Battery/alternator good. Car keeps dying!

db4690 · September 4, 2018, 1:51am

How did you determine that?

Shianna_Lanae · September 4, 2018, 1:52am

Autozone tested it with their machine.

db4690 · September 4, 2018, 1:56am

How?

You removed the alternator and autozone bench tested it?

Or you brought the whole vehicle, and they tested it, as installed?

Shianna_Lanae · September 4, 2018, 2:06am

I brought the whole car to autozone and they tested the alternator after putting in the new battery. I was told the battery light should go off after 50 miles or so, but it didn’t make it that far.

Nevada_545 · September 4, 2018, 3:35am

The battery light indicates that there is a charging system problem. This will need to be repaired, don’t try to drive very far, the battery will discharge again.

It_s-Me · September 4, 2018, 3:40am

With what?

And battery cables can go bad on the inside/under the insulation

db4690 · September 4, 2018, 4:00am

The guys working at autozone are not mechanics, no matter how much they’re promoting themselves

As such, I would expect bad advice, as they clearly gave you

The sad thing is that they actually think they’re pretty car savvy

An expression comes to mind . . . “You don’t know what you don’t know”

Cougar · September 4, 2018, 5:15am

If the alternator is working okay then the problem is with the main output wire connection between it and the battery. Check the fuse for that wire connection to make sure it is okay.

George_San_Jose1 · September 5, 2018, 1:36am

Depending on how the alternator is tested, it could test ok, but still not charge the battery. Some basic voltage measurements at the battery posts is where I’d start. Before the first start of the day, around 12.6 volts. Immediately after starting the engine, at idle, around 13.5-15.5 volts. Anything outside that range means there’s a battery, alternator, or wiring problem.

justin.hickmanak_149334 · March 11, 2019, 5:56pm

Im a little late to the party, but I have a brand new alternator and a brand new battery. I just bought this car and while its running or I’m driving slowly each accessory turns off or flickers off. If I turn my headlights on or push my breaks I think kill it the fastest. Or I’m not really a mechanic is why I’m here lol it kind of jerks the car back like it sucks the whole life out of it for a second if I break or try to use the headlights while I’m driving… did anyone figure out what it was? Hopefully just a connection to the alternator?