# Electrical problems **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [December 21, 2008, 10:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/electrical-problems/23715 "2008-12-21T22:52:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![stueyluke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@stueyluke](https://community.cartalk.com/u/stueyluke)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 10:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/electrical-problems/23715/1 "2008-12-21T22:52:47Z")
I recently had an issue with a dead car. First we cleaned the batt. terminals and then did a trickle charge of the batt… That was a tempory solutution. Next we replaced the alternator and then the batt. as it was the original bee. in my 2002 Suzuki XL-7. We thought we had it figured out until yesterday. It was driving fine and then it down shifted hard, and began to lose power. I got is off the hiway and it completely went dead and wouldn’t start. The starter had that ticking sound. We were towed away and now I am wondering what could be causing the electrical issue. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 11:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/electrical-problems/23715/2 "2008-12-21T23:42:19Z")
Bad electrical connections? New battery and new alternator, but did anyone check the cables, or the ground connections? At this age the battery needed to be replaced, but the alternator? Did you have the alternator tested, or did you just replace it? It sounds like you’re throwing parts at this vehicle, hoping something will work, without determining the cause of the problem. Good luck with that. ---
**Author:** ![BarryNNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@BarryNNJ](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BarryNNJ)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 11:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/electrical-problems/23715/3 "2008-12-21T23:50:37Z")
Are you sure you’re without electrical power? With the key in position 2, do the headlights, horn, radio and interior lights work? ---
**Author:** ![stueyluke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@stueyluke](https://community.cartalk.com/u/stueyluke)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 12:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/electrical-problems/23715/4 "2008-12-22T00:07:19Z")
Yes, autozone tested the alternator and it was indeed bad. Any other ideas as to why after the battery is disconnected it will start up, but later it will shut down completely. Could there be another drain on the power source ie the computer brain? ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 12:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/electrical-problems/23715/5 "2008-12-22T00:12:22Z")
Wait a minute. Did you say “The battery was disconnected but the engine started.” Please explain. ---
**Author:** ![stueyluke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@stueyluke](https://community.cartalk.com/u/stueyluke)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 12:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/electrical-problems/23715/6 "2008-12-22T00:17:14Z")
yes, it was w/o all power, no dash lights, no heater fan, no radio, and not able to use the key remote to lock/unlock, plus we had no umph with the key to even put into nuetral. After it was towed in we charged the batt. again and course it started up. But this happened last time too, and that’s when it started the hard shift and no acceleration on the freeway on ramp and then died. No dash power/lights etc. ---
**Author:** ![stueyluke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@stueyluke](https://community.cartalk.com/u/stueyluke)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 12:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/electrical-problems/23715/7 "2008-12-22T00:19:02Z")
no after disc. then reconnected, sorry ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 11:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/electrical-problems/23715/8 "2008-12-22T11:03:10Z")
A poor connection where it was disconnected or a bad wire. ---
**Author:** ![hellokit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6a8cbe/32.png) [@hellokit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hellokit)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 1:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/electrical-problems/23715/9 "2008-12-22T13:01:31Z")
These instructions should help someone, who is handy with an electrical multimeter, to find that battery drain: [http://www.aa1car.com/library/battery\_runs\_down.htm](http://www.aa1car.com/library/battery_runs_down.htm)