Battery died while driving.

[MonsterKing25]

So my instrument panel and radio shut off while driving. I pushed the radio back in and it says low battery. The battery is only a month old and when I had my water pump changed 2 weeks ago they tested the charging system and it all was fine. Any ideas?

 

[Franchi]

Take the battery back and get a new one under warranty?

 

[Torched S197]

Alternator could have caused it. Leave the car running and then take off the negative Cable and see if it will stay running

 

[TexasBlownV8]

Just measure the voltage at the battery with the car running and not running.

Sounds like alternator to me; pm macman, he has one he just took off his 4.0L.

 

[TexasKyle]

It''s the alternator, almost a certainty. Take it in and have it tested.

 

[SS KILLR]

^ what he said

 

[scramblr]

Same thing happened to me some years back. It was the alternator.

 

[MonsterKing25]

I want to vomit. It just completely died. On our way to the dealership.

 

[Newman]

Mine did that when the alternator went out .

 

[scramblr]

I happened to have the new PA Alternator in the garage when it happened to me. My wife brought it to me with some tools, swapped it out, jumped the battery and on my way I went.

 

[erat]

Altenator. Mine did the same thing when it went out. Did it at night. It shuts down the a/c, then the radio, then the LIGHTS! New PA Altenator and she's perfect.

 

[MonsterKing25]

Luckily I still have my extended warranty it's all taken care of. It was the alternator.

 

[Sprayin Blue 3V]

Alternator could have caused it. Leave the car running and then take off the negative Cable and see if it will stay running

For the love of god do not ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever do this.

 

[pmcferron]

For the love of god do not ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever do this.

just curious, but why not? ive even changed batteries in cars with them running previously, given they were always older cars though.

 

[Sprayin Blue 3V]

just curious, but why not? ive even changed batteries in cars with them running previously, given they were always older cars though.

The battery acts as a buffer and stabilizes any voltage spikes that may cause damage to the vehicles electronics, most importantly being the PCM, which generally works off low voltage. I've seen more than one car fry a PCM this way. It didnt cause as many problems on older cars due to the lack of electronic components.

 

[07calspecial]

The battery acts as a buffer and stabilizes any voltage spikes that may cause damage to the vehicles electronics, most importantly being the PCM, which generally works off low voltage. I've seen more than one car fry a PCM this way. It didnt cause as many problems on older cars due to the lack of electronic components.

Exactly right!

 

[pmcferron]

hmmm interesting, i appreciate the info. i would have never known this had you not mentioned it.

 

[Torched S197]

For the love of god do not ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever do this.

Ive done it on plenty of vehicles and never had a problem. It only takes a few seconds to check it and see if the alternator is what's causing it. I'll stop doing it when I actually see it cause a problem

 

[Sprayin Blue 3V]

Ive done it on plenty of vehicles and never had a problem. It only takes a few seconds to check it and see if the alternator is what's causing it. I'll stop doing it when I actually see it cause a problem

If you want to spend a couple hundred dollars replacing a PCM because you wanted to fix a car like a hillbilly, then be my guest. But dont go around spreading misinformation, because not everyone will want to spend that dough.

 

[Torched S197]

If you want to spend a couple hundred dollars replacing a PCM because you wanted to fix a car like a hillbilly, then be my guest. But dont go around spreading misinformation, because not everyone will want to spend that dough.

I didn't realize taking the battery cable off to see if the car would keep running, is considered fixing the car "hillbilly style". I guess unplugging the MAF sensor and starting the car is hillbilly to, so STFU