help! :(

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Jul 15, 2010 | 04:23 AM

mjtiguez28

Thread Starter

Teching In

Joined: Feb 2010

Posts: 13

Likes: 0

From: Cecil County, MD

help! :(

so i was coming home from work one day and all of the sudden my volt gauge starts going down below 8 , everything electric started shutting off , first traction control , radio lights etc .and while getting close to home my car completly dies , so i figured it was an alternator and purchased a new one .

tight on money i went to NAPA and got a new one , idk if thats good or bad

put in the new alternator and everything was good for ehh about 30 miles . and the same thing happened again .

so i got a new battery thinking because my alternator went up my car was running purely on battery and i killed it.

drove around today after coming home from vacation and the same thing !!!

its driving me up a wall

i did however before this all started happening hardwire my radar detector to my radio fuse , idk if this could have anything to do with it.

and new headlights

ccfl halo projectors w/8000k HIDS, but that would have anything to do with it

i did notice that once the car gets low past the 8 , when things start shutting off , that i turn my car off , and put it on the run posistion my battery gauge goes back to 8-9 . but wont start

could it be an alternator? its not throwing any codes

ty for your help

Jul 15, 2010 | 06:35 AM

DVS99TRANS

TECH Fanatic

iTrader: (7)

Joined: Nov 2005

Posts: 1,169

Likes: 1

From: E City,NC & Newark,DE

I would make sure they gave you the right part for one and get it checked/tested that it's doing what its supposed too. I would also check your wiring to the the alternator after that. If that wiring is fried and your car is inconsistantly or isn't running off the alternator, that would destroy that new battery you just bought. It is going to be a major PITA but I would start there and verify the wiring is good first along with fuses. I would be cautious about running something on the radio fuse only because it does go hand in hand with the security features and light settings for your car through the PCM. But that shouldn't be causing this problem by the sounds of it, could be causing a power draw though. Best thing to do in any electrical troubleshooting is to get the car back to OEM config if possible and go at it from there if the problem persists. I work on aircraft wiring for a living (yes I'm a dork, kinda), this **** gets old but fun lol. Also look for corrosion on grounds too, look at the easy stuff before you dive head first bro.

I looked up your previous posts to see if I could find mods done to the car. I saw that you have a system in there too, disconnect it also so you know there isn't a power draw coming from it. Also saw your from Cecil fella, I'm from Newark and have to been Cecil many a times

If I was in the area I would come over to give you a hand but I am up in Kodiak Alaska of all places, sorry bro.

Mike

Last edited by DVS99TRANS; Jul 15, 2010 at 06:41 AM.

Jul 15, 2010 | 11:17 AM

5.3LJimmy

10 Second Club

iTrader: (10)

Joined: Jun 2004

Posts: 2,279

Likes: 1

From: Napoleonville, LA

You need to check hot and ground cables and connections. It sounds like a poor connection at the battery or maybe at the ground to the block.

Jul 15, 2010 | 12:06 PM

mjtiguez28

Thread Starter

Teching In

Joined: Feb 2010

Posts: 13

Likes: 0

From: Cecil County, MD

just wondering , when i picked up my alternator its only 105 amps . is that enough to power a system radar detector hids and halos?
i know it sounds stupid , but im gonna go test my alternator at autozone . then come back and test all my connections , like you said go back to oem and go from there

ty for the help ill keep you guys updated

Jul 15, 2010 | 12:22 PM

5.3LJimmy

10 Second Club

iTrader: (10)

Joined: Jun 2004

Posts: 2,279

Likes: 1

From: Napoleonville, LA

I'm not sure how much current draw the HID's have but the radar det. might be 2-3 amps. A good way to tell is to look at the fuses that power the lights. If it has a 10 amp fuse then you know it can't draw more than that.

Jul 16, 2010 | 06:44 PM

mjtiguez28

Thread Starter

Teching In

Joined: Feb 2010

Posts: 13

Likes: 0

From: Cecil County, MD

well . i tested my brand new alternator that i got from NAPA for a week . and , it was bad . So i have to go back up to Aberdeen tom . to get another . go figure , but hey im happy that it was the alternator and not any of my wiring . thanks guys