Gauges go crazy! *VID*
Gauges go crazy! *VID* Well guys here's the story...
I was detailing my car and had the radio on while doing it. Maybe three hours but my battery was dead? Well here's what happened when I tried to crank it. Watch the RPM, MPH, and Fuel gauges! Is this normal?
http://home.comcast.net/~jamesr311/storage/MOV00085.MPG
I have had my radio/lights on for a lot longer than this before and never with any trouble starting. I just hooked the battery up to the trickle charger for about an hour and no more problems, cranked fine. I did notice some water around the caps on the battery...
I was detailing my car and had the radio on while doing it. Maybe three hours but my battery was dead? Well here's what happened when I tried to crank it. Watch the RPM, MPH, and Fuel gauges! Is this normal?
http://home.comcast.net/~jamesr311/storage/MOV00085.MPG
I have had my radio/lights on for a lot longer than this before and never with any trouble starting. I just hooked the battery up to the trickle charger for about an hour and no more problems, cranked fine. I did notice some water around the caps on the battery...
Originally Posted by 2001NBMZ28
Without even clicking on the link, trip resetting to zero too - is the car a '99?
After charging the battery the gauges are all normal. It was just funny to watch the tach and speedo race to see who pegged first. My real question is about the battery, is it going out? It went below freezing last night too, is that why my battery was so weak that 2-3 hrs of radio would drain it? why would there be water around the caps on the battery? I did jump off a truck yesterday doubt that has anything to do with it though...
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,399
Likes: 3
From: Jacksonville, FL
You can bring the battery in and have it load tested just to be sure it's OK. Might've just been low voltage from the radio being on - also see http://home.earthlink.net/~cetera/pics/aug99tsb.jpg
Originally Posted by 2001NBMZ28
You can bring the battery in and have it load tested just to be sure it's OK. Might've just been low voltage from the radio being on - also see http://home.earthlink.net/~cetera/pics/aug99tsb.jpg
Originally Posted by sobaka79
your alternator is about to take a dump. go have it checked.
TECH Addict
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,591
Likes: 1
From: Massachusetts
Hmm...
I've got a 99 and my trip has been resetting to 0 for a couple weeks. I did get the crazy gauges when I started it the other day. Also, my lights flicker sometimes (happens mostly while I'm cruising). My voltmeter seems to be a bit on the high side, it does move around slowly, like I'll look at it a few times and it'll be in one spot, and I'll look at it again 20 minutes later and it's gone up to the notch second to the right (not in, but close to the red). I haven't gotten around to testing it with a multimeter. I haven't had any trouble cranking it, it's hard to fail, it starts up right away even though it's winter and I'm in New England.
Not sure if it's related to his issue, but... Well, I'm under warranty anyway, so I'll just take it somewhere during March break. It's actually in the shop for body work now, some asshat backed into it while it was parked last month.
I've got a 99 and my trip has been resetting to 0 for a couple weeks. I did get the crazy gauges when I started it the other day. Also, my lights flicker sometimes (happens mostly while I'm cruising). My voltmeter seems to be a bit on the high side, it does move around slowly, like I'll look at it a few times and it'll be in one spot, and I'll look at it again 20 minutes later and it's gone up to the notch second to the right (not in, but close to the red). I haven't gotten around to testing it with a multimeter. I haven't had any trouble cranking it, it's hard to fail, it starts up right away even though it's winter and I'm in New England.
Not sure if it's related to his issue, but... Well, I'm under warranty anyway, so I'll just take it somewhere during March break. It's actually in the shop for body work now, some asshat backed into it while it was parked last month.
Trending Topics
I rebuild wrecked cars at used car lot and I have seen 2 99 T/A's do that recently. They both had brand new batteries in them, but still the gauges did it. I did a 99 camaro recently also and it didnt do it though, only the trans am's.
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Originally Posted by JamesR311
It did reset my trip to 0 btw
I have noticed my lights will flicker a little bit right after it's cranked and sometimes at idle. not a bad flicker but noticable. also the volt gauge will constantly move back and forth, maybe range 1v like rock from 15-16v, but that's only at idle as well. I hope it's not my alternator!!!
I have noticed my lights will flicker a little bit right after it's cranked and sometimes at idle. not a bad flicker but noticable. also the volt gauge will constantly move back and forth, maybe range 1v like rock from 15-16v, but that's only at idle as well. I hope it's not my alternator!!!
The factory alternator doesn't charge well at idle - that's why you get flickering and other symptoms when the car is idling. As long as it maintains the battery charge off idle you shouldn't worry about the alternator. The dash gauge is notoriously inaccurate - for one thing it shouldn't be showing anywhere near 16 volts - 13.8 is nominal. The bouncing voltmeter needle may be an indicator of voltage regulator problems or it may just be the gauge. You can easily check it using a multimeter to get an accurate reading.
Originally Posted by WhiteBird00
The factory alternator doesn't charge well at idle - that's why you get flickering and other symptoms when the car is idling
You are right, the gauges swept across racing to their pegs then slowly fell back down, and the tripometer reset itself to zero.
I will have the battery tested today, can't have it letting me down!
TECH Resident
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 781
Likes: 0
From: Taxme, Ohio
Originally Posted by WhiteBird00
Don't worry, it's not your alternator.
...
The bouncing voltmeter needle may be an indicator of voltage regulator problems ...
...
The bouncing voltmeter needle may be an indicator of voltage regulator problems ...
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Originally Posted by 01Z28M6
Isn't the voltage regulator within/part_of the alternator
- The sweeping gauge needles are not caused by an alternator problem.
- The vibrating voltmeter needle could possibly be caused by a voltage regulator problem... but it probably isn't because it only happens at idle and, as I said, "The factory alternator doesn't charge well at idle - that's why you get flickering and other symptoms when the car is idling."
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: Platte, SD
Yeah if your battery is dead/disconnected, never reconnect it/jump it with the key on. It can send a voltage surge through your system. Your gauges actually only run on 5 volts(I could be wrong about this but most newer cars that run electronic signal are) and the surge could screw things up. Also your diode pack in the alternator could be screwin' with you too. It steadies the voltage spikes in the alternator, and when it goes bad it will send small spikes throughout your electrical system.
bjamick- Tuscaloosa, AL ... you know... the new home of Nick Saban... ROLL TIDE!!
mitch_04 - I didn't think to unhook the battery before I charged it, didn't know that it was necessary. But I did of course unhook the charger before I tried to crank it. There seems to be a few too many people that have experienced this with 99's for it to be something like that. The gauges having a mind of their own on low voltage isn't that big of a problem, I just wanted to make sure that it wasnt' telling me that there was a big problem elsewhere. But like anything else with my car, if it's a first time or something doesn't seem right I'm coming to search these forums.
mitch_04 - I didn't think to unhook the battery before I charged it, didn't know that it was necessary. But I did of course unhook the charger before I tried to crank it. There seems to be a few too many people that have experienced this with 99's for it to be something like that. The gauges having a mind of their own on low voltage isn't that big of a problem, I just wanted to make sure that it wasnt' telling me that there was a big problem elsewhere. But like anything else with my car, if it's a first time or something doesn't seem right I'm coming to search these forums.
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,378
Likes: 14
From: Atlanta, GA Ft. Walton Beach, FL
dead battery
Originally Posted by bjamick
Sweet man im right here by hoover on highway 280.. My dad lives that way.
My 99 Ta did this / the guages after I accidentally left the key on all night.
the water temp was the fastest at pegging tack was also fast speedo was slow.
I preferr to remove the battery on these late model cars due to the abunance of electronics. and have it slow charged.have you sean the new dodge SUV commercial?
haven't sean pegging guages since recharge but the water temp. needle seams to be a little to the left now I noticed it because it usally never moves after warmup.