# Neg. Battery cable pops off while driving; car keeps running! **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** gauges, dakota, dodge, electrical-wiring\ **Created:** [March 14, 2014, 4:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/neg-battery-cable-pops-off-while-driving-car-keeps-running/84180 "2014-03-14T04:58:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lunkhead81](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@lunkhead81](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lunkhead81)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 4:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/neg-battery-cable-pops-off-while-driving-car-keeps-running/84180/1 "2014-03-14T04:58:03Z")
While driving home after replacing a dead battery, clearly I didn’t tighten the negative cable enough as it popped off while I was driving (I only found this out after I got home though). But even after popping off, the truck kept going, albeit with the battery gauge maxed out and the dashboard/headlights flickering. I turned off what I could (it was night, so I needed headlights!), but it still accelerated well, and there were no noticeable performance issues at all. When I got home, I tightened the cable, started it up again just fine, ran it for a minute, then turned it off and restarted it fine again with no problems. My concern is: am I looking at serious electrical issues long term, or should I be ok? I’m just trying to make sure that driving without a negative cable for less than a mile doesn’t fry certain parts of the car, and end up causing big issues down the road. Thanks in advance for any responses! (truck is a 2000 dodge dakota slt) ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 5:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/neg-battery-cable-pops-off-while-driving-car-keeps-running/84180/2 "2014-03-14T05:31:49Z")
You may be one of the lucky ones. The alternator almost certainly went to full charge but if at max output the voltage remains below the threshold to toast modules and lights no damage is done. Next time you might not be so lucky. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 6:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/neg-battery-cable-pops-off-while-driving-car-keeps-running/84180/3 "2014-03-14T06:55:22Z")
Rod’s an extremely knowledgeable tech and I fully agree with his comments. You’ve proven that sometimes we luck out in spite of ourselves. Even I did… once… I think… Happy motoring. ---
**Author:** ![oblivion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3ab097/32.png) [@oblivion](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oblivion)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 2:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/neg-battery-cable-pops-off-while-driving-car-keeps-running/84180/4 "2014-03-14T14:22:06Z")
If nothing’s acting flaky, all accessories are working, and your check engine light isn’t on, you’re probably just fine. ---
**Author:** ![JoeMario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@JoeMario](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JoeMario)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 3:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/neg-battery-cable-pops-off-while-driving-car-keeps-running/84180/5 "2014-03-14T15:35:11Z")
You appear to be quite lucky. The battery acts as a big capacitor which absorbs the alternator’s normal voltage spikes. With the battery out of the circuit, those voltage spikes can damage any electrical component you have in the vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/neg-battery-cable-pops-off-while-driving-car-keeps-running/84180/6 "2014-03-14T17:24:27Z")
+1 for all comments. I’ve seen this before and everything turned out OK. I have also seen the removal of the battery terminal fry the alternator. You might just be lucky as others have already stated. ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2014, 7:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/neg-battery-cable-pops-off-while-driving-car-keeps-running/84180/7 "2014-03-14T19:34:17Z")
I think having the headlights on saved him by loading the alternator. ---
**Author:** ![lunkhead81](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@lunkhead81](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lunkhead81)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 12:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/neg-battery-cable-pops-off-while-driving-car-keeps-running/84180/8 "2014-03-15T00:47:22Z")
Thanks everybody for your comments! I asked a friend about it, and he had a theory that after popping off, the negative cable could have come into contact with metal (it is an all-steel body), which may have kept it grounded enough that it didn’t short out or overload anything. Just to make certain, I started it up this morning, and it came on fine again with no problems or warning lights. Fingers crossed it remains so! Thanks again everyone! ---
**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:** [March 15, 2014, 3:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/neg-battery-cable-pops-off-while-driving-car-keeps-running/84180/9 "2014-03-15T03:38:12Z")
Damage to the alternator or the engine computer circuitry and its sensors would be the most likely problems. It sounds like you lucked out. ---
**Author:** ![oblivion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3ab097/32.png) [@oblivion](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oblivion)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 4:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/neg-battery-cable-pops-off-while-driving-car-keeps-running/84180/10 "2014-03-15T04:22:35Z")
@lunkhead81: Your friend is incorrect. The negative battery cable is already grounded at the other end to the body. If the terminal touched the body it would accomplish absolutely nothing–it is already grounded.