gibson2001

I have a 2001 maxima se and my battery keeps draining too low to start the car. I replaced the postive battery terminal and changed batteries and charged them both. I got it to start for a little bit but after about 10 minutes of the car being off it wouldn't start. I shut everything off and don't leave anything plugged in and when I'm driving the wipers slow down, heat slows down, and the srs light comes on but it doesn't die while driving. If anyone had this problem please tell me how you fixed it

T_Behr904

Get a multimeter and check the battery voltage while the car is running. It's possible your alternator isn't charging properly. Also, how old is the battery, and what condition is your negative battery cable in?

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

^^^ +1

gibson2001

I have done a few touch ups on the ground and i have a duralast when it started and i could not get it to charge up again so i put my old spare in after 6 months without use and it started up fine for a few hours then needed to be jumped. My ac alternator belt needs to be changed and right at 140,000 the car whines and the pitch changes with the rpms so i was thinking a bearing has gone bad somewhere

T_Behr904

That whine could be the alternator, or it could be something else. Get a multimeter and check the voltage at the battery when the car is running. I've had to replace 2 alternators in my car in the 3ish years i've owned it. First failure was a bearing. Second failure was a cheap alternator that came from Discount Auto Parts and failed a couple of months out of my 1 year warranty. I now have a lifetime warranty alternator from O'Reilly's and so far, so good. Also, get a new belt, too.

gibson2001

If it was the alternator wouldn't it die while I'm driving?

T_Behr904

If you drive it long enough it will drain the battery down far enough to the point where it will eventually die. I've driven a car with a faulty alternator running off the battery probably 50 miles or so.

T_Behr904

just check your voltage and report back

DjHackStyle

only if it wasnt enough to power the car, however it could have enough voltage to power the car but not enough to charge the battery. like if your reading ~12v while the car is on then the battery isnt gonna get charged. you should be reading like ~14v idling.

T_Behr904

Yep that's a possible scenario, too. At idle with accessories on (a/c, radio, headlights, foglights) i'll get a reading around 13.5 or a little bit more.

CMax03

iTrader: (3)

If static battery voltage (car off) is at least 12v and while running with all accessories on it's over 13.0-14.0V the altenator is good.....if your only getting about 12.0 v while running you've got a problem..if it's hard to start (dragging) with 12v then it's your starter.....

gibson2001

It wouldnt start but the battery was over 12 volts so i put a charger on it and it started.

so once it was running it was at 14 volts and the car would start again after

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

Since the voltage was 14 when the car was running, you are looking at battery or starter. A battery may show 12 volts when not being used but may be unable to deliver enough current for starting. Have a "current draw" test done on the battery - BOTH batteries. Also, monitor the voltage while you are cranking the engine. If the voltage drops below 10 while cranking, the battery can't produce enough power to start the car.

And when the engine is cranking, does it sound like it is cranking at normal speed, or does it sound slow?

vkcooke90

Another possibility could be that the belt for the alternator could be slipping and not turning the alternator.

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

If that were the case, the op would not have measured 14 volts when the engine was running.

T_Behr904

Could be a possible cell in the battery that's dead or going out. It's got the voltage, but not the amps.

gibson2001

Once the battery is on a charger or when the car is being jumped it cranks fine but after a while of the car being driven everything will start to dim and it will crank sliwer until i needs to be jumped. Im driving it now and its cranking slower each time. Last night i charged the battery i took the ground off and let it sit overnight and it started fine in the morning. Any ideas of wats wrong?

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

Check voltage WHILE cranking. If it's under 10.5 ish your battery is junk, or the wiring to the battery or starter is bad.

I'd replace the battery ground cable before anything else and go from there.

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

Earlier you said you measured 14 volts with the engine running. This post saying the lights are going dim implies that the alternator in not charging. Maybe you have an alternator that is failing most (?) of the time but works some of the time, like the time you checked the voltage. You need to keep the voltmeter in the car so you can check the voltage at times when you notice that the lights are dimming.

Also, check the little 2 wire connector that plugs into the alternator. Unplug and re-plug it 3 - 5 times. Maybe it is loose or tarnished.