My car was running fine up until that point. Got a new battery after I took it back to them to have it looked at and now it's fine. As for my question, is it just a coincidence that my car wouldn't start directly after having an oil change? Hey, it could just be a bizarre coincidence, I'll give anyone the benefit of the doubt. I just wanted to get some input. And by the way, they didn't do batteries, I went down the street for the new battery. As for anything else - before I had the battery replaced, I checked the cables, they were snug. The guy at the auto parts store tested the battery - it didn't have much life to it. After leaving from getting the oil change the car drove fine - but I just had to drive down the street. I didn't leave the lights on. 2 hours later, the car won't start, got it jumped off. Car cut off at red light, got it jumped off again. It would stay idle in park, but not in drive with my foot on the brake. I can't think of anything else useful.
2007-03-01 11:03:26 · 7 answers · asked by vaslle 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
sounds like the alternator to me.. when you have a bad alternator the car will shut off once the charge from the battery is drained or even too low. The alternator recharges the batery and if it's not doing it's job effeciently enough and only putting a few amps back in the car will die after driving a while when it the battery gets low. The battery will test fine as there is nothing wrong with the battery but it's just not getting enough charge. Probably the same auto parts store can test your alternator right on the car to see how much charge it is putting out, but this can't be done on the car unless you have a fully charged battery.. They will have to charge the battery first then test the alternator unless you want to take the alternator out and they then can bench test it. These tests are usually free, but be prepared to buy an alternator if you need one..
Oh and to answer your question if the oil change place can do anything to mess up your charging system? Not likely unless they do something intentional.. simply changing the oil has no effect what so ever with the cars charging system..
2007-03-01 11:17:58 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Changing the oil alone would not create any of the symptoms you mentioned, unless the mechanic inadvertantly shorted something while he was working on your car.
Snug terminals does not neccesarily mean good electrical connections. Because 12V is a relatively low voltage, it doesn't take much of an oxidization build up inside the terminals to create a bad connection. Make sure that the terminals are clean by shining them up on the inside with a wire brush.
I would take the car back to where you bought the battery and have them perform a "leak" test. Remove one terminal and put an ampmeter in series between the battery and the terminal with evrything turned off. Caution, use the highest setting possible on the meter to prevent blowing it up and that the polarity is correct!
When you've hooked it up, back it down to a scale that is usable. Remember, opening the car door will turn on the internal lights and may over-current your meter at this setting!
You should see a maximum current flow of about 100 - 200 mA which will be the clock and other "stay-alive" circuits. If you see 1 ampere or more you probably have a short circuit somewhere. If not, the terminals are dirty, the battery was not dry charged properly, or the battery is bad.
2007-03-01 11:32:55 · answer #2 · answered by Gordon B 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
hi, it rather is Mark; you may or won't have greater desirable than one problem, so i'm going to take it one step at a time. a million) your battery replaced into ineffective so which you jumped it and the vehicle started. WHY replaced into YOUR BATTERY ineffective? Did you verify the batterys water or replaced into it a sealed battery. replaced into the battery over 4 years old. 2) you place yet another battery interior the vehicle. replaced into IT NEW OR USED....In todays vehicles you would be unable to easily say it rather is a ineffective battery, bounce it then replace it. there are a number of stuff that could properly be incorrect yet attempt this. turn on your headlights - if magnificent that's good, if yellow that's undesirable.....with the headlights on crank the motor.....look on the headlights while cranking ( 2 persons right here) magnificent good, yellow or off undesirable....My wager is it rather is yellow or off. If it rather is right, then sluggish fee the battery. A low greenback charger will do. Disconnect the floor in the previous you fee. A fee time of 12 hours is mandatory to hold a sparkling battery to finished fee. If this works and your vehicle startes and runs we then bypass to the subsequent step......mutually as the engine is working, take the NEG. battery cable off the battery. in case you vehicle keeps to be working thats good, if it turns off, now you have different issues and you have different issues to look into. With the intense mileage your ALT. could properly be your problem. even nevertheless it rather is a foul fuse. With the engine off and the battery has an entire fee, turn the ING. to on and verify the fuses. Your gentle fuses could properly be off and thats ok.....you may desire to get present day on the two facets of the fuse. After analyzing as much as now and you will't attempt or comprehend what I even have stated to do then stop. you may desire to get somebody who is familiar with what to do, or take the vehicle to a shop. in case you are able to persist with the learning as much as now, you may desire to have got here upon the undertaking. If no longer in spite of this take the vehicle to a shop.good success Mark
2016-09-30 02:07:53 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Coincidence, if the battery was around 5 years old then it was on it's way out. Average life of batteries are 5 years.
2007-03-01 11:11:28 · answer #4 · answered by wheeler 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No way to tell but I always mark stuff on my car with some indelible mark date and miles. When the service people see it they forget the funny stuff-- I might know something. how do you know they changed the oil - put a tape seal on the plug, date the filter, battery-- oh put a sticker from the police department on it. Get creative.
2007-03-01 11:13:50 · answer #5 · answered by sunny d 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
change the oil they store might have put the wrong oil try mobil,Pennzoil I think your car only takes 10w 30 but also find out if it can take 5w30 glad to help
2007-03-01 11:28:43 · answer #6 · answered by Mr E Double 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
if you havent got it looked at you need to check your ignition switch and if thats not it check your vacume lines
2007-03-01 15:05:01 · answer #7 · answered by j_airgood 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋