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Post by whitetaildave24 on Jun 11, 2024 21:04:57 GMT -5
I try to do what I can when it comes to fixing our 5 vehicles we keep on the road. My sons 2011 kia soul starting going dead last night. He was able to make it home, but just barely. Once stopped, it wouldn’t start again. Took the battery to Napa, they said it was bad. Bought a new one and it fired right up, but the battery light stayed on the entire time. He drove to a friends tonight and on the way home the radio shut off, all the dash lights came on (battery, seat belt, e brake, and more). He was barely able to make it up the big hill to our road and sputtered it into our drive. Only thing I can think is alternator now, but seeing if there other suggestions out there. As far as I can remember it’s still the original alternator, so can’t complain 13 years later if it’s bad, but man are they pricey. Just checking for other thoughts before I fork out about $350 for a new one. Battery itself was $208.
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Post by deadeer on Jun 11, 2024 22:26:41 GMT -5
I'll bet your right with the alternator. Look and make sure the belt is still on. That would cause the alternator not to work!
Put a battery charger on it if you can. You only get a few discharges before the battery will be short lived. If the charger has a volt meter, either digital or analogue, it should read about 12.6 volts fully charged, or mid 13's to 14's when the charger is on. Once charged, start the car with the charger turned off but hooked up, alternator should be charging same, upper 13 to 14.2 volts. If you have a digital volt meter, that will do same thing. If the alternator is charging, you should be able to unhook the negative battery cable from the battery and the car will still run.
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Post by beermaker on Jun 12, 2024 4:29:51 GMT -5
If you can get to a parts store, most of them can test the alternator.
Rock Auto usually has the best price on parts, BUT pay close attention to shipping cost if you chose to check it out.
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Post by whitetaildave24 on Jun 12, 2024 5:40:20 GMT -5
Even with shipping Rock Auto is quite a bit cheaper than other prices I can find.
I did jump start it after he got home and about 30 seconds after we took the cables off all the dash lights slowly started coming back on and the headlights were slowly blinking off and on and it shut off.
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Post by greghopper on Jun 12, 2024 5:48:20 GMT -5
Look at the belt when changing the alternator now is a good time for the belt if you see wear.I say one Serpentine belt runs everything …..
May check alternator connections also and make sure something isn't off there causing the problem
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Post by freedomhunter on Jun 12, 2024 6:47:31 GMT -5
Alternators used to be a 100 bucks crazy
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Post by jjas on Jun 12, 2024 7:19:17 GMT -5
And you used to be able to buy two McDonald's hamburgers, fries and a drink for under a dollar...
But that isn't happening anymore either...
Everything's expensive.
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Post by whitetaildave24 on Jun 12, 2024 7:28:25 GMT -5
I was in price shock for sure when I started looking for them.
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Post by ukwil on Jun 12, 2024 12:30:40 GMT -5
Alternator. Had the same exact issue on my focus
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Post by blackmouthcur on Jun 12, 2024 18:23:44 GMT -5
Take a look at Detroit Axel for parts, comparable to Rock Auto and I believe free shipping. Also, a lot of alternator’s have an internal voltage regulator which when it goes bad will make everything go haywire. Bad thing is it’s usually just as cheap to just get another alternator. Good Luck.
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Post by duff on Jun 13, 2024 4:05:09 GMT -5
I had to replace on on my boys truck a few months back. I tested the battery 1st and it was good so guessed the alternator and got it correct. Pretty sure it was in the $300 range. Refurbished through rock auto. Easy to replace in a 2003 f150.
I picked up a battery tester for $20 from Walmart or HF. It checks charge and then flip a switch and it checks under load. Very easy and paid for itself on that day. I would have likely bought a new battery. With 5 vehicles, tractor, boat etc I would suggest it. I am in same boat and feel like I am always buying batteries.
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Post by whitetaildave24 on Jun 17, 2024 17:23:47 GMT -5
I ended up ordering the alternator off eBay and saved over $200. Got it delivered yesterday and put it in today iand the car fired right up and no more dash lights, so we should be good to go.
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Post by whitetaildave24 on Jun 18, 2024 14:59:42 GMT -5
Of course spoke too soon. Son went out to leave just a bit ago and his car is totally dead. I mean nothing. Jumped it and it started again. Battery still shows good voltage, so now I’m confused. It’s like the alternator isn’t getting charge or something.
I just started it and took the negative battery cable off and as soon as the ac kicked on it died, so it’s still something with the alternator.
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Post by Woody Williams on Jun 18, 2024 16:13:21 GMT -5
Bummer…
Next to plumbing I hate working on cars the worst.
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Post by deadeer on Jun 18, 2024 18:43:26 GMT -5
Need to get it somewhere that both the battery and alternator can be tested. Could also have some bad corrosion that is causing high resistance, letting "some" current thru but not all.
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Post by welder on Jun 18, 2024 21:07:59 GMT -5
Unhook the battery while it's running and if it dies, it's the alternator. At least that's how this hillbilly tests alternators, LOL.
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Post by greghopper on Jun 19, 2024 5:39:16 GMT -5
Need to get it somewhere that both the battery and alternator can be tested. Could also have some bad corrosion that is causing high resistance, letting "some" current thru but not all. I say it the battery now or it needs an overnight charge unless the alternator wasn't new….cleaning the connections never hurts also. Added stereo system can make things overdrawn also…BTDT |
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Post by bowonlykindofguy1 on Jun 19, 2024 5:51:46 GMT -5
A few different things I can think of would be the small wires going to the alternator are the control side. If one of those wires are bad it will not charge correctly. Next could be battery monitor system shutting it down if it has a sensor on the battery cable near the battery. Last thing and the one I suspect is your issue is it has a parasitic draw on the battery. You can check this by unhooking the battery ground cable and clipping a test light to the cable and the point of test light to battery ground lug. If the light comes on it has a draw. Then leave test lamp installed and start pulling fuses until light goes out.and then you can see what is being powered by that fuse and isolate the issue further to figure it out. Test light method is old school, you can check it with a meter that reads Millsaps as well tapped in just like the test light. Anything more than 50 Millsaps is to much and will kill battery. If more than 50 pull fuses and look for reading to drop. Sorry for the long post but trying to help a fellow out.
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