I have a 2002 Pontiac Grand Am SE. One day my battery just went dead so I bought a new one and in less that one day it went dead, could this just be bad luck with batteries or is there a more serious problem?
2007-02-14 15:22:10 · 14 answers · asked by Cpt Barnes 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
i own a repair shop,and you need to start looking for something that's staying on ,or drawing the power out of it,i don't think it would be two bad battery's ,but it could be,you can take it to a shop,and have them do a quick ,draw test on it to see if something is pulling the battery down on it,but for it to go dead that fast,id say your alternator is discharging,take it by auto zone or advance either one,will do,and have them do a check on it ,they can tell you if its the alternator or not,good luck,i hope this help,s.
2007-02-14 15:44:37 · answer #1 · answered by dodge man 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A new battery won't be able to last long if the Alternator is not recharging it properly. You can make sure that the battery cables are very clean and that there is no corrosion on the cables. These cables have a small bolt that goes through the Red and Black plastic terminals and connects to the battery. If these are corroded under the bolt you will not achieve a good ground to the frame of the car or the positive side of the electrical system to keep your battery charged. Use Baking Soda and water on these to clean up the corrosion if present. Always rinse these off liberally with water and dry before reinstalling. Start the car and if your car has a voltage meter gauge in the dash, look for 13 volts or so. Anything less than 12 volts is time to take it in for a check up.
2007-02-14 15:39:13 · answer #2 · answered by Timer2 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
u have 2 good answers so far alternator is likely so is a starter / silinoid it can give the impression of a dead battery
have it charged and put a voltage tester on the battery while u start it it should read at least 9 volts...
after it starts check voltage again it should read at least 13 volts an up to approx 14.5 volts this will tell if the alternator is charging !!
if the reading are correct then its not the battery
2/ with engine off dissconnect battery only one cable & if u have a little spark ... u have a short in the car that is draining the battery
2007-02-14 15:36:04 · answer #3 · answered by blazer 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There are 4 main possibilities.
1) Something in the car was left on overnight (interior light is the most common.)
2) There is a short circuit that is constantly draining your battery.
3) Your mechanic over-tightened your battery. The connection between the battery post and the internal lead plates is fairly fragile, and over-tightening, or yanking on the cables when seating them on the post, often snaps the connection.
4) Your alternator isn't charging the battery. You can drive with the battery supplying the spark, but it never lasts long.
2007-02-14 18:55:04 · answer #4 · answered by Me 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why would you buy a new battery before checking that it is properly being recharged? A simple voltmeter across the battery terminals should show more than 13 volts with the motor running. If not, then its the alternator. If your headlights are dim on idle and brighten up a lot with higher revs then your battery is not holding the charge and should be changed. There is also a possible current leak over night from some other electrical component. . Try disconnecting one battery terminal over night.
2007-02-14 15:41:03 · answer #5 · answered by Karnak 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
bad battery, check the cells on the battery to make sure there is water. Your alternator may be going bad....before replacing alternator check the brushes---sometimes thats all that is wroing and its cheaper to repair....then again, you could have a short in your electrical. Go to a mechanic to do an electrical check....you really cant do it unless you have the experience or tools....good luck
2007-02-14 15:31:29 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Check the alternator and your voltage regulator which may be one unit. The regulator isn't really hard to change, but most people just buy a whole new alternator and regulator as one unit.
2007-02-14 15:30:24 · answer #7 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
your alternator is shorting out and is draining you battery.take the car to an auto parts like pep boys or auto zone and they can check your alternator to see if it is any good
2007-02-14 15:38:50 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
recharge it and test your power voltage . 12 ,13,14, . start your car and test it , 12 ,13 ,14 ? . does it change alot ? check cables .your local parts store can test the whole system .autozone checks this free .
2007-02-14 15:37:33 · answer #9 · answered by martinmm 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you're not car savvy, you need to take it to a mechanic, as that is not normal.
If you are car savvy, it sounds like it could be your alternator.
Or maybe you left a light on somewhere...
2007-02-14 15:31:50 · answer #10 · answered by Raising6Ducklings! 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋