My Battery Is Acting Really Weird On Me! Need Help!

[chuloloco]

So tonight I was leaving my friends house and went to turn on my car. It wouldn't start. I got a jump start. I drive down the highway and get on the main road. 100feet later my car shuts off! No headlights, brakelights, no gas, no hazard lights, no NOTHING! So I just pulled to the side of the road and luckily it was 1am on back country roads so no cars were out. And luckily my other friends were leaving too so they gave me a jump. They were saying,"Just sit here for like 10 minutes and let the car and battery warm up. And when you drive don't use your high beams." Don't worry they didn't leave me there! So, next I start driving home. Everythings going good and I take it easy. I get to the entrance of my hood and decide to turn on my high beams to see if my battery is still f*cked up. And yeah.....its was! My car turned off again. F*CK ME! Unbeknownst to be until this very night, my neighborhood entrance is at a slight decline. So, I was able to get to my street and go down the hill to my townhouse. Unfortunately I didn't have enough to make it to my designated parking spot (DAMN HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION MOTHERF*CKERS)...only 5 feet away! I jumped it again and got in my spot! So, what do you all suggest is the problem. Obviously its the battery but do you think all I need is to clean the terminals? Maybe I should just buy a new battery. I can't remember when I bought my last battery. Any suggestions would help a lot!

Thanks

[Unco]

it's not your battery. your alternator has malfunctioned.

[syang]

sounds like a dead battery... check with a DMM.

also check your alternator if it's working too.. with a DMM

[Mike Gerber]

Recharge your battery from an external source. Then check the battery and alternator. You can do this yourself with a Digital volt/ohmeter or take it to an auto parts store that offers this free service. Call around to auto parts stores in your area and ask if they offer this free service, with the alternator and battery still on the car. My hunch is that your alternator is not recharging the battery due to either a defective alternator or a loose alternator belt.

Mike

[Hajoca]

With a charged battery or not, start car (jump) and take the negative terminal off battery, if the engine dies, alternator is not good.

[95PimpingCamry]

^ Do NOT disconnect your battery while the engine is running! This could damage your ecu. Go to an auto parts store and have your alt checked, it sounds like it has taken a crap on you.

[Kep]

+1 on Mike Gerber's suggestion

Kep

[Unco]

Originally Posted by Hajoca

With a charged battery or not, start car (jump) and take the negative terminal off battery, if the engine dies, alternator is not good.

ok for non-efi vehicles, but not a smart thing to do in efi-fitted vehicles as this causes voltage spikes that can destroy every ecu in the car. just not worth the risk.

efi vehicles rely on the battery as a power regulator to get a steady flow of volts to the entire electronic system.

an efi vehicle should work ok with a flat battery after a jump start. if the alternator was doing its job, it would recharge your flat battery while you drive the car. the fact that your car has cut out means that the alternator is not providing power and your car was relying on what little power was left in the battery. the engine cutting out as soon as you turned the high beams on is typical of this.

charge your battery, by all means. but my suggestion is that your alternator has died.

[chuloloco]

Thank you guys so much! I'll take it to Pep Boys to get the battery checked out. Just another quick question, where is the alternator on the 3vz-fe and how would I check it or would a Pep Boys guy do that for me?

Let's say the alternator is bad, how much would it cost to be replaced or repaired?

Thanks

[Unco]

this is the alternator in a 3vz-fe:



if you're taking it to pep boys, i'm sure they can check the alternator for you. it only takes half a minute.

[touringcamry]

A reman alternator runs about $200 and a new one is probably around $300. For labor, you're probably looking at about 1 hour labor charge if you don't do it yourself.