Battery Light

[simmz]

Hi there. Well about 3 weeks ago i got my battery and alternator replaced in my 1986 Honda Accord. Both are brand new and the alternator was the best one I could get. Ive been driving everyday since then..then I needed to get my brakes done and I did. Well first off, after I got my car back from getting the alternator replaced, my stereo wouldnt work anymore. (its a JVS cd player) I had gotten that install months ago by a car audio place. The stereo worked perfectly fine up until after the alternator was replaced. Well since it stopped working I brought it to another car audio place, and they said it just needed to be internally reset so the guy took it out, and I had no problmes driving at all. Well when i got the stereo back it worked, but then my battery light came on. I didnt really worry too much because i know the battery and alternator are brand new. Well as I kept driving I noticed the lights and stereo started dimming. Now I know stereos dont really drain a battery that quickly. Soo I finally got home, and now my car wont start. whenever I try the lights inside and out get dim and the engine tries to start but just wont , even if I give a little gas. Now Im wondering what could be the problem ?? I checked some fuses and such and there were all still working. Im wondering if this is just caused by a bad wire or, does it have anything to do wiht the starter or anything? Im really not thinking so since the light only went on after teh stereo got put back into my car. Any ideas??????

[Jeffro]

Sounds to me like its your alternator, battery, or the connection between. Can you jump start it and it will run? I might recommend cleaning the terminals on the battery as well as the cables, and checking the cable from your alternator to your battery. If that is all ok, then my next guess would be your alternator, because it sounds like the alternator isn't generating the necessary amperage back into the battery. If you can jump it and get it running, take a electrical tester and check the voltage on the battery. It should be at 12-14 volts. Check it a little while later and it should be at the same voltage. If its dropped, then the alternator is not doing what it is supposed to be doing.

[James Matteu]

Previous car: 1986 Honda Accord LX (2.0L SOHC 12 valves CVCC)

 

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but new alternators are often defective since the are rebuilt from cores.

 

The battery should be pro-rated. This means when you take the battery back to where you bought it from, they will give you more credit for your core since your current battery is only 3 months old. The alternator is likely defective and would warrant replacement unless another problem is found (that would not drain your battery, but prevent the alternator from doing its job).

 

The reason I tell you the bit about the battery is because when there is something wrong with the charging system, it puts extreme stress on the battery. Depending on how many times the battery is charged and how many times it is completely discharged dictates the lifespan of the battery.

 

The battery might be well enough to last up to 6-12 months within its expected lifespan and it could give out next year.

 

BAD ALTERNATORS KILL BATTERIES!

[TLontheDL]

you said your lights and stereo dim? do you mean they flicker on and off or do you really mean dim? ..or both? It sounds to me like maybe your new battery is dying and if so, its your alternator that is causing this. Don't quote me on any of this but its just what I think. if your alternator is the problem, get that replaced with a brand new one and a new car battery, you'll be okay once its changed.

[crxtacy]

Previous car: 1986 Honda Accord LX (2.0L SOHC 12 valves CVCC)

 

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but new alternators are often defective since the are rebuilt from cores.

 

The battery should be pro-rated. This means when you take the battery back to where you bought it from, they will give you more credit for your core since your current battery is only 3 months old. The alternator is likely defective and would warrant replacement unless another problem is found (that would not drain your battery, but prevent the alternator from doing its job).

 

The reason I tell you the bit about the battery is because when there is something wrong with the charging system, it puts extreme stress on the battery. Depending on how many times the battery is charged and how many times it is completely discharged dictates the lifespan of the battery.

 

The battery might be well enough to last up to 6-12 months within its expected lifespan and it could give out next year.

 

BAD ALTERNATORS KILL BATTERIES!

So, your saying that if I buy a brand new alternator from the dealer, it would be a bad one ?

I know that remanufacture and rebuilts can be defective.Prolly got to change it like three times to get a good one that will last for awhile.

I would have taken my alternator out and sent it to a place that rebuilds alternators.its about the same price and lasts way much longer.

[James Matteu]

The Honda dealership sells rebuilds, Pepboys sells rebuilds, NAPA sells rebuilds, Advanced Auto sells rebuilds, Western Auto sells rebuilds, and this is the extent of my experience.

 

My statement was a bit misleading, I should have said, "new alternators are often defective since they are often rebuilt cores."

 

Honda does not have one P/N for a rebuilt part and another P/N for the new item.

 

Brake pads, disposable, batteries, 35mm film rolls, CV axles, calculators, iPods, and transmissions are often rebuilt and mixed in with new stock.

 

The battery should be rather obvious; the sulfuric acid solution eventually becomes saturated with lead sulfate and stops functioning at full capacity. The lead sulfate can be reclaimed by altering the solubility of the lead sulfate in the solution causing it to precipitate out. The lead sulfate powder can be re-smelted into the lead mesh often found inside lead acid batteries.

 

The brake pads can be scraped, resurfaced and new asbestos is “glued” onto the old backing. I used the term “glued” loosely as it is a bit more complicated than just gluing the substrate to the surface of the pad backing.

 

The spent rolls of 35mm film are kept when you turn them into the developer. They are then sold back to their respective manufacturer. Then the manufacturer (Kodak or Fugi or whoever) pops the ends off and removes any debris. They just reload it after reconditioning.

 

Disposable cameras are the same as the film, with the exception that the entire paper outer label is removed and the hardware is relabeled.

 

I used to take my CV axles to my local remanufacturing facility and they would throw my axles in the assembly line for a little cash. The boss got hip to what I was doing and started making sure I was charged retail. But the facility would receive truck loads of spent axles from the dealership, junk yards, etc.

 

My Ti-89 calculator bombed and I mailed it back to the manufacturer, they sent me a rebuilt unit. The rebuilt unit looked brand new, but internals looked aged, ie the board was not new.

 

Apple rebuilds iPods to replace the battery. But when you send in your iPod to be remanufactured, they don't send yours back. They send you a remanufactured unit. Since it is a sealed unit, I would not be able to tell a new one from a remanufactured one. Who is to say they are not feeding these units back into the retail centers?

 

Often only the internals are reused, so it is really hard to tell.

 

Same goes for alternators.

[crxtacy]

"DITTO ". sorry for the mis-understanding.But yeah, your right.What i go for are the life time warranties.Like my c.v axles and starters i just bought.If that shyt fails i'll just another one for free.