Car won't start something electrical

[ASUSMC]

So first thing is first. Problem started on a day with torrential rains. I had to get to work and the L needed tires so the car got driven.

Just cruising down the road, everything is going fine, all of the sudden my radio turns off, lights dim, abs light comes on, and the bottom traction control button light comes on, and it doesn't want to rev at all. It will continue to cruise but won't rev if you try to accelerate at all. Obviously the car is now running on the battery.

First thought is the alternator. I drove the car into a parking lot where it died as I was parking it (perfect timing by me). Battery is dead right? Wrong http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/images/smilies/nonono.gif. Battery shows good, over 12 volts through a known good multimeter. Starter just does the clicky thing where it doesn't have enough power to turn it over. All the lights on the interior of the car are still dim with a good battery. Checked battery connections at the terminals and they are good to go, nice and tight with freshly cleaned battery posts.

Sorry for the novel but what in the living hell could it be?!?!?!?http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/images/smile1/bash.gif

[06GT]

Don't know if this is an issue w/ the Terminators, but there is a known issue in the S197 cars that if you drive through standing water that produces a lot of water into the front wheelwell, water will get into the cabin and the Smart Junction Box (computer that controls all of the non-PCM functions) will get wet and die.

Maybe you got the ECU or other control box wet?

[Ethan@S3M]

Only one thing left to do....:flamegun:

[Gene]

I know it sounds silly, but try another battery. Your multimeter is not putting any load on the battery. I can get into the physics, but I'll lose you.

[Ruckus46gt]

your not pullied correct?

[Venomous Bite]

That sucks

[ASUSMC]

No pulley. Nothing. Car has a catback and FIPK. We are going to try another battery tonight to see if we can get it goin

[wickedcobra]

Maybe its the Flux Capacitor or the cannuter valve, not sure........no seriously that sucks:gather:

[ASUSMC]

Well put a different battery in the car and it fired right up. Still not getting a good charge to the battery however. While running the battery shows 12.11 volts and that should be somewhere around 13 or 14. Sounds like I need a new alternator. Anybody have any idea how difficult that is?

[wickedcobra]

Thats good news.....:pinkthumb: The alternator shouldn't be too bad

[AZSonicSnake]

nah, its a little bit of a pain in the butt, but nothing too bad. i have had to change mine. its a faily common failure on the terminators.

[Gene]

Physics ftmfw! Glad it worked out for you.:twothumbsup: Alternator is a pian in the ass. Might as well toss in a lower pulley while your at it.

[AZSonicSnake]

yeah...no. lower= far more of a pain in the ass the the alt. :yes:

[kbldoc]

Don't know if this is an issue w/ the Terminators, but there is a known issue in the S197 cars that if you drive through standing water that produces a lot of water into the front wheelwell, water will get into the cabin and the Smart Junction Box (computer that controls all of the non-PCM functions) will get wet and die.

Maybe you got the ECU or other control box wet?

It happened to us on my wifes 05 convertible and this is what it was, Dealer had to replaced it.
good luck!!:pound:

[fourvalvegt]

the alternators are really easy just pull out the battery tray and it frees up a ton of room

[The Nunn's]

ya the only bad thing is the alt r just a lil on the pricey side, lower and upper ftw

[AZSonicSnake]

lower and upper ftw

amen!! :woot1:

[ASUSMC]

Well obviously the alternator did not fix the issue. Car started the exact same things again today. I made it to work but I did it by turning the lights off, no radio, everything I could so I wouldn't be stuck on the side of the road. Noticed last night that above 2800rpm no matter how hard on the pedal I was the battery light would flicker and the headlights and everything got dimmer. Now the headlights and accessories have stayed dim.

My dad brought me a battery charger so I may be able to get it to his house (5 miles) vs. my house (25 miles). Right now Im just pissed that the $200 alternator I bought didn't fix the damn problem but for a couple of days.

[wickedcobra]

Shit that sucks. Did you talk to anyone at the dealer who can hook up the computer to it and see if they can figure it out?

[ASUSMC]

Not yet. I called the dealership that had replaced the motor, they said if I paid to tow it down there (North Phoenix where I work to Chandler), they could get to it in 3 days.

[fazm]

not sure if you have access to a Multimeter but try this if you do

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a396/fazm/1-2.gif

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a396/fazm/2-2.gif

[ASUSMC]

The problem with that is that its not easy to get to that part of the alternator. Have a charger for the battery. Gonna get it home, and test that as I do have access to a multimeter, then if thats good, rip the battery out and have it load tested.

[fazm]

is the battery light on all the time, or only above or below a certain rpm

oh and have u checked all the fuses already?

[ASUSMC]

As of now the battery light isn't on at all. It stopped after last night when the lights dimmed for good. We took a multimeter to the battery and it tested at 11.50 with the car running then with the car off it tested 12.50.

Havent checked the fuses yet but I don't know which ones to check.

[fazm]

start with fuse 20 inside the battery fuse box. its the box with mostly fuses and 5 relays going down the right side of it. its the alternator fuse.