what is wrong with my car?

Question

okay this is what happens if i stop using my car for about two days the batterry dies and i charge it again and it works fine after that but i cant leave it parked for more than a day because it wont start and i have to hook it up to another car to give it a jump i already replaced the alternador because i thought it was this but it still does it if i use it everyday it starts good but if i leave it parked for more than a day it wont start again please someone help me

Answer 1

this is an awsum question becouse alot of ppl automaticly asume the battery as being dead or having a dead cell. heres a couple of POSSIBLE cheap tests you can do b4 that friendly sears tech guy sells you a whole new charging system

#1. check voltage of standing battery should be between 9.5 to 12.8 volts (under 10 is pushing it tho proly wont start your car)

#2a. take a v meter and place one lead to either post and take the other and place it all over the top over the battery(this is known as a parasitic drain what happens is youll get a little bit of battery acid on the top of the battery and will make a connection bettween the posts usualy wont be more than.1 of a v if battery is kept clean but if you dont it can get as high as 3 volts which will more than likely kill your battery if left for a day or 2) this is the one most ppl miss and they end up buying a new battery for no reason. to clean it off just remove neg battery cable and pos battery cable and clean with battery cleaning spray(follow instructions on the bottle)

#2b. same preciduer as 2a but if using a test ligh, and it lights up noticibly, make sure to clean off the battery
#3 like some other ppl said check for paricitic drain in the system but that doesnt realy help you much becouse unless you have backround in working on a 12v dc system i wouldnt recamend doing work on your system(very possibly you could fry you pcm)

#4 go out and buy a hydromiter from any parts store for like 5 buck and test the cells in your battery. if you have a ventless battery it wont work. heres how you do it. first disconect negative battery cabble. remove vent caps and place hydromiter in cell and remove some of the fluid. if in the red add "DISTILED WATER"
#4. check battery post's, cables, and teminals. what to check for is any white cruty oxidation or rust on the posts cables and terminals. if the posts are dirty clean them of with a post brush(looks like a big thimble with prikles in it) and battery cleaning spray. if terminals have any rust or oxidation replace them you can do it your self with a wrench and there available at wallmart(IMPORTANT- when ever your doing battery work always remove the ground first then the positive and the ground goes back on last.). as for the cables you should probly have a tech replace that for you.

hope i was able to save you some moola

Answer 2

As the others have posted, first get your battery tested. To properly test the battery, it should be removed from the car, and fully charged first. After the battery has been fully charged, remove the surface charge. To remove surface charge the battery must experience a load of 20 amps for 3 plus minutes. Turning on the headlights (high beam) will do the trick. After turning off the lights you are ready to test the battery. If the battery checks out good, then you have a current drain somewhere. A common current drain is an improperly installed aftermarket stereo, especially if you have an amp. If you have an amp, make sure that it turns off when you turn the ignition off!

Answer 3

If you have replaced the alternator, then that is a problem we can eliminate. Seeing that you had to replace that alternator, I'm assuming that you kept the same battery that was in place when the bad alternator was in your car.

I would honestly say that you probably have a dead cell in your battery. It may take a charge to some degree, but when your car has pulled a charge from it, your new alternator is just not replacing that charge completely. Then when the car sits, the battery naturally drains some more.

I would suggest that you purchase a new battery.

Answer 4

Like Mikey and frank f have said. You didn't get the whole story. There is NO WAY the police or anyone but the owner of the car is going to have to pay for damages and like stated here is why. If spikes are used on a vehicle, it was most likely in a pursuit. This means that the driver is breaking the law for not pulling over. (Even if it was the wrong car) At this point the driver is going to be arrested and is committing a crime. The police use spike strips to stop the vehicle, and driver is arrested. Any damage to the vehicle that is caused is the responsibility of the driver or owner at this point.

Answer 5

ok if you take the negative cable off your battery and connect a test light between the neg post and the cable if the test light comes on you have a neg. draw on your system which begs the question do you have alot of after market crap hooked up ie amps,cbradio or any of that stuff when you close the doors does your dome light go out either something is pulling on your battery or your battery is junk have it checked for free at any auto patrs store and get back with us

Answer 6

This is a battery problem and not an alternator problem from the beginning.Good make batteries have at least one year life.Replacement of the battery will solve the problem.

Answer 7

You need a new battery. It is losing charge becaue it needs to be replaced. Between the cold and the inactivity the worn battery loses charge.

Answer 8

you could have a drain or short somehwere, sum electrical component is staying on after ur car is off, first off buya good battery, best batteries in the world are the OPTIMA series they cost more, but are worth it they last forever, if youve replaced ur alternator, u may have gotten a defective one? but i would assume theres a drain somewhere in ur system, if there are any new components in ur vehicle i wud check those first, if not.... good luck finding it, also if its extremely cold where u live, that effects b attery life..... buy the optima battery... you won't regret it

Answer 9

Bad battery, A dead cell most likely from the cold.

Answer 10

THe battery is bad 2 dead cells in battery