Battery wont charge
03-26-2019, 10:19 AM
#1
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Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Norway
Posts: 6
Battery wont charge
Hello. I'm new to the forum. I'm from Norway, please forgive my English. I bought a 2000 Nissan Maxima for one year ago. It looks nice and have only had one old man as owner before me. The car have 170.000 km (105.500 miles), so I think it can live long. It is too bad I do not have much experience with cars and repairs on cars, and I do not have much money to pay for car repairs for the time being.
Earlier this year I had problems with battery not charging. I measured the voltage on the battery when the car was going and I found out it did not show any extra voltage. I bought a new alternator and changed this. Youtube was my helping saviour in this moment, lol thank god. I then had problems with the plug with signal wires that is going in the alternator. I cut the wires of and made a homemade solution with wires without plug using cabel shoe (? Or is it called crimp terminal). It was all working good for a couple of months.
Now a couple of days ago the red light for battery not charging was again showing in my dashboard. I have no idea what the problem is. After I changed the alternator I also changed the battery. When I measure for continuity with ohm meter, the big charging wire from alternator show connection with plus pole on battery. One of the signal wires show connection with plus pole and the other show connection with minus pole.
I hope anyone can come with tips. If you are unsure about anything, please ask me questions. I understand English well, but I’m not so good explaining myself.
Earlier this year I had problems with battery not charging. I measured the voltage on the battery when the car was going and I found out it did not show any extra voltage. I bought a new alternator and changed this. Youtube was my helping saviour in this moment, lol thank god. I then had problems with the plug with signal wires that is going in the alternator. I cut the wires of and made a homemade solution with wires without plug using cabel shoe (? Or is it called crimp terminal). It was all working good for a couple of months.
Now a couple of days ago the red light for battery not charging was again showing in my dashboard. I have no idea what the problem is. After I changed the alternator I also changed the battery. When I measure for continuity with ohm meter, the big charging wire from alternator show connection with plus pole on battery. One of the signal wires show connection with plus pole and the other show connection with minus pole.
I hope anyone can come with tips. If you are unsure about anything, please ask me questions. I understand English well, but I’m not so good explaining myself.
Last edited by rob.loev; 03-26-2019 at 08:32 PM.
03-26-2019, 11:12 AM
#2
On a car that has a good working charging system, when you measure continuity of the big alternator wire, you should have continuity to the positive (plus) battery terminal. You should not have continuity to the negative (minus) battery terminal.
One of the small wires should have continuity to the positive (plus) battery terminal. This wire supplies 12 volts to the stator coils inside the alternator to create magnetic fields so the alternator will work. In the United States, this wire is colored yellow with a black stripe.
The other small wire is used to turn on or turn off the battery light in the dashboard. This wire is not necessary to make the alternator work. The wire goes to the battery light bulb. When the ignition switch is in the OFF position, a continuity measurement would either show no continuity or a very high resistance. In the United States, this wire is colored white with a red stripe.
You said that the big wire has continuity to the minus battery terminal. On an American car, this would be a short circuit and that big wire would probably burn up. Unless your car has reverse polarity from the American cars. On American, British, Australian, Japanese cars, the battery negative (minus) terminal connects to the car chassis and the battery positive (plus) terminal goes to all the parts of the car that use power.
If you were in the United States, we would not hesitate to tell you to replace the alternator. Here it is a big headache to find a good quality replacement alternator that lasts like the one Nissan used. Brand new or re-manufactured alternators (and starters) may not work when you purchase it or it may fail after several days or weeks or months. While I hesitate, I think that you have to replace the alternator again.
If you want to consider getting new wires for the ones you cut, you can buy a short section of wire harness. It is approximately 30 cm long and has the 2 alternator wires, the air conditioner compressor clutch wire and all the plastic connectors and the other end of this harness plugs into a bigger wire harness. It is Nissan part number 24076-40U00. It costs $69 US at Nissan, but we can get it for less at other places. I do not think this is causing you problem because the alternator worked after you cut and spliced the wires.
edit:
I see that in Europe, there is a 2nd wire harness that is not listed for American cars. The part number used in America has extra description of "FOR AUTO AIR CONDITIONING". The other wire harness is part number 24076-43U00 and does not mention air conditioning.
One of the small wires should have continuity to the positive (plus) battery terminal. This wire supplies 12 volts to the stator coils inside the alternator to create magnetic fields so the alternator will work. In the United States, this wire is colored yellow with a black stripe.
The other small wire is used to turn on or turn off the battery light in the dashboard. This wire is not necessary to make the alternator work. The wire goes to the battery light bulb. When the ignition switch is in the OFF position, a continuity measurement would either show no continuity or a very high resistance. In the United States, this wire is colored white with a red stripe.
You said that the big wire has continuity to the minus battery terminal. On an American car, this would be a short circuit and that big wire would probably burn up. Unless your car has reverse polarity from the American cars. On American, British, Australian, Japanese cars, the battery negative (minus) terminal connects to the car chassis and the battery positive (plus) terminal goes to all the parts of the car that use power.
If you were in the United States, we would not hesitate to tell you to replace the alternator. Here it is a big headache to find a good quality replacement alternator that lasts like the one Nissan used. Brand new or re-manufactured alternators (and starters) may not work when you purchase it or it may fail after several days or weeks or months. While I hesitate, I think that you have to replace the alternator again.
If you want to consider getting new wires for the ones you cut, you can buy a short section of wire harness. It is approximately 30 cm long and has the 2 alternator wires, the air conditioner compressor clutch wire and all the plastic connectors and the other end of this harness plugs into a bigger wire harness. It is Nissan part number 24076-40U00. It costs $69 US at Nissan, but we can get it for less at other places. I do not think this is causing you problem because the alternator worked after you cut and spliced the wires.
edit:
I see that in Europe, there is a 2nd wire harness that is not listed for American cars. The part number used in America has extra description of "FOR AUTO AIR CONDITIONING". The other wire harness is part number 24076-43U00 and does not mention air conditioning.
Last edited by DennisMik; 03-26-2019 at 04:07 PM. Reason: info about wire harness
03-26-2019, 12:13 PM
#4
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Location: Norway
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@DennisMik
I have now checked once again, and I was wrong. Minus pole is ground in Norway too. Big alternator wire have no connection to minus pole, but does have connection to plus pole with 200-300 ohm. Isn't that abit big ohm? I'm not sure what it is supposed to read, or if that in any way could be the problem. My thoughts with my little electic knowledge is if the wire have unnatural high ohm, it will not deliver enough voltage or ampere to the batteri, and maybe the voltage regulator will go amok and that lead to maybe some part in alternator to become broken. I can add I do not know the reason why the old alternator died. My thoughts was that it was old and had a natural dead, but I dont know.
Maybe the big ohm is because of the big fuse it goes through before it hits the plus pole. I have not checked this fuse, but I would suppose it is ok if i was able to measure a connection from alternator to battery. There is also a little fuse called Alt.S in the fuse box, and this is ok. I suppose this is from the 12volt coil cable, yellow and black.
Maybe this information will help.
@Child_uv_KoRn
Do you have any thoughts about why a VRM would blow up? It's a new alternator. Not original part, but still... Only used a couple of months.
I have now checked once again, and I was wrong. Minus pole is ground in Norway too. Big alternator wire have no connection to minus pole, but does have connection to plus pole with 200-300 ohm. Isn't that abit big ohm? I'm not sure what it is supposed to read, or if that in any way could be the problem. My thoughts with my little electic knowledge is if the wire have unnatural high ohm, it will not deliver enough voltage or ampere to the batteri, and maybe the voltage regulator will go amok and that lead to maybe some part in alternator to become broken. I can add I do not know the reason why the old alternator died. My thoughts was that it was old and had a natural dead, but I dont know.
Maybe the big ohm is because of the big fuse it goes through before it hits the plus pole. I have not checked this fuse, but I would suppose it is ok if i was able to measure a connection from alternator to battery. There is also a little fuse called Alt.S in the fuse box, and this is ok. I suppose this is from the 12volt coil cable, yellow and black.
Maybe this information will help.
@Child_uv_KoRn
Do you have any thoughts about why a VRM would blow up? It's a new alternator. Not original part, but still... Only used a couple of months.
Last edited by rob.loev; 03-26-2019 at 12:20 PM.
03-26-2019, 04:35 PM
#5
Since your car uses negative ground, that makes it easier for me to understand things. Thank you for verifying this.
The 300 ohm resistance does not seem right, especially on a big wire. I do not think the fuse should cause that much resistance. Could you remove the fuse and check the resistance on it and verify? While the fuse is out, check the continuity from the alternator big wire connection to the fuse connection and also check the continuity from the other side of the fuse connection to the battery. Maybe before you do this, check your meter by touching the probes together and verify that the meter shows zero ohms.
The alt.s fuse is the fuse that makes the alternator generate electricity. It is the yellow/black stripe wire. Earlier you said there was continuity on this wire to the battery plus terminal, so this wire and fuse are good.
Could you measure voltage at 3 spots for me? Have all wires and the battery connected but do not start the car. Put the voltmeter probes on the battery terminals and measure the battery voltage. Then measure the voltage at the big wire connection and also the small yellow/black stripe wire. The voltages measured at the alternator should be the same as the battery within one tenth of a volt.
Even with your additional information, I still think the alternator has failed.
The 300 ohm resistance does not seem right, especially on a big wire. I do not think the fuse should cause that much resistance. Could you remove the fuse and check the resistance on it and verify? While the fuse is out, check the continuity from the alternator big wire connection to the fuse connection and also check the continuity from the other side of the fuse connection to the battery. Maybe before you do this, check your meter by touching the probes together and verify that the meter shows zero ohms.
The alt.s fuse is the fuse that makes the alternator generate electricity. It is the yellow/black stripe wire. Earlier you said there was continuity on this wire to the battery plus terminal, so this wire and fuse are good.
Could you measure voltage at 3 spots for me? Have all wires and the battery connected but do not start the car. Put the voltmeter probes on the battery terminals and measure the battery voltage. Then measure the voltage at the big wire connection and also the small yellow/black stripe wire. The voltages measured at the alternator should be the same as the battery within one tenth of a volt.
Even with your additional information, I still think the alternator has failed.
03-26-2019, 04:42 PM
#6
Here is a link to the Nissan service manual for the 2000 Maxima QV that was sold in Europe. I do not know if this manual is the exact manual for your car. Maybe you can figure it out.
http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Maxima/2000/
please note that the file named a33_manual.pdf is not part of
the service manual, it is the owners manual.
The file named fwd.pdf is the cover page of the service manual.
It is useful to describe what the different sections are about.
The file idx.pdf is the alphabetical index for the manual.
The file gi.pdf is general information on how to read and use
the manual. It will help you to understand the other sections.
If you are having a fuse blowing problem, go to page 9 in the el.pdf section. It will tell you all the circuits that a fuse supplies power to. The names are actually the name of a wiring diagram and many of these names are listed in the alphabetical index (idx.pdf).
http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Maxima/2000/
please note that the file named a33_manual.pdf is not part of
the service manual, it is the owners manual.
The file named fwd.pdf is the cover page of the service manual.
It is useful to describe what the different sections are about.
The file idx.pdf is the alphabetical index for the manual.
The file gi.pdf is general information on how to read and use
the manual. It will help you to understand the other sections.
If you are having a fuse blowing problem, go to page 9 in the el.pdf section. It will tell you all the circuits that a fuse supplies power to. The names are actually the name of a wiring diagram and many of these names are listed in the alphabetical index (idx.pdf).
03-28-2019, 12:34 PM
#7
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Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Norway
Posts: 6
Could you measure voltage at 3 spots for me? Have all wires and the battery connected but do not start the car. Put the voltmeter probes on the battery terminals and measure the battery voltage. Then measure the voltage at the big wire connection and also the small yellow/black stripe wire. The voltages measured at the alternator should be the same as the battery within one tenth of a volt.
Directly at battery 12.25V
Alternator big wire and small black/yellow only millivolt
After that i measured voltage at alternator big wire and small yellow/black when car was running. It then read 4V. Suprisingly low I would guess...
I had problems removing this big fuse that's connected to battery plus pole. Is this maybe not easy replaceable? The fuse altough looked ok, without me beeing able to look on the connections under the fuse.
There was another very stange thing that happened today when I started the car. The red light in dashboard flashed a couple of times, before the light actually turned off. After this the headlights started flashing several times. What can the reason for this be? I can add I have also had another strange thing happening lately. The red oil lamp have sometimes blinked while I was driving. I have measured the oil level and it is in the middle of required oil level. I then have been thinking it may be some electical problem, because of the light sometimes randomly blinking, without a steady pulse. I have been crossing fingers and continued driving without wanting to find out of this problem. Call me stupid... I call me hopeful
As we say in Norway: "You don't need to be a wisard to understand something is completely wrong here"
03-28-2019, 06:01 PM
#8
The fuse has bolts in the legs to make a tight connection and you must remove the bolts.. I have never changed one of these fuses and do not know the exact procedure. I think you have to unbolt the fuse block and work from the bottom.
I do not have a photograph of the fuse but this is the drawing from the parts manual
The blinking lights may be a problem because of the ECU or SECU not getting the proper voltage.
I do not have a photograph of the fuse but this is the drawing from the parts manual
The blinking lights may be a problem because of the ECU or SECU not getting the proper voltage.
04-01-2019, 09:50 AM
#9
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 4
Any updates on this issue? My 2000 Maxima SE is going through this right now at 248K. Her ABS light started flashing, then my lights dimmed, and she shut off my cruise before the gauges started to wave and she died. I've replaced the alternator, checked all fuses, connectors for voltage/ohm, and the battery is within date and holding a charge. She's throwing a few codes, but they're not new and they don't /appear/ connected to this, although I'd seen a few places suggesting the ignition coils, but I've replaced those within the year.
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