My car keeps dying! Help!, I think it's an electrical problem. Options

[twofoldjunk]

Hey guys,

Well, my car died. I believe it's an electrical problem, but would love to hear your opinions on what it could be.

So I had an issue starting my car the other day. Cold morning in Socal (40's or so), turned my key in the ignition, nothing happened with the starter. Lights came on, radio, etc. But the starter doesn't turn. I turn my key to off, try again and it starts up fine. I figure it's a fluke.

This morning, cold again (40's or so), turn my key in the ignition, same thing. Lights on, radio, etc, and this time, the starter doesn't come on at all. Try it a bunch of times, nothing.

I get my girlfriend's car and jump the battery. I figure it's a weak battery, maybe it's not getting enough charge or whatnot.

Start driving to work, and notice electrical problems. Panel is flickering, my lights dim when I hit the turn signals, my lights start to dim, and while coasting to a stop at a stoplight, my engine shuts off and electrical power dies. No headlights, no panel lights, radio dead. Even my emergency lights don't come on when I try them.

Get my gf to come out and jump my car, we drive halfway back home, car dies again. Same thing, slowing to turn, hit my signal lights and car shuts off, electrical dies.

We jump the car again and make it home. I'm going to have it towed to my mechanic for service.

Now, here's a few things that I've done recently:
1. New radio installed. I threw in a nice Sony headunit to replace my factory unit, probably sucking up more juice than before.
2. New indiglo gauges. I installed indiglo face gauges in the last month. Again, probably sucking up more juice. I've noticed some issues with this too, the gauges would flicker out occasionally, I initially chalked this up to a bad ground, but having fixed the ground issue, this was still happening. Maybe it's not getting enough voltage to run.
3. Recently moved. I have a very short commute to work now. 10 minutes and I'm there. My car isn't getting much time on long stretches of highway anymore, maybe putting 10 miles of driving a day. My battery may not be charging fully.
4. The battery is new. Date of installation of my battery is 1/11. I was initially hoping it was just a battery issue, but I just changed it out. It's possible it is a defective battery from the factory, but who knows.

My thought is that I have a bad alternator, I don't remember when it was last serviced. Either that, or the factory alternator is not powerful enough to charge the battery fully with the short commute times and higher electrical needs.

Any thoughts guys?

Thanks.

[RabidTRD]

Don't get too worried. It's a bad alternator. Not something you did, just car age. 100% positive. When you get a new one, make sure they fully charge the battery and test it to make sure the alt didn't kill the batt too.

If it was just a bad batt, the car wouldn't have cut out on you while you were driving. Just when you shut it off, the next time you tried to start it, the car would do nothing.

This post has been edited by RabidTRD: Dec 19, 2011 - 11:33 AM

[pandakid]

+1 my 86 did the same problem with it just turning off and headlights and climate control dash lights dimming out.i got a new alternator installed problem was sloved

[twofoldjunk]

Hey guys,

Installed a new alternator, thought that would solve the problem.

Nope.

Started the car, drove it around the block, and it died pretty much in the same exact place.

Thinking about having it towed to my mechanic's place.

Any other thoughts on what it could be?

[Nemises]

Hey guys,

Installed a new alternator, thought that would solve the problem.

Nope.

Started the car, drove it around the block, and it died pretty much in the same exact place.

Thinking about having it towed to my mechanic's place.

Any other thoughts on what it could be?

I had a similar issue years ago. I am trying to remeber excatly what I did to fix. It may have to do with when you changed the gauges. Check the bulbs that light up when the key is on? are any of those burnt out. I think the battery light or one of those lights completes the charging circuit. if the bulb is blown no charge. All I remember is I took the gauges out and put back in when I went for a drive the car got slower and slower. I though it was the alt but I was wrong. I either changed a fuse or a bulb and fixed the issue. I think it was the bulb though.

But turn the key to the on position and make sure all those pre starting lights come on? I am pretty sure at least one of those completes the charging system in our cars.

Sound crazy but may help.

[d3ath2009]

Definitely a bad alt, as stated above. Mine did the same about a year and a half ago. Although my case was more sudden, everything just shut off while driving. Once I finally got mine jumped and headed home, all the gauges were screwy, even the tach just kept jumping. Best bet: take the alt to somebody reputable and have it rebuilt. This will cost about as much as a weak ass alt from autozone, advanced, etc, but will allow you to keep OEM toyota alt.

[azian_advanced]

as already mentioned, have your new alternator checked. it's probably defective. many parts stores can test it for free. if it's not the alternator, then it sounds like you've got a wiring problem somewhere which is a b*tch to troubleshoot.

[RabidTRD]

Did you fully charge your battery after installing the alt? Or did you just drive it...?

[xrav22]

Did you fully charge your battery after installing the alt? Or did you just drive it...?

Check connections(battery ect.)

[199celica]

i fixed a problem similar to this in his Maxima it was a crank sensor/ knock sensor we replaced both because it had 178k on it but we never figured out what it was sadly. you turn the key lights come on everything works fine but the car won't crank over and died if you hit a rough patch in the road i believe it was the knock sensor but that's just my input hopefully that helps

[trdproven]

id make sure the alternator is for sure working and make sure your battery is in good condition and not in its worn out state.

after that its your electrical problems. i cannot recall do we have an alternator fuse?

btw, the problem i recently came across was the harness end of mine if you pull the sleeve back was cracking, i was about to get another alternator but when I looked at it closer the pins were practically seperating from the connector, so instead I went to the junkyard and bought me a new harness. thats how i fixed mine for that particular issue, make sure your wires are not messed up.

This post has been edited by trdproven: Jan 26, 2012 - 12:13 AM

[k-weaver]

Easy alternator check...When the car is running pull a cable off the battery. If the car dies its the alt, car runs its not.

[soulshadow]

You have a loose wire somewhere. It might be from age and corrosion. Check the main wires from alternator to battery and ground wires.

[RabidTRD]

Easy alternator check...When the car is running pull a cable off the battery. If the car dies its the alt, car runs its not.

Do not do this. I don't know how many times I have to say it.

THIS CAN SEND A VOLTAGE SPIKE TO YOUR ECU, ALT, OR ANY OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENT. Do not do it, that is unless you don't like your car. It is also not a fool proof way of checking the alt.

[k-weaver]

Easy alternator check...When the car is running pull a cable off the battery. If the car dies its the alt, car runs its not.

Do not do this. I don't know how many times I have to say it.

THIS CAN SEND A VOLTAGE SPIKE TO YOUR ECU, ALT, OR ANY OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENT. Do not do it, that is unless you don't like your car. It is also not a fool proof way of checking the alt.

You are right in this. I just googled. It and everything comes back as you said. I must have received bad info from an old mechanic. My mistake.