Possible battery problem?
12-14-13, 02:11 PM
#1
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Possible battery problem?
I have searched the forum high and low, but can't find anything fitting my exact problem.
My SC400 has been starting up fine until last Saturday. With the cold weather and since I don't drive it as much, I crank it up and let it run for a while. I cranked it up last week and let it run for about 20 minutes and while revving the engine lightly, I noticed when I let off the accelerator it would sound like it's weak as if it was about to die. It would catch itself though and remain on. I decided to turn it off to see if it would power back up, but of course it did not.
After I pushed the SC out of the driveway, I jumped it and it fired right up. I let it run for a while and it did the same thing, like it was going to die but catch itself. I let it run a little more then decided to slowly push the accelerator little by little til it touch the floor, it gave power but not as much as it should have, it sounded weak. I then decided to drive it a bit to see if that would help, but discovered it would not leave park, the selector was stuck. Whenever I jump it with the cables still connected, it gets out of park just fine though. The next day, it was the same thing.
My uncle told me it may be the terminal needing to be replaced, so I replaced them today. After I put the new terminal on, I put the jumper cables on and whenever it touched the negative, the factory alarm would go off (everything is stock by the way). I put the old terminal back in, and I got the same result with the alarm sounding off. I got the alarm to shut up while the cables are connected still, by hitting the unlock button in the SC and putting the key in. The car would not start this time, even with the cable connected to both vehicles, just the alarm would go off. Now it goes off without the cables whenever I connect the battery. I guess the battery got a little charge.
Does this sound like a battery issue, or could this possibly be something else? Any help is much appreciated, thanks in advance.
Edit: The battery is 1 1/2 - 2 years old
My SC400 has been starting up fine until last Saturday. With the cold weather and since I don't drive it as much, I crank it up and let it run for a while. I cranked it up last week and let it run for about 20 minutes and while revving the engine lightly, I noticed when I let off the accelerator it would sound like it's weak as if it was about to die. It would catch itself though and remain on. I decided to turn it off to see if it would power back up, but of course it did not.
After I pushed the SC out of the driveway, I jumped it and it fired right up. I let it run for a while and it did the same thing, like it was going to die but catch itself. I let it run a little more then decided to slowly push the accelerator little by little til it touch the floor, it gave power but not as much as it should have, it sounded weak. I then decided to drive it a bit to see if that would help, but discovered it would not leave park, the selector was stuck. Whenever I jump it with the cables still connected, it gets out of park just fine though. The next day, it was the same thing.
My uncle told me it may be the terminal needing to be replaced, so I replaced them today. After I put the new terminal on, I put the jumper cables on and whenever it touched the negative, the factory alarm would go off (everything is stock by the way). I put the old terminal back in, and I got the same result with the alarm sounding off. I got the alarm to shut up while the cables are connected still, by hitting the unlock button in the SC and putting the key in. The car would not start this time, even with the cable connected to both vehicles, just the alarm would go off. Now it goes off without the cables whenever I connect the battery. I guess the battery got a little charge.
Does this sound like a battery issue, or could this possibly be something else? Any help is much appreciated, thanks in advance.
Edit: The battery is 1 1/2 - 2 years old
12-14-13, 03:12 PM
#2
Sounds like your alternator isn't charging your battery.
That'd be the first place I'd look, and I'd check your power steering pump to make sure it's not leaking all over your alternator. That's what usually kills the alt in the SC400, and if it did indeed kill your alt you don't want to replace your alt to have a new one die from the power steering pump leaking all over your alt.
That'd be the first place I'd look, and I'd check your power steering pump to make sure it's not leaking all over your alternator. That's what usually kills the alt in the SC400, and if it did indeed kill your alt you don't want to replace your alt to have a new one die from the power steering pump leaking all over your alt.
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