Car Trouble

[Fingolfin269]

Okay, so my car wouldn't start yesterday when I was leaving Blockbuster. I got someone to jump my car off and let it sit for a minute and then decided we'd turn it off and see if it would start without a jump. No go and guess what? I couldn't even get it started again... hell, I couldn't even get my interior light to turn on!

So, I sit there fiddling with it for about an hour and am unable to get any power whatsoever. One of my friends arrived with my tools and of course he didn't bring the ones that I needed. I had a pair of pliers and tried to get the battery connections to turn with them and had no luck whatsoever. But, I got back into the car and noticed that my clock was on... hmmm... STARTED RIGHT UP. The car was completely without power for that hour though because my clock and radio presets were reset and the cd had ejected at some point.

I went to the nearest <insert local auto parts store here> and had them test my battery/alternator. Battery was fine and alternator was fine except it was reading 'Low Output'. Now, for you experts out there, before I go spending a wad of cash on an alternator, could this be a simple connection issue? Keep in mind that the car got its power back after I messed with the battery connection with those pliers.

The car is a 2002 Saturn w/ ~38000 miles (YES, just out of warranty... I swear it's a conspiracy!)

CLIFF :

My car wouldn't start. Then it started. Total power loss for an hour. Battery &amp; alternator tested good but alternator tested w/ low output. Connection problem or bad alternator?

 

Alternator tested good but with low output ?

This is why you should never,ever,EVER bring your car to Autobone for diagnostic work.

Here's what you do, first remove both battery cables and clean the terminals until you see shiny lead, both the male and female must be cleaned, do this with the key removed from the ignition.

Now start the vehicle, using an ohm meter check the battery voltage at idle, if your alternator is good, then you will see a voltage between 13.1 and 14.4.

If the voltage is below that, then either the alternator regualtor or diode pack is toast (highly unlikely because the car strted fine after awhile)

If you still have trouble after this test, check for bad ground(s) and/or a bad connection at your electrical distribution box, then check the starter connections.

 

[bmacd]

verify that you have a solid ground as well.

-=bmacd=-

 

[Quixfire]

What Roger said. ^

 

[Fingolfin269]

Okay, I'll check on that stuff tonight. The car is starting up 'decently' today. I have to give it a little bit of gas though because it seems as if it would just not start if I didn't pump it a little.

 

Pumping it will have no effect, it has fuel injection, not a carb, you may now have trouble codes.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Nope, no codes, unless this car generates them without popping up the service engine soon light. Of course this is the part where you'll tell me that it won't necessarily pop that light on if there is a code.

 

[woowoo]

www.saturnfans.com
Saturn alternators are weak from the get go.
(I own one)
Check the tech section......

 

[jagec]

a 2002 Saturn with problems? QC seems to have really gone downhill in the last decade, my '89 Toyota still runs fine...

 

Nope, no codes, unless this car generates them without popping up the service engine soon light. Of course this is the part where you'll tell me that it won't necessarily pop that light on if there is a code.

You got that part right, there are two types of codes, hard codes and soft codes, you may have codes tripped even though the check engine light is not on.

 

[woowoo]

If it's an "L" series then it's "Normal"

 

[Fingolfin269]

Originally posted by: jagec
a 2002 Saturn with problems? QC seems to have really gone downhill in the last decade, my '89 Toyota still runs fine...

Wow, I may have a connection problem and you bring up the fact that your '89 Toyota runs fine? Thanks. I'm sure all '89 Toyota's are still running in top notch order.

Thanks for the help guys. I'm taking it in on Wednesday for a little 'get all you can before 36k is up' preexisting condition thing so I'll make sure they take a look at the codes also.

 

[Biggerhammer]

Sounds like a connection issue to me.