Major electrical problem?

[Mr.Pessimist]

well it really hit the fan tonight.

About three weeks ago I started noticing some electrical problems in the cabin of the car. I would be driving home from work and the stereo would randomly shut off. Moments later the radar detector would start "flickering", as in, it would just keep reseting over and over. This lasted for a little while until I turned the car off. Once I turned the car back on everything would work fine.

So, today I'm coming home and it happens again. This time much worse. Same symptoms again, but I noticed that the windshield wipers started running really slow, like struggling. Then the turn signal relays sounded very funny. It was almost like my car was having a brown out, things still working but struggling for power.

I got the car parked and turned it off. Waited a moment and then turned it to the "on" position. Turned the stereo back on and it sounded fine. I then I noticed that when I would induce a load, like engaging the turn signal or turning on the head lights, the stereo would restart. This happend consistantly. I then let it rest for a while.

I went back out later and started the car up. Everything seemed fine. I started out down the road and the stereo turned off again and the radar detector started spazing. Then the lights got really dimm and the car started to buck. I kept losing power and had to pull off to the side of the road. The idle was really low and it seemed that the only way to keep it alive was to turn off the headlights. So I had to make my way back home with just the parking lights on (its dark outside by the way).

I pull in back home and the car starts to die with just the parking lights on. Just as I'm about to park the car, it dies. I then push it all the way into the parking spot and let it sit.

I came back out with a DMM and tested the voltage on the battery. 11.89 volts. I then tried to start it up again and the starter would turn over once or twice but then I would hear a loud and rapid clicking noise with no engine turn.

I dont have any equipment to test codes or anything, and I'm thinking of trying to jump it in the morning and/or get a new battery, its been quite a few years since its had a new battery.

Could the battery be the problem? any advice?

[Busdriver]

Could the alternator be going bad?

[skid542]

Yeah sounds like a bad alternator. Mine's on the way out, or my belt is stretched, and the stereo will die sometimes if I have the heater on, lights, radio, and then clutch and hit the brake. Get somebody to give you a jump and hold the rpms up some and check the voltage at the alternator, you should be getting 14V.

[Mr.Pessimist]

Well, turns out it was the battery. I bought the battery in November of '98 and it was a 5 year battery ::roll eyes::

I just put in the new battery and the car fired up immediately. In fact, the car seems to be running even better now! The idle speed has improved and the starts are much easier.

Could the alternator be going bad?

Thanks for the suggestion on the alternator, I'll have to go out and test the output with my DMM. It would be good to know anyway.

[Legacy777]

I'd go have your alternator tested at a local autoparts store. Unless you have a fancy DMM, it's not going to tell you amperage.