Mile High Posted September 19, 2004 Share Posted September 19, 2004 i've been driving around for about 5 days with my battery light on. with that said yesterday i stopped at a light and bam it died. my question to you mechanics is do i need a new alternater or a battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njsue Posted September 19, 2004 Share Posted September 19, 2004 Depends on certain things? How old is your battery? If the battery is fairly new, then its possible it could be your altenator. That same situation has happened to me, except my car was older. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mile High Posted September 19, 2004 Author Share Posted September 19, 2004 baterry is 3 years old. but, it powers a pretty powerful amp all year long as well. my buddy was able to give me a jump so i could get home. does that help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted September 19, 2004 Share Posted September 19, 2004 Do you have ADVANCED AUTO stores there? They'll check it out for free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mile High Posted September 19, 2004 Author Share Posted September 19, 2004 Do you have ADVANCED AUTO stores there? They'll check it out for free. 36627[/snapback] no, i'm in the middle of the mountains. if i want to go to the nearest one it's an hour and a half away. thank you though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njsue Posted September 19, 2004 Share Posted September 19, 2004 Is there a Sears in your area? They do pretty good work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CookieG Posted September 19, 2004 Share Posted September 19, 2004 There are alot of auto parts stores that will do free alternator testing. If you don't know how to do it yourself, take it to one of them. If the car died at a light, while it had been running, it very well could be the alt. as well as a bad or loose belt. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campy Posted September 19, 2004 Share Posted September 19, 2004 Since the battery idiot light was on for some time before it croaked, my guess would be a bad cell in the battery. But I'm no mechanic, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mile High Posted September 19, 2004 Author Share Posted September 19, 2004 Is there a Sears in your area? They do pretty good work. 36632[/snapback] um there is but it's one without a garage. it's like a mini store that only sells appliances and stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mile High Posted September 19, 2004 Author Share Posted September 19, 2004 There are alot of auto parts stores that will do free alternator testing. If you don't know how to do it yourself, take it to one of them. If the car died at a light, while it had been running, it very well could be the alt. as well as a bad or loose belt. Good luck 36633[/snapback] how do i check it myself? anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tux of Borg Posted September 19, 2004 Share Posted September 19, 2004 how do i check it myself? anyone? 36638[/snapback] You would need a DC Voltmeter. BTW this varies from car to car, but the alternator should test between 12-15volts. If you turn on your headlights and radio, you should still be getting a steady 12-15volts. You can also test your battery. This also varies from car to car... but you should get something between 12-13 volts. The best bet is to head down to autozone for a free test. They have the tools to be able to figure it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richjk21 Posted September 19, 2004 Share Posted September 19, 2004 It's your alternator .... Once your car is running, if the alternator is working you can disconnect the battery and it will keep running. When your alternator dies, the car will keep going for a few days, running off the battery until it gets too weak and then Bam your car dies. Like others said just about any parts store can verify it for you .... Pull it and take it in. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corp000085 Posted September 19, 2004 Share Posted September 19, 2004 by the sounds of it, based on the amp you described and how the car died on you, its the battery. Cars will either not start or will die suddenly, usually after the RPM's go down to idle, if its the battery. If the alternator fails, the car will slowly die on you. The lights will dim and eventually it will die alltogether. My wife has had good luck with the wal mart battery we got. They install it for free and its guarenteed. $60 i think... better your battery than your alternator though. Might want to look at the circuitry of how that amp is hooked up. I'm not an electrician, but i do know you can get stuff so it won't drain the battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frez Posted September 19, 2004 Share Posted September 19, 2004 Is there enough air in the tires? Don't forget to check your headlight fluid either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kegtapr Posted September 19, 2004 Share Posted September 19, 2004 The fact that your battery light had been on for awhile is a big clue. A circuit looks at the voltage that the alternator is producing, and turns the battery light on if it is low. The battery light indicates a battery charging problem. If the battery light comes on and stays on while you are driving you may have a broken alternator belt. Total failure of the alternator is another possibility. You can operate your car normally even though the battery light is on because your car can run off the energy stored in the battery. Your car will run fine until the battery goes dead. Have a mechanic check it out. Most will test it for free knowing they will get the repair work if there is a problem. If it was your alternator you may need a new battery now too depending on how old it was. Old batteries that get completely drained never really recharge and will end up dying shortly after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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