Always happens in the rain.

[ExZion]

Yesterday i went to a friends house parked my cutlass, got in his car and went to wing night at a local bar/restaurant. I come back about an hour and a half later and the battery is dead. Of course i am parked with the driver side facing the street and its pouring. I am thinking WTF the battery is brand new ~2-3 months old. On the way to his house earlyer i had the wipers,lights,fogs,blower on full,stereo up and the rear defoger. and i looked at the volt gauge and it was reading a little low but not much under 13. is that enough to kill a battery? it wasnt dead just not enought to crank the car over.this morning it was fine alt was reading 14.5v at the termnials. So i assume that was to much of a load for the OEM alt with 90k on it?

[CPSMonteZ34]

Did you test the alternator under load? Might be worth a look in this way to see if it's on its way out; otherwise, did you perhaps leave something like the car door open, or is a trunk light switch permanently on? After that, if it isn't the alternator, I suppose you'd be wanting to look into the fuse panel to see whether or not something is drawing constant current when the car is off.

[ExZion]

Thats another thing i think the door might have been cracked enough to keep the int lights on but i am not shure. and yes i tested the alt at idle with just the lights and stereo at around 3/4 of where i usually have it. we'll see, i am at school now so if i dosent start when i go out there ill be alittle pissed.

[mihela816]

The alternator can put out the correct voltage but low current. You need to check current under load to get a good picture of how the alternator is performing. 12 volts = dead battery, they are supposed to put out 12.6 with a full charge.

[Slade901]

Have your car load test Free at Autozone. You don't have to remove the alternator anymore to have it tested. They can test the alternator and battery at the same time while your car is running.