Is it the battery or the alternator or is there a voltage reg somewhere?



Drove the car to work this morning and it was fine.



I have noticed that when I use the head lights and the Air conditioning blower that the voltage will drop below 12. No charge light has ever come on. This low voltage under load has been going on for a while.



When I went to leave work, my battery voltage was way down and the car won't start. Got a jump and it started up like a champ but voltage stayed down around 10 volts. When I hit the break pedal the voltage went below 8 and the car died.



Thanks for a word...Critter

 

That's ur alternator...i should still have my s4 alternator w/ dual alt pulley laying around...if ur interested, PM me....

 

it could be the battery also

 

it could also be the cables



mike

 

Well...the reason i say alternator is cause thats what my buddy's rx did...the volt gauge would always read 12 or below when you turned the headlights on, etc...

 

As long as it's fixable.

 

check your grounds...

 

FYI --- This did turn out to be the alternator. Changed it today and the voltage stays above 12 even with the lights, a/c blower, radio, and wipers on. Thanks for the words.....

 

Try adding a min 8 gauge wire from alt to + on batt. I got 1.5 amps on the gauge just by doing this.... also no drop from headlights/ defroster!!

 

I was going to tell you to disconnect the postitive battery cable while the car is running and see if the alternator is putting out enough to keep the car running or not.