Battery repeatedly dies!!
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: WA
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Battery repeatedly dies!!
I have a 93 Sc400, love it. Except now it is acting up. The battery light came on just the other day sooo I believe Monday. Today is Thursday and I replaced the battery tuesday because the battery light came on and when I got home and came to a complete stop the battery light would come on and then I turned it off and it wouldn't turn back on. MY friend jumped it so then it worked. Later it came on again when I started driving. Alternator? I got that checked out and everything was fine. Ground wire? I checked that and all was fine there. I checked the alternator wire from the battery and there was some grease leaking onto the alternator. I assume leaking because there was grease on it. Then we just checked those two connections from the battery and on the way home.. the radio died out. I unplugged the deck and sat in the driveway. Reved a bit and then still it acted very weak. Turned on... did not turn on. Just put it on a trickle charger and it says the battery is completely dead. The battery was checked by Schucks and they said it was fine and a good battery. I bought it from motion auto supply. I do have 2 amplifiers hooked up but I disconnected the deck which disconnects the amps and still the light was on. Then I even took out the fuses just to be sure. Still nothing... I replaced the serpentine belt as well since the old one was a bit cracked and to be honest... I am desperate and may just rage sell if I can't figure it out. I don't want to take it to Lexus because they will overprice me just to tell me what the problem is. Thank you all!
#5
In Recovery Mode
iTrader: (11)
If the shop diagnosed the alternator wrong, I'd suspect the diode packs on the alternator, but if they checked the diode pack specifically on the alt, I guess the logical answer is that you have a large drain somewhere, like wires crossed, or ground wires touching...
#6
Have you tried a parasitic drain test?
Disconnect positive battery terminal side, measure the voltage from the terminal to the cable. If this reading is too high your battery is constantly being drained from a component, as touched on above.
Disconnect positive battery terminal side, measure the voltage from the terminal to the cable. If this reading is too high your battery is constantly being drained from a component, as touched on above.
#7
Driver School Candidate
Have your alternator tested at a shop that actually rebuilds alternators (they'll usually let you watch the test too). The tests done at places like autozone using a bench top computer or portable testing unit can often pass a failing unit...it's happened to me twice.
Trending Topics
#9
You dont need to take it to Lexus. As mentioned before any alternator/battery shop will be able to diagnose it for you properly, not some kids.
After installing my carPC on my old '99 I had the same issue, some sort of paratitic drain that I could not locate, and testing the battery & alternator showed they were fine. Took it to my audio installer and he said there was no excess drain on the sysytem due to the carPC and no parasitic loss. I finally got fed up and just bought a new battery and a rebuilt alternator, had no issues after that.
As for the grease on the alternator, dont older 400's have the power steering resivoir located directly above the alternator? From what I remember it leaks onto the alternator and causes them to fail. You could look for that as well.
After installing my carPC on my old '99 I had the same issue, some sort of paratitic drain that I could not locate, and testing the battery & alternator showed they were fine. Took it to my audio installer and he said there was no excess drain on the sysytem due to the carPC and no parasitic loss. I finally got fed up and just bought a new battery and a rebuilt alternator, had no issues after that.
As for the grease on the alternator, dont older 400's have the power steering resivoir located directly above the alternator? From what I remember it leaks onto the alternator and causes them to fail. You could look for that as well.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Mike234588
LS - 1st and 2nd Gen (1990-2000)
11
09-11-16 11:27 PM
masboy
GS - 3rd Gen (2006-2011)
4
03-04-12 06:37 AM