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Electrical Problems--HELP!!!

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Old Feb 7, 2006 | 10:12 AM
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Default Electrical Problems--HELP!!!

I have some sort of electrical problem with my car currently.

Yesterday, when I turned my car off, my gauges jumped up and down and my radio reset itself. Then, last night, while I was driving, I tried to turn on my high beams, and it caused my radio to shut off everytime I did it.

Then, today, while I was driving, my gauges started bouncing back and forth again, and then the whole dash kept turning on and off, as well as the stereo. Basically, the whole electrical system was going on and off. Then, when I finally got to work and shut off my car, everything went dead. Tried to start it up again and it wouldn't even click.

Is this an alternator problem or an issue with my battery? I replaced the battery about a year and a half ago. I haven't replaced the alternator since I bought the car.
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Old Feb 7, 2006 | 10:26 AM
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What were you reading for volts when it was acting up? Sounds like a bad battery. But you replaced it, check the easy stuff 1st. Cable connections and grounds, tight & clean. If you were reading less the 12-13vlts while running I would start looking at the alt.
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Old Feb 7, 2006 | 10:47 AM
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Bring the battery somewhere and get it load tested if the connections are good, I just had to replace a 2 year old battery in my car. Volt gauge in mine was normal while running.
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Old Feb 7, 2006 | 10:57 AM
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I'm about to head out on my lunch break and check the connections.

When the car was running, the voltage was reading consistently at 13 volts. So, I guess the alternator is probably not the issue, but the battery itself. I'll check the connections, then if that doesn't work, I'll take the battery to get tested.
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Old Feb 7, 2006 | 11:02 AM
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I had the exact same problem in mine a few months back. It was a wire behind the aftermarket head unit. It was pinched between the firewall and the head unit, touched ground, shorted out and fried. I rewrapped it with electrical tape and made sure it wasn't pinched between anything. That seemed to take care of the problem.
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Old Feb 7, 2006 | 11:02 AM
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I had the exact same problem in mine a few months back. It was a wire behind the aftermarket head unit. It was pinched between the firewall and the head unit, touched ground, shorted out and fried. I rewrapped it with electrical tape and made sure it wasn't pinched between anything. That seemed to take care of the problem.
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Old Feb 7, 2006 | 02:25 PM
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Sounds almost exactly like the problem/symptoms I had... You might need a new battery.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/wiring-stereo-electronics/445075-help-my-ta-has-electrical-problem.html
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