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ryneil21 · May 15, 2007, 12:21 PM

My battery light came on two days ago and today my radio started shorting out on my 45 minutes drive to work whenever I hit the brakes. When I parked it, I turned the car off and immediately tried to turn it back on only to hear clicking. The starter wasn't even trying to catch. Went out and tried it a few hours later and the car started up but it sounded like the battery was very strained. Then I turned it off and immediately start it again only to have the same thing happen to me.
I don't know if it is my alternater, battery, electric... please help

Ryan

TxGreaseMonkey · May 15, 2007, 12:28 PM

Sounds like you need a new battery. Make sure all connections are clean. See if this helps:

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/cars-t...tml#post235560

buddanicholson101 · May 17, 2007, 06:00 AM

Originally Posted by ryneil21

My battery light came on two days ago and today my radio started shorting out on my 45 minutes drive to work whenever i hit the brakes. When i parked it, i turned the car off and immediatly tried to turn it back on only to hear clicking. The starter wasnt even trying to catch. Went out and tried it a few hours later and the car started up but it sounded like the battery was very strained. Then i turned it off and immediatly start it again only to have the same thing happen to me.
I don't know if it is my alternater, battery, electric... please help

ryan

Probably just your alternator unless you have never replaced the battery but I think that it is the alternator not keeping the battery chareged but I could be wrong, replace the cheaper part first and then the other, when or if you replace the alternator don't forget to pull the driverside tire off it will make it easier to get to.

Stratmando · May 19, 2007, 07:37 AM

Charge Battery or Use good Battery that will Start Car.
Measure Voltage at battery. Start car, with car running, measure voltage. Did voltage go up?(13.5 to 14.5) car charging. No increase, Alternator or related wiring.
Basically 1 of 3 problems. Battery, Alternator/wiring, or Drain.
DC clamp on Ampmeters work great for this. Old days, and still you can use bulb between disconnected battery cable. Remove fuses an alternator wiring until bulb goes out. Install fuses that didn't light bulb, fuses that light bulb have a load. There are circuits that require constant power(clock, radio,etc)
The Amprobe is great for showing charge or discharge. (Positive or negative current flow)
Clamp on wire opposite way if when car sitting(not running)turn on headlights(shows positive flow? Reverse.

rosepedal · May 19, 2007, 10:07 AM

If you can get the car to an auto electric business by charging the old battery or putting a new one in they can test your system for you and they shouldn't charge that much we charge $25 and I live in a tourist town. Then you'll know what the problem is and if you've caused any damage to the starter by trying to start it with a low battery. It sounds like its your alternator but it could be your battery if you've left it without driving it or let it discharge too many times. Either way its not good to start it with a low battery or drive it with a bad battery. FYI: it can be a lot cheaper to get the alt rebuilt than get a new one and most places give out a warranty and they're just as good.

chubby · May 19, 2007, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by ryneil21

My battery light came on two days ago and today my radio started shorting out on my 45 minutes drive to work whenever i hit the brakes. When i parked it, i turned the car off and immediatly tried to turn it back on only to hear clicking. The starter wasnt even trying to catch. Went out and tried it a few hours later and the car started up but it sounded like the battery was very strained. Then i turned it off and immediatly start it again only to have the same thing happen to me.
I don't know if it is my alternater, battery, electric... please help

ryan

There is a few things that could wrong the alternator probably not charging the battery , so check your connection on the alternator , or you can go to a shop for them to check it out, it should not be expensive its just a tester hook up to you battery to tell if the charge is high , another factor could be you starter going are you hearing a click when starting .