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Battery drain, alternator malfunction, other causes?
I've had my car for a year now and in the past month have had to jump start it 3 times. My boyfriend bought me a new battery and a week later I needed another jump start. Today I was able to start it and drive my car back home no problem, but as I got close to home my car would "****" (after I'd apply the brakes at a stop sign and start to accelerate). I also noticed my dashboard lights dimming and my car sounding like it was going to stall (as I'd come to a stop).
my boyfriend checked the fuses, took out the automatic seatbelt fuse and the door chime fuse (chime is always going off). my car turned on and i was able to park and turn it back on. haven't driven it far yet, can fuses really make that much of a difference?my boyfriend checked the fuses, took out the automatic seatbelt fuse and the door chime fuse (chime is always going off). my car turned on and i was able to park and turn it back on. haven't driven it far yet, can fuses really make that much of a difference?
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Remove negative cable from battery, connect a test light to negative terminal, opposite end off light to negative battery post. ( let sit for 3 to 5 minutes). Then start pulling fuses, when the light goes out that's your bad circuit. God-Bless! Its worth a try.
Take your battery somewhere and have it load tested. If it tests good it has to be your starter. The alternator has to be working or you would have a dead battery all the time. Unless you are putting it on a charger or jumping it.
It sounds like something is draining the battery when the car sets. The possibilities are too numerous to go into here. Once you've find out if there is a draw you will have to disable one circuit at a time to pin down the problem.
Alternators have a built in regulator that tells them when to turn on and off. Just because the alternator is working, does not mean the regulator is turning it on and off when it should, in turn, over charging or undercharging your battery ruining it. The problem is you could also have a short somewhere that is draining the battery when it gets damp. The starter or a bad battery cable is usually the culprit here. A bad battery cable can mimic a dead battery, and when you jump it you put enough power to allow it to "jump" the bad spot, But also put a major strain on the cars electronics. So start with new cables, a 96 is 15 years old. Inspect the starter for any sign of corrosion or other damage at the same time. If this doesn't help, demand a replacement alternator. 98% of rebuilds are good, but 2% aren't.
U have drained ur battery by helping someone, next time always keep vehicles engine running while giving boost and keep it running after the boost is given.
Had car checked again at dealership. They stated they checked the charging system and battery would not hold a charge. Found a bad cell in the battery. The alternator was working fine. Battery replaced. Car has been starting fine since battery replaced.
since the word i used was bleeped out, i'll say it "bucks".
my boyfriend checked the fuses, took out the automatic seatbelt fuse and the door chime fuse (chime is always going off). my car turned on and i was able to park and turn it back on. haven't driven it far yet, can fuses really make that much of a difference?
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