I changed the alternator a month ago but the battery light came on recently and now the car won’t stay on
Had to keep getting a jump so i changed my alternator. A month later my battery light came on for the first time. It goes off when i rev the engine and comes right back on. I gt a new battery in February and new alternator in October. Car starts when i gt a jump but lights are very dim and car shuts off after a few minutes of being on. I cant keep dishing out money to fix this car. Please help.
My car has 300000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
The problem sounds like the alternator has failed and stopped charging. Your alternator should be tested to see if it is putting out any voltage and amperes to recharge the battery. You should also make sure the main cable off of the alternator is not shorted out between main fuse panel and alternator. Replace the alternator and retest the system after recharging the battery.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
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It is possible that the problems that you have been experiencing with the bad alternators have damaged the battery causing it to be weak. This would make the Battery Light come on. It is also possible that there is a problem with the fusible link or the alternator fuse for the charging system.
The alternator belt is the connection that interfaces the crankshaft and alternator together. If your car`s alternator belt isn`t working properly, your car battery won`t get the charge it needs for your vehicle`s electrical parts. With that, your car battery light will frequently be on to indicate such an issue.
Sometimes after a battery has been replaced there can be a few warning lights illuminated in the instrument cluster when the vehicle has been started. Most likely they will be a combination of the ABS, ESP and TCS lights however there may be others. The first thing to do is not panic – this is normal.
The message can reset by itself, but the car needs to sit undisturbed for at least eight hours. Perhaps with your work/driving schedule the car doesn`t sit long enough. Q: I have a headlight that is dim.
The red battery light could indicate a problem with the alternator, battery or other parts of the electrical and charging system in the car. It could be a minor problem such as a malfunction rectifier unit, blown fuse or cabling short circuit.
This sounds like there is a loose ground or a wire was not hooked up to the alternator correctly. Check all of the wiring when that was removed when the alternator and battery was replaced. Back track all of the connections and make sure that they are all tight and clean.
The fuse for your alternator could be blown as well. This will also cause the alternator to give a false reading. The wiring from the alternator to battery could be broken, have corrosion, or have a short; these things could also cause the problem you have.
The new battery does not have to be configured for the most current car models. Banner conclusion: No registration required; a check of the electrical functions after changing the battery is recommended.
What should you do if the battery warning light comes on? The first thing you should do is turn off any electrical systems in your car that you don`t need. That means turning off the stereo, air conditioning, heated seats and anything you may be charging in the car.
Like desktop computers and most other electronics, disconnecting the battery cable for a short period will not fully reset your ECU due to the residual power remaining in the circuits.
The question is, can a faulty alternator destroy a new car battery? The answer is that a bad alternator, does not always affect the car battery, especially if the battery is new. However, there are chances that the faulty alternator can kill your new battery.
Contrary to its purpose, an alternator can drain a battery. It`s rare, but it`s possible. A draw on the battery only occurs if there`s a problem with either a component in the alternator itself or connections to it.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
I changed the alternator a month ago but the battery light came on recently and now the car won’t stay on
ANSWER : The problem sounds like the alternator has failed and stopped charging. Your alternator should be tested to see if it is putting out any voltage and amperes to recharge the battery. You should also make sure the main cable off of the alternator is not shorted out between main fuse panel and alternator. Replace the alternator and retest the system after recharging the battery.
Car won’t start. The check engine light, battery light, and oil change light are coming on. I tried jumping the car and nothing happened. Why won’t my car start?
ANSWER : Hi and thanks for contacting Your Mechanic. If sometimes your vehicle will start with the new alternator and sometimes it won’t, then there is a loose connection in your charging system. Check all of the wires to the alternator and to the battery. Make sure that the battery cables are clean and tight. Make sure that the wires to the starter are clean and tight. A loose ground to the ignition system will cause the vehicle to not crank over. Check all of the ground wires from the battery to the starter. Make sure that they are clean and tight. If you need further assistance troubleshooting your no start situation, then seek out a technician, such as one from Your Mechanic, that can assist you.
2005 Chrysler 300C changed battery and alternator. Car started, ran, and then battery light came on. Shut car off and wouldn’t start.
ANSWER : Hi. There is a couple of things that could be wrong here. The battery or alternator that was just installed could be defective. Theses parts need to be tested for proper operation. There also could be a fuse, fusible link, or wiring for the battery or charging system that is blown or broken causing the battery light to come on.
The codes that you have will cause the car to shut down, run rough, or not start at all. The crankshaft sensor and camshaft sensor should be replaced. I suggest having a certified technician from YourMechanic come diagnose the charging system and check engine codes to help you proceed with correct repairs.
I have Chrysler 300c. Battery light came on, changed battery and alternator but power still getting drained and battery light still comes on.
ANSWER : Hi, thanks for writing in. This may be a sign of a failing starter relay. The starter relay is a small unit near the starter that directs power to the starter from the battery. When this fails, it may cause a clicking sound and will not allow the starter to engage the flywheel when you turn the key. I would suggest having a professional from YourMechanic come to your home to diagnose your starting issue to determine the solution to get you back on the road.
in my car battery warning light appearing while driving.so I have replaced both battery and alternater still light is on
ANSWER : As you may yourself have seen, there are many reports of this fault with the Civic, that is a battery or alternator is replaced only to have the warning light fail to extinguish despite checking every conceivable electrical possibility. Your only recourse is to have a certified mechanic go through that exercise with your car and that involves first attempting to "re-set" the light. If the warning light returns, the alternator output has to be carefully measured both loaded and unloaded. All terminal connections have to be verified including all grounds. Fuses have to be checked for integrity (continuity) and the possibility of shorts, in for example dash wiring, has to be checked. To request this repair, simply request an electrical components diagnostic and the responding certified mechanic will seek a resolution to this.
My car won’t crank and the check engine light, battery light and oil change light came on all at the same time.
ANSWER : Hi there. Quite often when a mechanical problem is discovered in the transmission or other critical parts of the vehicle, an error code will be created and stored in the ECU of the vehicle. This in turn illuminates your check engine light and in some case will activate a fail safe or "limp mode". This will restrict the speed to below 40 mph in most cases and is designed to allow car owners to safely drive to a dealership or auto repair center to have the code downloaded by a professional mechanic; which allows them to determine what caused the fault in the first place. It’s possible that what ever it was that caused the initial problem has broken and caused the car to not start now. The best way to start the diagnostic process is to have one of our mobile mechanics come to your location and complete a check engine light inspection. This will permit them to download the code that initially triggered the check engine light and determine why your car is not starting now.
Purchased a battery last November…Recently my battery light came on. Then now my car lost power and it won’t drive forward?
ANSWER : Hello, thank you for writing in. The warning light is indicating an issue with the charging system in general. This means the alternator may also be having issues keeping the battery charged. This also validates you issues while driving, as the alternator is what supplies the vehicle with power once the car is started. When all of the warning lights illuminate, it is because they all depend on the alternator’s electrical supply, and are not getting it. You can have the alternator tested on the vehicle, or remove it and have it bench tested. For more help with this, contact our service department to schedule an appointment.
Battery light stays on and overnight battery drain. 2006 Land Rover LR3
ANSWER : Hi there – yes, something is going on here that’s draining your battery. Perhaps the pressure of the engine wash dislodged wiring which has shorted, or there was a chemical reaction to the cleaning solution that caused electrical damage in the alternator or voltage regulator. These componnents can be checked off of the vehicle. Vehicle wiring can be diagnosed by connecting an ammeter to the positive (red) battery cable, observe the current drain (likely less than 1 amp), then, one at a time, remove each fuse, check to see if the current drain has dropped to near 0, then reinsert the fuse. This process should identify the faulty circuit in most cases. The specific components on that circuit can then be checked for current drain problems. A professional mechanic, like YourMechanic, can come to your location, and perform this procedure for you, and replace/repair the failing component.
