I need some help if you please....?

Question

Well, a couple days ago my hubby told me that the car wasn't working properly. The car kept shutting off until the battery just died. So then we went to the store, bought another one and put it on the car and it worked for like a couple hours. We shut off the car to go and eat and when we went back to the car, and it went back to the same state that it was before until it shut off and the new battery also died.

This car is a Plymouth Neon, 1995, manuel transmission.

What could be the problem and what can we do to solve it?
Will it be expensive?


Thanks Much

Answer 1

Was the charging system indicator light illuminated? Sounds like your alternator has failed which would cause your new battery to die as well. To replace the alternator on this car is pretty tight, so I would take it into a mechanic to have it replaced.

Answer 2

Everyone who posted sounds to have hit the right problem with the alternator. Just make sure the belt is still there, and it is tight enough to turn the pulley on the alternator. If it is missing, then you have a different problem, and will need to replace the belt. If the belt is too loose and you cannot tighten it, due to it stretching beyond it's limits, you need to replace it, due to it not being tight enough to turn the alternator pulley. You might want to check the electrical connections at the back of the alternator also. You will have a single wire that should be red, it should be connected to a terminal on the back of the alternator. This sends current to your battery to charge it. There will also be a single wire with a plug that is plugged into the alternator. Make sure this is also connected and in good shape. You did state that it was a manual transmission. Make sure when you park the car that you have not left the shifter in reverse to keep your reverse lights on. And in rare ocassions you can have a key off drain somewhere in the electrical system. Only way to find this out, is have a fully charged battery in the car and hook-up a multimeter to the positive and negative battery terminals. The battery cables to the car also need to be connected. (Check the cables also they will start to crack and if you have a bad battery that is emmitting toxic gases, the gases will start to corrode the copper wires that the battery cables are made of. If the positive or negative cable is corroded through, it will need to be replaced to send current or allow a ground for the vehicle) Let it sit for a couple of hours and re-check the multimeter to see if the voltage has dropped. Do not open the doors during this time, so the internal lights don't turn on to drain the battery. Sometimes, you need to let the car sit overnight to see if the voltage drops. Just make sure you use a dual band multimeter that uses both AC and DC voltage. If it has AC switch it to this to monitor the draw. If it has a draw, then it will take some troubleshooting time to find the problem. I'd suggest to take it to a local shop to find this problem. Good luck!

As for prices, alternators are not cheap when purchased new, yours can run around $184 or less + the time it takes to install. Most shops charge around $60 - $100 per hour. Average time to install the alternator can be anywhere from an hour or more. If the cost is too much, you might want to look into a refurbished alternator which can save you a considerable amount of money (sometimes half the cost) in which case you can pay to have it installed.

Answer 3

My bet is that your alternator is bad. the vehicle uses the battery to turn the starter which, in turn, starts the engine. Once the engine is running, the alternator is run via the belt. It produces the electricity that powers everything, whilst also recharging the power the battery expended to start the vehicle.

When your alternator quit, you ran off of the battery untill it ran out of juice, since it wasnt getting rechargred by the altrernator, it was only a matter of time.

The same thing happened with the new battery, ran untill it drained the battery. Replace the alternator, it is easy enough to do yourself, if you atre going to do it yourself, I suggest getting a Haynes Manual to walk you through it.

If not, it shouldnt be too expensive to have repaired. Once it is replaced, drive your vehicle for about 30 or 45 mins to replace the charge on the battery, just idiling wont do it fully. Hope this helps, Good luck.

Answer 4

The problem could possibly be your alternator. When the alternator goes out it starts draining power from your battery and all of the functions that battery does, making it seem like you need a new battery. This is a fairly common mistake, changing your battery other than your alternator, you just have to make sure that when your battery dies that it is not your alternator.
I'm sorry to say though, a new alternator costs around $200 or up, depending on the car.

Answer 5

i own a repair shop and you either have a bad alternator on it or you have a dead short in it,causing this to happen to it, that's the only thing that will kill a battery in that short of a time,you,ll need to take it a shop and have it checked they can probably find the problem for you in no time,but this will ruin the new battery if it keeps running it down like that ,good luck i hope this helps.

Answer 6

Sounds like your alternator is at fault it can rob power from
your battery if it goes bad. How much will it cost? I don't
Know if you are going to keep this car buy replacement
parts from AUTO ZONE they offer a lifetime guaranty
on their parts.P.S they can also check it for free.

Answer 7

Guess is the alternator - that's what keeps it charged.

Don't know what it is on a '95 neon, but hopefully not that awful.

Answer 8

you need to check your alternator thats what your problem is 100 percent

Answer 9

Probably alternator: read my article http://econofix.com/alt.html for test procedures

Answer 10

Alternator or you should check all your lights and doors. everything.