Do newer cars and trucks require the battery to run?

Question

My 05 Dodge Dakota died on my daughter. They could jump start it, but when she put it in gear, it would die. I had a shop tow it in, fearing the worst. My friend just had the computer go out on a dodge truck and it cost 1400.00.
They called me the next day and said it was fixed come pick it up. I asked what it was and was told they put a new battery in it.
They ran diagnostics on it [75.00] and thats what they came up with.
Between the tow, the diagnostics, and the new battery it was 250.00. I could have gotten a battery for 69.00 + core at wal-mart if I had known that was the problem. The dieing when put in gear was what made me call a shop. Older cars , after you started them, you could remove the battery and they would run.
Now all the engine components are controled by the computer.
Will a newer car not run without the battery?

Answer 1

Low battery condition slow the motor in gear and turn on the brake lights it can drop below 11 volts and the computers turn off. They will run with out a battery but don't do it. Lots od expensive electrical parts can be affected. I don't even reccomend jump starting. Buy one of those car starter boxes. some even have small air compressor and light. That $250 comes with a better warranty if the alternator fails tomorrow you tow it back and say why didn't you also replace the alternator. Your Dakota have to many miles for a pro-rata adjustment on battery? Extended Warranty would have paid the tow bill as would have AAA It is your Girl were talking about?

Answer 2

I've seen that "Nissan master technician" give the dumbest answers...

No, you don't technically need a battery to run your car. The battery just provides enough power to your starter to start your car. After that, the alternator takes over. Jump starting your car with another car or with a box does the same thing. They both send electricity to your battery to start your car. Electricity isn't discriminate on the way it is delivered. If it was your battery that was bad, your car wouldn't have died when you put it in gear. Older motorcycles didn't even used batteries. They had kickstarts. You can "kickstart" a car (if it is manual) if you roll it down a hill and pop the clutch. If your car dies again, you got taken for a ride by your mechanic.

For some reason when your computer goes bad on a chrysler you have to get a new computer. In a ford or chevy, they just reprogram your old one. I don't know why chrysler doesn't make reprogrammable computers.

Answer 3

your battery is only used too start the car. then the alternator takes over. Put a volt meter on the battery before you start it , it will read 12 volts. start the car it will read 13 to 14.5 volts which means the alternator is charging the battery and supplying the car with power. when you removed the battery the alternator was the primary source for power and that`s why it ran. That`s how you can diagnose it yourself next time.

Answer 4

Your starter could be undesirable or have a loose connection. after all it could ought to get replaced. You battery cables or spark plug wires can even have corrosion on the terminals this is blue/green in coloration. examine them, if that is so replace them, this might reason your automobile to run type of if not replaced. The corrosion motives not adequate electrical energy to attain the place that's assume to bypass. you might have particular lubricant positioned on the terminals to steer away from corrosion. this is offered at your community areas shop.

Answer 5

not really....they used to back in the 70s and into the 80s...but compuiters need correct voltage or thy go nuts affecting everything...running and shifting....sometime people think because their radio and lite work their bat is ok....Iv " "repaired" over 10 cars by cleaning bat connections or replacing battery...My own included

Answer 6

Mine uses cold fusion