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Car problem, need help ASAP.

MindLibMindLib Registered User regular
edited May 2011 in Help / Advice Forum
It's a 2002 Jeep Utility X. Battery suddenly not keeping a charge, needs to be jumped to start. I assume this is either the battery itself or the alternator? I'm gonna try the trick where you take the negative off the battery while it's running. I read that if it conks out after you do that then it's definitely the alternator, is that true? One other strange thing: When I try to start it and it fails, the gauges in the dash fluctuate like crazy. What could that be a symptom of?

Thanks.

MindLib on

Posts

  • Donovan PuppyfuckerDonovan Puppyfucker A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Battery's dead. Change that first.

    Donovan Puppyfucker on
  • Iceman.USAFIceman.USAF Major East CoastRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    If it's the battery, and you replace it, problem solved.

    If it's the alternator, you'll replace the battery and it'll work better for a few and then die. Then you replace the alternator.

    Either way you likely needed a new battery.

    Iceman.USAF on
  • JebusUDJebusUD Adventure! Candy IslandRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    If it is the alternator the car will lose power while moving (loss of speed, dash lights coming on, etc, till the car stops). If it doesn't do that then it is the battery.

    JebusUD on
    and I wonder about my neighbors even though I don't have them
    but they're listening to every word I say
  • Macro9Macro9 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Get the battery and alternator tested. It's free pretty much everywhere in the US.

    Macro9 on
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  • MindLibMindLib Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    It was the battery, thanks.

    MindLib on
  • Donovan PuppyfuckerDonovan Puppyfucker A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Iceman.USAF wrote: »
    If it's the battery, and you replace it, problem solved.

    If it's the alternator, you'll replace the battery and it'll work better for a few and then die. Then you replace the alternator.

    Either way you likely needed a new battery.

    Yeah, if the alternator has had it, the repeated deep-cycling of the battery would have hammered it to death anyway.

    So you swap out the battery, car won't start the next time, you change the alternator.

    Donovan Puppyfucker on
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Penny Arcade Forums› Help / Advice Forum