BATTERY OR ALTERNATOR??
Thread Starter
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HCF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,132
From: Bethany Beach, DE
BATTERY OR ALTERNATOR??
Ok,i was driving around yesterday and then all of a sudden my hid lights started flickering like a strobe light and then boom there gone, my radio wouldnt work, and i definently couldnt start the car over again after that, so how do i know if the battery is bad or my alternator isnt working??
HCF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 330
From: ann arbor Michigan
RE: BATTERY OR ALTERNATOR??
se if you can start the car and if it starts then after like 15 to 2min it cuts off then i would think altenater or altenater belt also take your battery to autozone or someplace like that and they ddo free battery testing.
Thread Starter
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HCF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,132
From: Bethany Beach, DE
RE: BATTERY OR ALTERNATOR??
like yesterday i had to pop the clutch but after that i didnt have a problem with it running i just couldnt run anything like the radio or my head lights
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 114
RE: BATTERY OR ALTERNATOR??
Take the battery to Autozone and have it tested. If it's holding a charge, you have a bad alternator.
Another sign it's the alternator is that your battery warning light on the dash should have been lit for about 30 min (with your headlights on) before the headlights started flickering.
Another sign it's the alternator is that your battery warning light on the dash should have been lit for about 30 min (with your headlights on) before the headlights started flickering.
HCF Member
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,180
From: Chicago, Illinois
RE: BATTERY OR ALTERNATOR??
Easy way to tell if your battery is bad or the alternator is to check the voltage at the battery while the engine is running. If the voltage is under 13.5V, the problem is the alternator. You can try taking the battery into AutoZone, but they usually do battery load tests which requires the battery to be charged.
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 21
RE: BATTERY OR ALTERNATOR??
the best way to check ur alternator.. is.. turning of ur engine. when u got ur engine start. disconnect the positive of the batery.. if the car die.. the problem is the alternator, if the car stay on when u disconnect the batery.. the problem is the batery.. if u take the positive of and the alternator is good.. u engine keep running.
Recognized HCF Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 11,203
From: Brownsburg, IN 46112
RE: BATTERY OR ALTERNATOR??
DO NOT DO THAT!!!!!!!!
if you pull off the battery wire you will destroy the alternator!!!
DONT DO IT... thats the redneck way of testing which puts a huge load on the alternator! dont be stupid!
recharge the battery fully! then if a autozone or another autoparts store is close enough to you if you can drive thier with nothing BUT the motor runing and have them test the alternator and battery....
BUT most likely its your alternator.....
cause if it was a bad battery it wouldnt start overnight but if it was the alternator then it would cause your car to shut down during driving!
if you pull off the battery wire you will destroy the alternator!!!
DONT DO IT... thats the redneck way of testing which puts a huge load on the alternator! dont be stupid!
recharge the battery fully! then if a autozone or another autoparts store is close enough to you if you can drive thier with nothing BUT the motor runing and have them test the alternator and battery....
BUT most likely its your alternator.....
cause if it was a bad battery it wouldnt start overnight but if it was the alternator then it would cause your car to shut down during driving!