levels of the battery they seemed a little low, re-filled and leveled them off. Checked the terminal posts both are clean, made sure that they were secured. Car still struggled to start, drove the car for about 20 minutes and parked in my local garage. Turned the car off, then tried to re-start, the car wouldnt turn over. I have the car in OEM shape no mods, original sound system. I have about 91K on the car, I am the second owner. Never got any indications of bad alternator, no flickering lights, nothing dimming. I also have a voltmeter that I run from my cigarette lighter, when the car was running it was holding a charge at 14.4v even with headlights on. Now when I attempt to start the car the lights on dash come on bright, but car doesnt turn over, no clicking as if it was either starter or very low battery. I attempted to jump start my car with another running car still wouldn't start. I drive the car only 2 days out the week, so not a everyday driven car. Have seen other threads leaning towards the alternator. This would be the OEM one also. Even if my alternator was bad I assume that the car would start, it may not properly re-charge the battery but would run? Some thoughts would help.. thanks in advance.
about two days ago, after driving back from L.I. I noticed that the car was struggling to start, but would start, and ran fine. First thought was battery, but the battery is new about 3 to 4 months old a diehard gold. Checked the fluid levels of the battery they seemed a little low, re-filled and leveled them off. Checked the terminal posts both are clean, made sure that they were secured. Car still struggled to start, drove the car for about 20 minutes and parked in my local garage. Turned the car off, then tried to re-start, the car wouldnt turn over. I have the car in OEM shape no mods, original sound system. I have about 91K on the car, I am the second owner. Never got any indications of bad alternator, no flickering lights, nothing dimming. I also have a voltmeter that I run from my cigarette lighter, when the car was running it was holding a charge at 14.4v even with headlights on. Now when I attempt to start the car the lights on dash come on bright, but car doesnt turn over, no clicking as if it was either starter or very low battery. I attempted to jump start my car with another running car still wouldn't start. I drive the car only 2 days out the week, so not a everyday driven car. Have seen other threads leaning towards the alternator. This would be the OEM one also. Even if my alternator was bad I assume that the car would start, it may not properly re-charge the battery but would run? Some thoughts would help.. thanks in advance.
09-22-2009, 02:58 PM
#48
...Never got any indications of bad alternator, no flickering lights, nothing dimming. I also have a voltmeter that I run from my cigarette lighter, when the car was running it was holding a charge at 14.4v even with headlights on. Now when I attempt to start the car the lights on dash come on bright, but car doesnt turn over,
no clicking as if it was either starter or very low battery.
Last edited by Max_5gen; 09-22-2009 at 03:00 PM.
09-23-2009, 09:36 AM
#49
sounds like starter but:
. It consists of Interlock clutch relay for MT car or Neutral position relay for AT, 'magnetic switch' which is part of the starter motor assembly and starter motor itself. To check the starter motor you could put some thick copper piece between 2 posts on the starter motor to imitate magnetic switch engagement. Don't do it for too long - fraction of a second is enough. If you hear the starter spin you can try to apply battery voltage to the switch control contact. This should make it click and starter spin. If all of the above works then you proceed to whatever relay is supplying the magnetic switch control signal but I bet you'll find your problem earlier.
. It consists of Interlock clutch relay for MT car or Neutral position relay for AT, 'magnetic switch' which is part of the starter motor assembly and starter motor itself. To check the starter motor you could put some thick copper piece between 2 posts on the starter motor to imitate magnetic switch engagement. Don't do it for too long - fraction of a second is enough. If you hear the starter spin you can try to apply battery voltage to the switch control contact. This should make it click and starter spin. If all of the above works then you proceed to whatever relay is supplying the magnetic switch control signal but I bet you'll find your problem earlier.
ok I do have a m/t so leave everything connected as is and attempt to brigde the post with the copper wire to imitate the magnetic switch? Last question a simple one but need to ask i should also have the key in ignition and turned on to position 2 the one right before the " engine start " position? Thanks for the input!!!
09-23-2009, 11:07 AM
#50
ok I do have a m/t so leave everything connected as is and attempt to brigde the post with the copper wire to imitate the magnetic switch? Last question a simple one but need to ask i should also have the key in ignition and turned on to position 2 the one right before the " engine start " position? Thanks for the input!!!
09-23-2009, 02:35 PM
#51
Alternator and probably now, because of that, a bad battery. Batteries don't like to be drained down like that, they usually won't last much longer. You could get another year out of it, but I would wait and take it back "under warranty." Wherever you bought it from doesn't need to know you alternator went bad.
09-23-2009, 02:45 PM
#52
Alternator and probably now, because of that, a bad battery. Batteries don't like to be drained down like that, they usually won't last much longer. You could get another year out of it, but I would wait and take it back "under warranty." Wherever you bought it from doesn't need to know you alternator went bad.
BTW, draining battery won't kill it, overcharge - will (approx 8-12 month). Bad starter draining too much cuurent at start will kill it even sooner (6 months) but I have to see one on the Maxima yet. Undercharging battery will bring car to stop much earlier than any damage to the battery can happen.
09-24-2009, 06:09 AM
#55
I don't want to sound harsh but you have to have reasons to send OP on the wild goose chase. He went into trouble of measuring voltage with the engine running, tried to jump start the car and you still think it is alternator? I'm at loss, sorry.
BTW, draining battery won't kill it, overcharge - will (approx 8-12 month). Bad starter draining too much cuurent at start will kill it even sooner (6 months) but I have to see one on the Maxima yet. Undercharging battery will bring car to stop much earlier than any damage to the battery can happen.
BTW, draining battery won't kill it, overcharge - will (approx 8-12 month). Bad starter draining too much cuurent at start will kill it even sooner (6 months) but I have to see one on the Maxima yet. Undercharging battery will bring car to stop much earlier than any damage to the battery can happen.
Not sending him on a wild goose chase, he asked for help. I'm giving him what should be the problem.
Read up on batteries a little, pay attention to completely drainging them and the effects and report back.
BTW, re-read his first post. If thats not a alternator
then I'll eat crow. I like chicken better, but hey.
09-24-2009, 07:54 AM
#56
You didn't sound harsh, just inexperienced. I have had trouble and reading voltage, even at the dealership, they couldn't find the problem. Imagine that. The only reason I was there was to get the work done under warranty for free. They only believed me that there was a problem when I made them turn the car off and wait, because with everything they were testing voltage, load, everything showed good. When they did it my way they found out they were wrong. The alternator can show its charging, the battery can show its got good voltage and when you turn it off the car still won't start. My point is unless the componenet dies completely, you could she good readings at one time and still drive off with the problem.
Not sending him on a wild goose chase, he asked for help. I'm giving him what should be the problem.
Read up on batteries a little, pay attention to completely drainging them and the effects and report back.
BTW, re-read his first post. If thats not a alternator then I'll eat crow. I like chicken better, but hey.
Not sending him on a wild goose chase, he asked for help. I'm giving him what should be the problem.
Read up on batteries a little, pay attention to completely drainging them and the effects and report back.
BTW, re-read his first post. If thats not a alternator
then I'll eat crow. I like chicken better, but hey.
09-25-2009, 10:19 AM
#59
I was referring to the post #47 just to make sure we're talking about the same case as OP of this thread had completely different issue. If you're also referring to the same sub- thread started at #47 then I don't know where it is related to the battery/alt. If you're actually responding to OP which probably took care of it over last 2 years then I apologize for my misunderstanding.
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