2001 Maxima

Googled it, but want a fast peer check:

Wife was driving home, Brake Light and Battery Light both came on on the dashboard. She pulled over, turned the car off. Tried to start it again, and now the engine will not turn over. But there's definitely power and lights, battery is fine.

Based on research, sounds like a textbook case of a failed alternator...?

[Edited on January 26, 2011 at 7:20 PM. Reason : ]

1/26/2011 7:20:19 PM

Your battery is NOT fine...it's drained to hell. Just because you have lights doesn't mean you have enough power in your battery to crank the engine.

Yes, it sounds pretty much like a textbook case of failed alternator. I'd go even further to say it's likely it's a rectifier breakdown in the alternator.

Install reman one. Charge battery prior to operation. Problem solved. (or I'd at least bet a dozen Krispy Kremes and five hotdogs all the way).

1/26/2011 10:42:13 PM

Quote :

"Your battery is NOT fine...it's drained to hell."

?? Battery can be drained, but not at end of life. Do a jump, drive for ten minutes and it's good to go again. This one is only three months old, also. So I know it's fine. Just drained.

And thx for the advice.

1/26/2011 11:26:56 PM

if your alternator isn't working you can easily kill a battery in 3 months. the alternator is the cause, but the failure to start is a symptom of the failed battery.

1/26/2011 11:31:49 PM

Just check the voltage on the battery with the motor running and not running to see if the alternator is providing voltage to charge the battery.

not running battery should be ~ 12.5-12.8V

running (idle) ~ 13.6-14.3V

if it does not produce enough voltage while running, alternator is most likely bad.

as suggested earlier, remove and replace alternator with re manufactured one with a warranty just in case it is something else causing the problem.

if you dont have a voltmeter, take it to a shop

1/27/2011 9:16:16 AM

Quote :

"?? Battery can be drained, but not at end of life. Do a jump, drive for ten minutes and it's good to go again. This one is only three months old, also. So I know it's fine. Just drained."

Naw, not at the end of its life, though I've seen some die a horrible death, even at 3 months old. Take out, charge, test. Just to be sure. A shorted cell can make a battery do funny shit.

^Go read up on your alternator stuff. You can have an alternator that charges when the car's running, but due to a bad diode, drains the FUCK out of the battery when switched off. Charging voltage is but a first check.

1/27/2011 10:42:10 AM

Yea, i was just giving him some steps to begin troubleshooting it. I figured that if he was here asking questions that we should start with some easy checks. I learned the hard way about the diode going bad in a BMW i used to drive. I spent quite a few hours tracing electrical to try and figure out why the battery was dieing all the time even though i had proper charging voltage.

Either way, take the battery to Advance and have them check it. If it is still good then have them check the alternator.

1/27/2011 11:15:04 AM

Well, I've never done anything more than change my oil...and tires.

But I did it! Fixed. 5 hours to change out.

1/27/2011 9:57:49 PM

Sweet! I know you probably don't want to have to do it again, but I bet you could knock it out in half the time next time. Just that learning curve thing...

1/27/2011 11:49:26 PM

Actually now that I know how to do it, I wouldn't mind having to do it again. I enjoy doing oil changes too. I like being under the car, getting scuffed hands and dirty clothes. After being stuck in a cube all day it's actually very cathartic.

1/28/2011 8:33:37 AM