I still dont know what is causing my battery to die?

Question

We checked the alternator, its not it. We purchased a new battery and the vehicle still dies out. It died out on me when I was driving, When I first started it, the battery gauge was half way, then when I started driving it it dropped slowly. All the lights were dimming out and the radio shut off. It started to lose power and finally it died rite out. We boosted the vehicle and It started rite away and as soon as I got going again it stated to lose power again and of course it died again. We had to do this 3or4 times just to get home.. Now it is rite dead, it does not even turn over.

Answer 1

A easy way to check if the alternator is working is with a simple volt meter. Place the voltmeter leads on the battery terminals prior to starting the vehicle...the voltmeter should show a reading of 12.5 to 12.7 volts. Have someone start the car, the voltmeter should read around 14.5 volts. If there is no change with the voltage after starting the car, it is a sign of a faulty alternator. You mentioned that you checked that alternator..what was your test procedure? If you benched tested it, I would double check your connections. I hope this helps with your headache

Answer 2

Check the battery connection on the starter solenoid, the battery connection to ground---and along the cables for any place that looks like corrosion has set in. Check to make sure that the tattle tail (ground wire ; small one off the battery cable to the frame) is still in good condition). If it was a battery by now , you would have smelled sulfur type smell from the battery. couple other things to check--the ignition switch, ignition relay, power distribution module----the fact that it is dyeing why going down the road, your loosing the radio, and the charging starts dropping shows to me that it is not a battery problem. .

Answer 3

Check the battery to see that maybe, even if ne might still be faulty. But im surprised that is not your alternator. Thats what charges you battery. So did you get a multi-meter to check the alternator while the lights were on and air-con running?

Answer 4

It's not what's causing your battery to die rather why isn't it getting charged. You are running on battery alone and eventually it will run dry. That's why you're not getting far after boost. Something is not right between alternator and battery if the alternator is for sure working.

Answer 5

Have you checked the alternator connections? make sure they're tight with no corrosion.

The only other thing that comes to mind is the belt. Check the alternator belt......or the serpentine belt if you have that instead of a separate alternator belt.

PS....Is this an older model car with a separate voltage regulator?

Answer 6

i own a repair shop,and id bet you have bought a bad battery for it,,either that or the alternator is completely out on it,,i have bought brand new battery's before and they would go out the first time i would start the car,,this is what it sounds like that is wrong with it,,if not you may have to have this one checked out real good ,i hope this help,s.

Answer 7

Check your ground cables, both from the engine to the frame and battery to the engine. Aside from that everyone else has pointed you in the right direction. A volt meter would help a lot.

Answer 8

What Kind of car????

Check you alternator Fuse, if its a ford look around(not in) in the fuse box for a flat fuse, if new alternator and check fine outside car and wires are fine then probably bad fuse or fusable link

Answer 9

Sounds like a loose / bad wire OR the battery wiring is shorting out ?

Answer 10

there are other things like wiring or even a blown fuse that can cause a car not to charge. need more info, like, is it a dodge with the regulator built into the computer. sounds like a charging problem though.