Battery or Alternator Dead? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

oregoncamry · 08-16-2004, 04:05 PM

I have a 91 Camry 4cyl. I parked on a slight incline, got out of my car, shut off the engine, got back in 30 seconds later, and it wouldn't start. I tried turning the key again, it had power, but no click. The third time no lights came on and I had no power. I tried a few more times, the open door light was on when my door was open, but no other lights were on when I turned the key. I waited 10 minutes, my buddy showed up to give me a jump, I tried again, it started up. It ran for 2 minutes then died again. There isn't any corrosion on the posts to the battery, and they were pretty tightly screwed on. I'm leaning torward it being the battery... any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

karazy · 08-16-2004, 04:37 PM

A car will run with a dead battery, but it won't with both. The battery could still be good, but drained due to lack of charge. It could still be a fuse though. With a simple voltmeter the rest can be checked. Didn't your battery warning light come on.

ericksonm · 08-17-2004, 01:03 AM

how many miles is on your camry?? usually cars with over 150k ++ the alternator starts to give up.. so that may be your problem

oregoncamry · 08-17-2004, 11:21 AM

Though my car does have 153000 miles on it, it hasn't shown any of the classic alternator dying signs, usually they tend to peter out rather than just die all of a sudden. I went back to it after work and jump started it again and drove it home, which is about 3 miles through stop and go city streets, and then parked it, tried to start it again, and it had lights but couldn't turn over the first time, the second it had no power again. On the way home there was no battery light or anything else. I looked in the fuse box, but I think it wouldn't even start if one of the main fuses was blown. What do you guys think? I'm thinking it's just a dead battery, it's one of those Wal-Mart batteries and it has a 2 year warranty, but I can't find a date on the thing.

Nico · 08-17-2004, 11:28 AM

I also think this is the battery especially if you didn't have your battery warning light. Nowadays batteries tend to die all of a sudden. When mine died last time I didn't have any lights on my dashboard, just NOTHING, and even with a jump start the engine just died immediately.
To make sure you could test your battery with a votlmeter or try it on another car

ericksonm · 08-17-2004, 06:53 PM

in that case you may be able to take it to your local auto store like kragen, pepboys, etc... and have them check it..

if you really want the best.. i suggest "Optima yellow top" but it sure is pricey.. and a lot smaller than stock.. but it performs a lot better

steve273 · 08-17-2004, 07:29 PM

Could be the contacts in your starter which are common in Japanese cars. I had a similar situation whereby my car would not turnover periodically. This also drained battery.

2002 Camry
1993 Camry
1990 Tercel
1989 Camry

lilsmurf · 08-18-2004, 10:02 AM

if your lights and stuff come on then its not the battery, If the battery was dead or just not charged the lights and stuf wont come on or they'll be real dim. Its sounds like it has something to do with your alternator, check your recharge wire (i think thats what its called). A friend of mine had a similar problem with his saturn and it turned out to be a little punk ass wire that kept killin his alternator.

KILLACAMNY · 08-18-2004, 10:23 AM

Why dont you start the car, then unplug the negative side of the battery. The alternator should keep the car running. If the car dies when you unplug, then you know its ur alternator.

Lyons451 · 08-18-2004, 11:10 AM

Yeah you could do what oregon said. But if you have no lights whatsoever it must be that your battery can't hold a charge and is therefore dead.

oregoncamry · 08-18-2004, 02:57 PM

Replaced it, been driving it for 24 hours with now problems in stop and go traffic. Thanks for the help guys...

chs68 · 08-18-2004, 07:31 PM

i have a question my battery died to the other day and i tryed to jump it but it didnt work so i got one of those Optima batterys w/ my partents money. But i cant seem to get the plugs to fit on the battery real good. Can i bed them to get a tight fit or will this damage something.

and now that i have this battery is it really all the better im happy w/ it but is it worth the price.

joewillis · 12-31-2006, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chs68

i have a question my battery died to the other day and i tryed to jump it but it didnt work so i got one of those Optima batterys w/ my partents money. But i cant seem to get the plugs to fit on the battery real good. Can i bed them to get a tight fit or will this damage something.

and now that i have this battery is it really all the better im happy w/ it but is it worth the price.

You can bend thoes terminals there lead and should bend pretty easy, there is also a tool you can get that does a good job

JMSinMD · 01-01-2007, 11:18 AM

Thank g-d you answered his question. He's been waiting close to 3 years for the answer.

timebuilder · 01-01-2007, 11:27 AM

The Optima is a great battery, but I have always just used a good brand of the correct type of battery so I don't have any installation issues. Now, if you have Big Audio or power-hugry accessories in the car, then that's a different matter.

A three year old thread. hmm.