weird battery issue???
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 7,201
Likes: 0
From: DP(oh you know where) IL
St. Jude Donor '06
weird battery issue???
Ok, just got home and when I start the car up and pull away from the parking lot, the abs and traction control warnings come on with the lights. Meanwhile my battery voltage drops to 11.2-11.5.
About a mile down the road I pull into a gas station and turn the car off and check the battery connections. Seem fine and tight. Turn car back on and the abs, traction control light back up. Now the battery voltage is jumping from 16 all the way down to 11.2. Really weird, its up at 16v for a few min, then drops down to 11.2 quickly. along with the check gauges light on and the high voltage warning on. Then down to 11.2. Every couple minutes, it just floats back and forth.
What the heck is goin on? Help
About a mile down the road I pull into a gas station and turn the car off and check the battery connections. Seem fine and tight. Turn car back on and the abs, traction control light back up. Now the battery voltage is jumping from 16 all the way down to 11.2. Really weird, its up at 16v for a few min, then drops down to 11.2 quickly. along with the check gauges light on and the high voltage warning on. Then down to 11.2. Every couple minutes, it just floats back and forth.
What the heck is goin on? Help
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,114
Likes: 4,138
From: Kannapolis NC
Try reaching down beside the battery box by the exhaust manifold and wiggle the large red wire going to the starter post. If you see any movement, the post may be burned inside the starter (or the nut could be loose). Other things will cause this, including bad alternator, battery, and grounds, but I've found two lately that had bad starter connections that exhibited the same symptoms you describe. One guy replaced the alternator and battery and still had the problem. I went by and wiggled the wire and the post pulled out of the starter completely. He flatbedded to the dealer and had the starter replaced. All ok now. He was on a road trip when the problem began. His voltage would go to 15.5 and fluctuate up and down as low as 11v. If he ran air, fans, lights, he could keep it close to normal range. Give it a try and post what you find.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Check the field connection on the alternator, then the red wire on the starter. Follow that wire up to the battery. Make sure there all tight. If there good, check the other connector on the alternator. That actually controls the voltage. Make sure the terminals inside the connector are clean and tight. make sure the male pins inside the alternator are clean.
BC
BC
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 7,201
Likes: 0
From: DP(oh you know where) IL
St. Jude Donor '06
Thanks as well Bill. I think I found it. It was/is a loose connection at the starter from the battery. I will check the other connections as well. But after I followed the starter one and saw that it was loose. I tried to tighten it up but couldn't get a racthet or anything in there except the socket and extension. I tried to tighten it as best as I could by hand. After getting the car back down, started it up and no issues that I saw last night. At least I think its not a loose post, but just a loose connection there.
Thanks for the help guys, it seemed to have fixed my issue. I was really starting to freak out last night thinking that I won't be able to make it home.
Thanks for the help guys, it seemed to have fixed my issue. I was really starting to freak out last night thinking that I won't be able to make it home.
Good job man, I had the same problem, but didnt' find it till it melted the plastic around the starter stud. had to replace it.
