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Car Question: Battery or Alternator?

  • Quint
    I would like to preface this by saying I have zero knowledge about cars. I did some google searches, but I figured since everyone on OC has a genius IQ. . . I'd post a question.

    Facts:
    Saturday, my battery light came on. Sunday night, I noticed a slight delay in turning over when I started the vehicle. After driving for about 10 mins that same night, my windshield wipers started going very slowly, my headlights became dim, my dash lights went out, ABS light came on, oil light came on, and then I lost power steering. I pulled over and the vehicle died. I got a jump, and it started right up. I then drove it to my home and turned it off. I haven't tried jumping it again, but it will not start (it does have enough juice to turn on the inside lights when I open the door, but it will not turn over).

    Vehicle Information:
    The vehicle is a 2001, with over 150k miles on it. The battery does look like shit, and I have not replaced it since I purchased the vehicle in the fall of 2010. I drive a lot (600-1000 miles/week).

    Question:
    Is this an alternator issue, a battery issue, or something else? Any input would be appreciated!
  • Thread Bomber
    Start it up and unhook (carefully) the battery from the cables. If it stalls it's the alternator.
  • Emmett Brown
    I would say alternator.

    Hope this helps.
  • 4cards
    ...sounds like the battery is not able to hold a charge, so it could be the alternator not doing it's job, but take your car to Autozone & they can test the alternator, battery, charging system for free while you're still in the car if you can get it restarted.
  • jmog
    Sounds like the alternator, but chances are if your alternator died while driving and you drove on just a battery (sounds like you did) you might need to replace both.
  • Emmett Brown
    4cards;1063097 wrote:...sounds like the battery is not able to hold a charge, but take your car to Autozone & they can test the alternator, battery, charging system for free while you're still in the car if you can get it restarted.
    The battery has nothing to do with power steering going out does it?
  • Pick6
    sounds like alternator so far

    do your exterior lights still turn on? I recently had my battery go bad and all my lights, etc would come on, just wouldnt start.
  • said_aouita
    Emmett Brown;1063096 wrote:I would say alternator.

    Hope this helps.
    Either that or a missing (alternator/Serpentine ) belt.



    At the worse you blew it up. Didn't notice it overheating quickly before it died, did ya?
  • Quint
    Emmett Brown;1063096 wrote:I would say alternator.

    Hope this helps.

  • Quint
    said_aouita;1063128 wrote:Either that or a missing (alternator/Serpentine ) belt.



    At the worse you blew it up. Didn't notice it overheating quickly before it died, did ya?

    No overheating. Battery light came on Saturday morning. I was in the process of moving so I couldn't get it checked out until Monday. I drove it around all day Saturday with no issues. Drove it for about 10-15 minutes on Sunday before everything went out.
  • Quint
    Pick6;1063122 wrote:sounds like alternator so far

    do your exterior lights still turn on? I recently had my battery go bad and all my lights, etc would come on, just wouldnt start.
    I haven't tried the exterior lights, but all the internal lights come on when I open the door, but it just clicks when I turn the ignition.
  • se-alum
    Redneck alternator test, start your car and hold a screwdriver near your alternator. If your alternator is functioning correctly, it will have a magnetic field. No magnetism, bad alternator.
  • mucalum49
    Had this exact same thing happen to me in August. It was both for me. I had the original battery on an 8 year old car. But even when I got a new battery my car still stalled out and wouldn't start. I had to get a new alternator as well.
  • Pick6
    Quint;1063140 wrote:I haven't tried the exterior lights, but all the internal lights come on when I open the door, but it just clicks when I turn the ignition.
    Im going to say battery. How far did you drive your car after you got it jumped? If it was the alternator, it would have died not long after you jumped it.

    A battery will go a good distance as long as the car is running.


    Also could be like mucalum said and be both. The whole power steering going out and stalling on you while driving screams alternator, but other signs tell me the battery is bad.
  • Belly35
    Step one check to see that your alternator belt is tight :D that would be the quick fix tighting the belt or buying new belts

    if that not the problem Alternator but have auto zone check it out for you...
  • Quint
    After I jumped it, I drove it about a block and a half, but I left it running idle for about 15 mins when I got to my destination.
  • se-alum
    If you wait till it gets dark, you can turn on your headlights, and if they are shining normally, try starting the car. If the lights don't dim when you do this, 99% sure it's the alternator.
  • Pick6
    I think 2 things. The battery and the alternator belt or alternator.
  • 4cards
    Emmett Brown;1063100 wrote:The battery has nothing to do with power steering going out does it?
    ...Actually it does. The power steering pump is actually motorized, and not powered by the accessory belt. If your charging system is weak, then it will affect the power steering pump motor, just like any other electrical accessory
  • nc52
    alternator