# Bad Battery or alternator? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [September 22, 2023, 12:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-battery-or-alternator/193008 "2023-09-22T00:50:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Harvey\_2017](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@Harvey\_2017](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Harvey_2017)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 12:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-battery-or-alternator/193008/1 "2023-09-22T00:50:04Z")
Honda Accord, 2017 day 1: Tried starting the car. Clicking noise. Won’t start. 1 hour later it started normally. day 2 :no problems day 3: no problems day 4:Tried starting the car - No noise. Won’t start . Then it started with a jumpstart (halo bolt) Addendum: day 4, 10h later: it won’t start. When turning the key, at the second click, I hear a ticking sound for a few seconds (same as on day 1) that seems to come from the dashboard… Radio, lights don’t work. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 1:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-battery-or-alternator/193008/2 "2023-09-22T01:01:17Z")
First thing make sure you have good clean battery connections. I invested in a cheap battery tester which tells the condition and charge of the battery. Also helpful for routine checks from time to time to see if it is going south. I also have a cheap voltage tester that plugs into the utility socket. That tells whether or not the alternator is putting out or not. A few tools can be helpful or you can trust the clerks at an auto parts store for testing. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_2017](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@Harvey\_2017](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Harvey_2017)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 1:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-battery-or-alternator/193008/3 "2023-09-22T01:24:13Z")
Thx. 10h later: it won’t start. When turning the key, at the second click, I hear a ticking sound for a few seconds (same as on day 1) that seems to come from the dashboard… Radio, lights don’t work. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 1:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-battery-or-alternator/193008/4 "2023-09-22T01:58:47Z")
Battery connections are corroded is my wild guess. Maybe if you told us anything at all about this mysterious vehicle we might be more help. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_2017](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@Harvey\_2017](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Harvey_2017)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 2:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-battery-or-alternator/193008/5 "2023-09-22T02:07:39Z")
Thx. I’ll check the connection by daylight. Honda Accord, 2017. I just added this info in the initial msg ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 3:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-battery-or-alternator/193008/6 "2023-09-22T03:14:51Z")
If that is the original battery, the battery itself could be going south or gone. A battery charger is a nice thing to have too. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 3:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-battery-or-alternator/193008/7 "2023-09-22T03:43:57Z")
Day 1 would have been the best time to take care of that battery problem, a weak battery can damage the starter solenoid contacts. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_2017](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@Harvey\_2017](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Harvey_2017)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 10:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-battery-or-alternator/193008/8 "2023-09-22T10:48:52Z")
The connectors are pretty good. The car sleeps in the garage; no rust. Do you mean that I need a new battery? ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 11:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-battery-or-alternator/193008/9 "2023-09-22T11:42:26Z")
Yes, it means you need a new battery. Auto parts stores will check them for free and install a new one. A garaged car doesn’t mean “no rust” and the concern isn’t necessarily rust but corrosion of the copper battery cables… which would be green… or battery terminal corrosion which would be white. Fact is, a garage car can rust faster than one sitting outside. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_2017](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@Harvey\_2017](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Harvey_2017)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 11:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-battery-or-alternator/193008/10 "2023-09-22T11:52:32Z")
No signs of corrosion around the connectors The battery is 5 years old ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 12:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-battery-or-alternator/193008/11 "2023-09-22T12:09:54Z")
So the original battery was replaced after one year? 2017 car, present year 2023 which means the car is 6 years old. 5 year old battery in a 6 year old car means…original battery was replaced after one year. Time for a new battery, I’d bet. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 12:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-battery-or-alternator/193008/12 "2023-09-22T12:57:57Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > Time for a new battery, I’d bet. +1 I usually wind-up _proactively_ replacing my battery at around the 4-year point. Trying to eke-out some extra life from a battery–while simultaneously exposing yourself to unpredictable starting problems in inconvenient locations–seems like a bad way to try to save money. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 1:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-battery-or-alternator/193008/13 "2023-09-22T13:24:02Z")
As a follow on, I live in MD and replaced the battery in my Accords after 4 to 5 years, including a 2017 Accord EX-L with the 4-cylinder engine. Actually all our car batteries need replacement on that cadence except the ones in the trunk. They didn’t need replacement in the 10+ years we owned them. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 1:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-battery-or-alternator/193008/14 "2023-09-22T13:46:35Z")
I just replaced a 6 year old engine compartment mounted battery in my Mustang. 6 years in Florida. That just doesn’t happen very often here. 3 years is more common. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 5:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-battery-or-alternator/193008/15 "2023-09-22T17:06:48Z")
> [@Harvey\_2017](#): > > No signs of corrosion around the connectors You removed connectors to clean them? Load tested battery? Verified alternator output? ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 10:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-battery-or-alternator/193008/16 "2023-09-22T22:40:24Z")
I’d guess the same as many of the posters above, you need a new battery, not unexpected for a 5 year old battery. If you question this need, ask your shop to test the battery and charging system. A battery should measure about 12.6 volts before the first start of the day, then 13.5-15.5 immediately after starting the engine. If both test ok, next ask them to measure the voltage at the thinner of the two wires that connect to the starter motor when the key is in “start”. Probe between connector and starter case. That should measure at least 10.5 volts. Most simple path forward that seems very likely to entirely resolve this problem is for your shop to just install a new battery. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_2017](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@Harvey\_2017](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Harvey_2017)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2023, 7:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/bad-battery-or-alternator/193008/17 "2023-09-23T19:02:49Z")
I got a new battery. Everything looks normal now. Thanks all for your advice. This is a great forum. Have a great day.