I go out to my car (2006 IS 350) this morning and I attempt to turn it on and I get the famous battery is dead clicks. My car has been barely starting for almost a week and then today it finally did not start. So I jumped it and took it to Advance Auto to have the battery and alternator tested. The battery was running 717 cca and 12.71V. The alternator however charging system however was running 13.xxV and not reading any amps. The Advance Auto rep said that I have an electrical problem and I should take it to the Lexus dealer. Does this sound familiar to anyone or have any input? Thanks!

 

Since you could jump start it , likely not the starter

How old is the battery? Original? If so, it needs to be replaced regardless..and a good chance it's the issue.

 

The battery is less than a year old. And when the Advance rep tested it it was running normal putting out the voltage it should be.

 

battery light is on when the car is running?

 

Nope no battery light

 

put a voltmeter across the battery with the engine running, if reading is greater than 13.xx volts, then its probably the battery or other electrical system. If less than 13V the its the alternator.

 

It's reading 12.71V. But the amps are not reading so it might be an electrical problem from the alternator to the battery or the battery to the starter.

 

The battery is less than a year old.

 

how are you reading the amps? Are you putting the meter in series with the circuit? You cant measure voltage the same way as you can for current. To measure voltage you measure in parallel, to measure current you have to measure in series. Youll actually have to unhook one of the terminals to measure in series. Nothing would be running if you measured zero amps.

 

I just took my car to advance auto I didn't run any tests myself. I'm not saying he was a pro or anything but he did more than I would know to do. He gave me a receipt with all this information on it and it just has dashes where the amps should have been read.

 

unless they have a clamp on device where you actually clamp on the wire to measure the current.

would think if it was alternator the battery light should be on

 

I definitely haven't seen a battery light. And I must add I guess that this battery is from walmart and being a college student I absolutely bought the cheapest one. But it's still less than a year old. The advance guy said it might be an electrical issue from the alternator to the battery and that's why the car will start perfectly one time and then be completely dead the next.

 

nator. That sounds very low, it indicates problem with alter

 

Have you jump start other people's car with your Walmart battery?

 

I'm thinking about taking it to Lexus to have them diagnose it and then if it's the alternator my dad and I can switch that out. I just hate not knowing what it is.