UPDATE!!! Battery dies too often....ALTERNATOR DIES!

[CuttySup]

I have been having a reoccuring problem with my battery dying. It will COMPLETELY DIE WITH NOTHING LEFT after sitting for 5 minutes. When I go to jump start it, it always takes a long time to get any charge. I don't leave anything on, everything is turned off, I don't know what the deal is. It's a brand-new battery, only about 3 months old. When I bought the new battery, I had the alternator tested, and it tested okay. Could it be a problem with the auxillary terminal, starter, or what? It's really starting to piss me off.

[slick]

I'd recheck the alternator, even though it checked out okay. You can check the Aux. terminal, look for corrosion. If there is, clean it up. Check the cables(+ and -) for any frays, cuts, etc., pretty much anything that may cause a power drain. Check the cables running from the alt. to the starter, then the starter to the battery. Make sure the connections are good.

[GP1138]

Get your battery checked. Even if it's brand new. Maybe there's a tripped circuit/bad wiring/gypsy curse that's allowing power to be drawn even with the key off.

[THe_DeTAiL3R]

Get your battery checked. Even if it's brand new.

 

[CuttySup]

I checked the battery and there's a crack across the corner, probably from when I wrestled it into place. Could this be anything?

[1990lumina]

If the electrolyte is spilling out of the crack, then yes, that might be the problem/a problem..

[88Regal Limited]

Check if the light in the glovebox goes out when you shut it. Friend's gon through TOO many batteries that way.

[CuttySup]

Well, I'm pretty sure my alternator died, but just to be sure it's not something serious...

 

This has never happened to me before so I didn't know what to do when it did happen. My turn signals all of a sudden started flashing really slow (even with an electronic flasher), then, they quit working altogether. When I went to accelerate from a red light, I had to give it way too much gas to get going; it was at over 3000rpm just getting going 25mph. Then it wouldn't shift into the next gear. I was trying to get home as quick as possible. I was less than a mile from home when everything died; I lost power steering, brakes, and the engine quit. I pulled over and tried to restart it, and it did the dead battery "clicking" noise.

 

This all sounds like a classic dead alternator, especially after all the trouble I've been having lately. It's no big deal, a new alternator is only $60. The thing that really worries me is the transmission not shifting right.

[jeremy]

sounds like a bad alternator, but I don't know why that would affect the tranny?!?!

[john99gtp]

electronically controlled??

 

 

could the pcm been on the fritz with the power fluctuations and such? sending weird signals to the tranny?

[5speedz34]

Definatly the alt., I would warranty out the battery since it's cracked.

[CuttySup]

I dunno. The transmission definately worries me. I hope it's okay. It shifts right as far as P R N D 123 goes.

[94CutlassSLCoupe]

anything controlled by the ECM will go wacky when its not getting enough voltage...your trans is probably fine.

[JoroCorona]

Just change you Alt, The trans was getting bad signal from the PCM. Simple as that.

[CuttySup]

Yep, you were right. I changed the alt. and everything runs fine. THANK GOD!

[CuttySup]

anything controlled by the ECM will go wacky when its not getting enough voltage...your trans is probably fine.

BTW, your car looks great! The wheels really make the difference!