Electrical Issues
Electrical Issues
Alright...I have quite a few symptoms and they could be due to multiple issues. However...here they are (these have all been recent, within the past month)
I have 3 Prosport gauges and every once in awhile when I shift the car to reverse or just move the shifter around only one gauge will flicker between two colors. (They are wired to be white during the day and switch to amber when the headlight switch is flipped)
I have been told that a bulb in my left taillight is out. However, it is intermittent and every time that I check it....it's fine.
The other day I walk out to the car and the battery is dead. I had to jump it and then it worked just fine for about a week.
I took the car in to an auto parts store and had them test the battery and alternator. They said the battery seemed fine (I have an Optima Red Top still under warranty) and it was likely the alternator. While standing there the battery went from 72% charge to 69% within a matter of around 5-10 seconds.
I measured the voltage of the car running between the + and - terminals on the battery and everything was operating between range. I even turned the A/C on to bring it down and it stayed where it should.
Yesterday I could tell the car was having trouble starting the two times I started it cold.
This morning I had to jump it off again because the battery was dead.
So...does this sound like an alternator?
I have 3 Prosport gauges and every once in awhile when I shift the car to reverse or just move the shifter around only one gauge will flicker between two colors. (They are wired to be white during the day and switch to amber when the headlight switch is flipped)
I have been told that a bulb in my left taillight is out. However, it is intermittent and every time that I check it....it's fine.
The other day I walk out to the car and the battery is dead. I had to jump it and then it worked just fine for about a week.
I took the car in to an auto parts store and had them test the battery and alternator. They said the battery seemed fine (I have an Optima Red Top still under warranty) and it was likely the alternator. While standing there the battery went from 72% charge to 69% within a matter of around 5-10 seconds.
I measured the voltage of the car running between the + and - terminals on the battery and everything was operating between range. I even turned the A/C on to bring it down and it stayed where it should.
Yesterday I could tell the car was having trouble starting the two times I started it cold.
This morning I had to jump it off again because the battery was dead.
So...does this sound like an alternator?
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
sounds like you have some draw on your system when the car is off. i would connect your meter to the two posts of the battery and read for voltage, then go through and diconnect anything that you have wired in (ie, gauges... amps... car alarm... anything you added that is not factory) and look for the battery voltage to jump up. when it does that will show that whatever you had connected is drawing power when the car is off and draining your battery. The alternator may be bad, but by checking all the other electronics for parasitic loss you're save a ton of money first.
I might go through and do that. Good advice. I did check the voltage between the two posts with the car running and also with the A/C on as well. Everything was between normal operating range.
But I may go back and unplug the gauges and check it all out. I also replaced a MAP sensor recently (just a plug and play Omni 4-bar) -- could that have something to do with it? I guess it is possible...
But I may go back and unplug the gauges and check it all out. I also replaced a MAP sensor recently (just a plug and play Omni 4-bar) -- could that have something to do with it? I guess it is possible...