I would really appreciate any input on this problem.

Recently, every once in a while my car shuts off by itself while I am driving, and all the power dies in the car. When I go to re-start, no lights come on, car doesn't even crank, its like the whole car dies. Then I wait a little while, and then try again and again and then eventually everything turns on. Also, a few times when i just go into the car and try to start it, the same problem, there is no power, no start, no crank. Once when this happened, I just played around with the battery terminals a little and then it started, but it could of just been a coincidence. Maybe unrelated, since it happens while I am driving sometimes and turns back on after a while without even touching the terminals.

I am pretty sure there is nothing wrong with the battery or alternator because when the car is on, the power is good and I don't see any weak signs. Definately nothing wrong with the starter. Could the actual terminals be bad? This is very very dangerous, I am worried the car might shut off on the highway or in an unsafe area.

Could a bad battery actually cause your car to shut off while your driving? or is it a bad connection? I don't know.



Thanks,
Majid

 

Did you ever get a fix for this problem? My car started doing the same thing. I'm baffled. Repair shop said change your alternator. Tow shop that came to jump me said alternator is good, bad battery possible. I have until 12:00 my time, then I am going to have spend the bread which is what I don't want to do. Particularly for the 300.00 alternator.

 

No man, sorry, no solutions yet. But I can tell you 95% percent I think its the battery that is acting up, but what I don't understand is why the problem is intermittent. If its the battery, you either have a bad battery or you don't, you know?
The only thing I can tell you if that I changed the starter last year and I stored the car over winter in a garage with the battery terminals both off the battery so it doesn't drain. - december to April. Also, I read somewhere on this board that there is a good chance it could be a bad ground or terminal connection. Maybe its loose or something.

If I was you, I wouldn't buy an alternator until the problem gets really really bad or until you know for sure thats the problem.


If you find a solution please tell me, If I find one, I'll be happy to tell you too. Thanks....



majid

 

Ok, so today I held off on installing the alternator, but did tell them to clean all terminals and check all the connections. So far so good. Just like the battery I would think the alternator either works or it doesn't. Alternator can't work one day cut out the next and then come back the next.

 

bad ground?

 

bad ground wire going to the body I mean. Maybe it got loose and isn't tight enough. Sorry.

 

-bad ground will make the car shut off totally intermittentl,y.
-you might have a bad battery but note that once the car is started, the battery's job is over. the alternator takes over. so if anything :bad alternator.
if you say everything works fine at times, i would guess its a loose connection somewhere.
i would get an electrician to check all my connections.
good luck

 

my gs had the same problem, i would get into my car turn the key with all the lights working and steering wheel moving into position and everything would shut off and die, and when i tried to restart it i got nothing, only after messing with the battery terminals did everything go back to normal, so what i did was change out the terminals for a better one (like monster cable) it hasnt done it since

 

My SC did that. It was the terminals. My friends GX470 did that once as well. Terminals also. Tightened them up, and problem gone.

 

Thanks so much everybody for your input. Its great to see theres always people to help on this forum. I'm going to play around with the terminals a bit more and see what happens.

Majid

 

i had this issue n fixed it with a new battery and new terminals!

 

Hey guys, just to complete our conspiricy theory, instead of changing my alternator I had my shop clean the connections and tighten everything up....... No more problems ( at least for a few days straight). I think my computer probably reset but, the car even has that new drive feel again. The only true problem is that I can't open the doors from the remote anymore, but I'll figure that one out. As long as it starts

 

Hi Guys!

Sounds like what I had, starter problems. I bought a starter then proceeded to prepare for the removal of all the garbage. My problem, I can't separate the intake manifold from the engine.
Any ideas?

Thanks
Alex

 

what is that a picture of?