Low voltage problem
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From: Tomball/Nacogdoches TX
Low voltage problem There was a thread up not to long ago with my identical situation but search owns me and I can't find it to save my life.
Here recently, my voltage has been reading pretty low... Between 12-13 volts compared to 13.7-14 where it should be. It'll fluctuate sometimes especially at idle and will drop half a volt when I roll the windows up/down. I put in a mild 10" sub/amp here recently but this problem has been happening from a little before that. I don't think it's the battery because I just had it out and charged it and the problem still persists.
Everything operates as normal and the car cranks just as it should and no problems are apparent... only a voltage gauge reading really low. Every now and again the PCM is reset kinda like the battery died (but it actually didn't) and the needles will max out when I start her.
What the hell is the problem? What are the best ways to check? Thanks!
Here recently, my voltage has been reading pretty low... Between 12-13 volts compared to 13.7-14 where it should be. It'll fluctuate sometimes especially at idle and will drop half a volt when I roll the windows up/down. I put in a mild 10" sub/amp here recently but this problem has been happening from a little before that. I don't think it's the battery because I just had it out and charged it and the problem still persists.
Everything operates as normal and the car cranks just as it should and no problems are apparent... only a voltage gauge reading really low. Every now and again the PCM is reset kinda like the battery died (but it actually didn't) and the needles will max out when I start her.
What the hell is the problem? What are the best ways to check? Thanks!
Does the battery go dead easy when running your stereo for a short amount of time with the engine off?
Do you have to put the battery on a charger often?
Are you running a under-drive crank pulley?
It sounds like the battery might have a dead cell, I had a very similar problem with mine before; and the battery would only take a partial charge.
IMO, Do the "Big 3" after you fix your problem.
My solution; Optima yellow top battery, "Big 3" wire upgrade with stinger 1/0 Gage wire, then I also installed a powermaster 200amp alt, and a tsunami 3 farad cap. Yeah, I went overkill, but I just wanted a piece of mind knowing that problem was behind me now, for good!
Do you have to put the battery on a charger often?
Are you running a under-drive crank pulley?
It sounds like the battery might have a dead cell, I had a very similar problem with mine before; and the battery would only take a partial charge.
IMO, Do the "Big 3" after you fix your problem.
My solution; Optima yellow top battery, "Big 3" wire upgrade with stinger 1/0 Gage wire, then I also installed a powermaster 200amp alt, and a tsunami 3 farad cap. Yeah, I went overkill, but I just wanted a piece of mind knowing that problem was behind me now, for good!
Last edited by 99Bluz28; Jun 13, 2008 at 03:30 PM.
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From: Tomball/Nacogdoches TX
The car used to sit for a 2 or 3 weeks at a time while I was at school and then this problem slowly started to occur. I took off the sub power wire and the problem still persisted. Just measured the battery by itself and it was reading 12.4 volts
The sub is a really mild sub... nothing big at all
The sub is a really mild sub... nothing big at all
Mine started to do this recenly, but I believe it is due to the hot *** weather we are having down here lately. When I drive at night when the temp has cooled down some everything looks good.
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From: Tomball/Nacogdoches TX
That's definitely not the cause here because this will be my 4th summer to have the car and this is the first time it has done this
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From: Tomball/Nacogdoches TX
Alternators are funky.. my problem now (thats hopefully going to be fixed) was the connector wasnt fulling hitting the alternator plugs and that one wire was loose. And during then I HAD to drive to work for the 2 days for the new plug to come in. I was running off the battery till it got to about 8 volts. (Driving as fast as I possibly could to make it before the battery dies on me while driving) The alt wouldnt even kick in sometimes unless I wiggled the wire and even then it wouldnt stay.
So I connected the new plug, voltage went up.. a bit. Turned on AC, radio, rolled down windows.. and down it went. I just got a new alternator, going to be installing and I think that will be it.
Problem could be similar to yours so
So I connected the new plug, voltage went up.. a bit. Turned on AC, radio, rolled down windows.. and down it went. I just got a new alternator, going to be installing and I think that will be it.
Problem could be similar to yours so
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From: Tomball/Nacogdoches TX
This may just be all in my head but here goes.
When I put the sub in, I put one of those brass tsunami battery terminal bolts on the positive post. Well, it kinda stripped on me and I just put in a different type of terminal bolt that had a little spacer to go in the battery cable. The car seemed to read normal voltage. With just driving around town, it hovered between 13.4-13.6 volts with the lowest reading of 13.2. I haven't driven it around much more to see if the problem is actually fixed, but could that previous terminal bolt create resistance from a poor connection causing a loss in voltage?
When I put the sub in, I put one of those brass tsunami battery terminal bolts on the positive post. Well, it kinda stripped on me and I just put in a different type of terminal bolt that had a little spacer to go in the battery cable. The car seemed to read normal voltage. With just driving around town, it hovered between 13.4-13.6 volts with the lowest reading of 13.2. I haven't driven it around much more to see if the problem is actually fixed, but could that previous terminal bolt create resistance from a poor connection causing a loss in voltage?
