Intermittent low battery voltage?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 46
From: Lynchburg, VA
Intermittent low battery voltage?
This is so weird. I was enjoying a drive through the Redwoods, and my DIC battery light popped on. I didn't think anything of it at first, because I'd noticed it flickering at times before, like right after starting the car.
However, I soon began to realize my battery was actually low. Windows were slow to go up and down, locks were especially sticky, and my dash started dimming.
My battery is brand new, and my alternator is fairly new, so I couldn't figure out why I'd be having problems.
Once I parked it, I didn't even try to start it, because I knew it wouldn't crank. We took my dad's truck into town from our campsite to get some jumper cables to charge it with the truck's alternator. The cables had a voltage reader, which I was surprised to show 12.3v on my battery. Just for kicks, I tried to start my car, and it fired right up, without cranking even slightly slowly. However, battery voltage didn't jump up when it started, which seemed abnormal.
I'm really confused what's wrong, and I gotta make a 6hr drive home tomorrow morning, so I'd love any help you guys could give!
However, I soon began to realize my battery was actually low. Windows were slow to go up and down, locks were especially sticky, and my dash started dimming.
My battery is brand new, and my alternator is fairly new, so I couldn't figure out why I'd be having problems.
Once I parked it, I didn't even try to start it, because I knew it wouldn't crank. We took my dad's truck into town from our campsite to get some jumper cables to charge it with the truck's alternator. The cables had a voltage reader, which I was surprised to show 12.3v on my battery. Just for kicks, I tried to start my car, and it fired right up, without cranking even slightly slowly. However, battery voltage didn't jump up when it started, which seemed abnormal.
I'm really confused what's wrong, and I gotta make a 6hr drive home tomorrow morning, so I'd love any help you guys could give!
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 39
Likes: 4
From: West Seneca NY
This is so weird. I was enjoying a drive through the Redwoods, and my DIC battery light popped on. I didn't think anything of it at first, because I'd noticed it flickering at times before, like right after starting the car.
However, I soon began to realize my battery was actually low. Windows were slow to go up and down, locks were especially sticky, and my dash started dimming.
My battery is brand new, and my alternator is fairly new, so I couldn't figure out why I'd be having problems.
Once I parked it, I didn't even try to start it, because I knew it wouldn't crank. We took my dad's truck into town from our campsite to get some jumper cables to charge it with the truck's alternator. The cables had a voltage reader, which I was surprised to show 12.3v on my battery. Just for kicks, I tried to start my car, and it fired right up, without cranking even slightly slowly. However, battery voltage didn't jump up when it started, which seemed abnormal.
I'm really confused what's wrong, and I gotta make a 6hr drive home tomorrow morning, so I'd love any help you guys could give!
However, I soon began to realize my battery was actually low. Windows were slow to go up and down, locks were especially sticky, and my dash started dimming.
My battery is brand new, and my alternator is fairly new, so I couldn't figure out why I'd be having problems.
Once I parked it, I didn't even try to start it, because I knew it wouldn't crank. We took my dad's truck into town from our campsite to get some jumper cables to charge it with the truck's alternator. The cables had a voltage reader, which I was surprised to show 12.3v on my battery. Just for kicks, I tried to start my car, and it fired right up, without cranking even slightly slowly. However, battery voltage didn't jump up when it started, which seemed abnormal.
I'm really confused what's wrong, and I gotta make a 6hr drive home tomorrow morning, so I'd love any help you guys could give!
Good Luck finding your issue!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 6,942
Likes: 1,490
From: New Jersey
The easiest way to confirm the dash reading is to turn on as much as possible and check the voltage at the battery. If it isn't charging according to the dash then bat voltage will be under 13. If you're seeing something above 13 with everything on, you have a connection issue between the dash and battery. Imo I use the dash in mine as a reference because it reads quite a bit lower than the actual battery voltage. It isn't uncommon for a weak alternator to be okay with nothing on then when a load is added to just nosedive. I've had brand new alternators be crap out of the box so now I rebuild my own when possible.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 46
From: Lynchburg, VA
Got it! Tried the battery terminals, but they were already tight, so I set out heading south in hopes that my battery would last me long enough. Not long at all after, my battery light came on, and I began to notice the effects of low battery (even my turn signals we're blinking slowly). Took it to an O'Reilly, and the alternator tested bad. Swapped it out in the parking lot, and I'm good to go!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 46
From: Lynchburg, VA
Scratch that. Made it a couple hours down the road, and my voltage dropped like a rock. Tach is going crazy, blinkers are slow, and "service ABS" is illuminated. Just pulled into O'Reilly for another alternator check.
Any thoughts, guys?
Any thoughts, guys?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 46
From: Lynchburg, VA
Figured it out. The alternator battery wire was a bit damaged near the connector on the end, which was causing it to get very hot, which in turn cooked the alternator. Cut off the tip, added a new eye, and problem solved. What a pain.
Last edited by C4ProjectCar; Aug 6, 2018 at 02:05 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,429
Likes: 605
From: Minneapolis Mn
Just saw this today, sorry didn't pass this along sooner.
