HELP--Electrical problems

SilentBob · Post by **SilentBob** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 5:36 pm

Well...I knew my run of no car problems would have to come to an end

Electrical problems...
Example, (started the other day), when disabling the alarm, it goes to disable but stops and starts making a continuous alarm noise(one steady note though as opposed to on off noise, and quieter) which i have to open car, get in turn alarm off/on/off for it to go back to normal and when this occurs the clock on my stereo and the odomoter(umm the k's counter you reset etc) both reset
Example 2,(this happened last night and this morning), when driving(with stereo on) turned on the headlights and the electricals essentially reset(ie speedo drops to 0, all the warnings lights come on like when you start the car and the stereo turned off) then comes back on....

Now.....why the feck is it doin this...
my ideas...
a)car battery is dying/to small...resulting in the charge sometimes being to low to a)disable the alarm and b)when i turned the lights on drew to much power
b)ive got a short somewhere thats occuring occasionally??

Im no expert, and need some help(prolly need to seek out an auto electrician this week if i cant find a simple and cheaper solution)

Thanks
SilentBob

airbornespanner · Post by **airbornespanner** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 7:05 pm

SilentBob,

It is hard to diagnose from afar, but it sounds as though your battery is on its way out, possible one cell about to collapse, this will cause all sorts of symtoms including what you have described.

I had a similar problem with mine, I fitted a more powerful battery and have had no problems since, if you fit a new battery you need to look at one with the most plate and highest amp/hour rating , mine is 430 and I think about 11 plates ( keeping in mind one that physically fits) , you may need to replace the terminals for better quality ones as well.

Hope this helps

airbornespanner

airbornespanner · Post by **airbornespanner** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 7:14 pm

SilentBob,

Just another thing to look at before replacing the battery, if you havent already, make sure that your battery terminals are very clean, any resistance due to dirty contacts will also cause the same symtoms, even though the car may still start.

Regards

airbornespanner

SilentBob · Post by **SilentBob** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 10:41 pm

thanks...thats what im thinking because another symptom noticed tonight

-- while driving, watching the voltmeter in the centre console...whenever a bass note hit it dropped then rose again(so i turned off the sub) but it also did it whenever i braked(brake lights), indicated or turned to high beam..

..hence moving me more towards the bad battery scenario

??? opinions?

SilentBob

MADFTO · Post by **MADFTO** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 11:49 am

How much does it drop by???

If it drops below 12V then it's most likely the battery, as the system is demanding more current than the alternator is supplying and the battery isn't taking up the slack.

SilentBob · Post by **SilentBob** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 6:29 pm

depends on whats happening..
when its windows, or something like that it drops down to 13 or so before rising.., indicators/brakes...a little less
lights, just below 13, though sometimes to 0 quickly causin the electrics to stop and restart

frustrating...
i hope it simply is the battery, which is where im leaning towards due to my logic that the battery supplies the quick transient power needed before the cars power can adjust to supply power to whatever is running(ie stereo when sub note kicks in, or the lights)

???
Any thoughts

SilentBob

MADFTO · Post by **MADFTO** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 9:47 am

Hmmmmmm.

Well if it's holding at 13 most of the time, I'd suspect the battery is fine and you have something loose which is causing it to drop out at times . . .

I'd first remove the battery terms, clean them, then put them back on fairly tight.

One way to find out if you have something loose is to do something that'll make the car jerk and see if it drops out then (though losing your electrics wouldn't be good)

Oh, does the engine miss a beat when the electrics drop out???

SilentBob · Post by **SilentBob** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 11:43 am

Hi...the engine doesnt seem to miss a beat no..

I went out and got a new battery this morning...big bosch one, so now that its replaced Ill see how it goes..

after all...it couldnt hurt

With the way the car was behaving and my basic uni understanding of electrics i kinda think its the battery, but ill find out over the next few days i guess

SilentBob