Automotive Forums .com - the leading automotive community online! Automotive Forums .com - the leading automotive community online!
Automotive Forums .com - the leading automotive community online! 
-
Latest | 0 Rplys
Go Back   Automotive Forums .com Car Chat > Dodge > General Discussion
Reply Show Printable Version Show Printable Version | Email this Page Email this Page | Subscription Subscribe to this Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 06-10-2016, 11:24 PM   #1
PenAndPixels
AF Newbie
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: West Plains, Missouri
Posts: 2
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
98 Neon Battery Light, loss of engine power, occasional missing

Could use some advice. Not sure if I've found out what the problem I've been having is or if I'm in for more trouble. Couple weeks ago the battery light came on, had the batter checked, checked out fine, alternator checked out fine. Left it with a shop and let them check it over. They said they checked the alternator, all the connecitons to it, the lines, everything looked fine and since the problem was intermittent, and the shop couldn't get it to do it anymore, the mechanic thought I just had something firing off in the wiring in my dash, which is fair cause the wiring in my dash can be screwy.

Well, the car had started missing a little after the batter light started coming on. It would only do it at around 50 and 55. would lurch once or twice and that's it.
Shop said to drive it and see what happens.
The battery light problem got worse, but the battery was fine, full charge, the alternator was testing out fine, even when I took it to the shop to test while the battery light had come on.
So while I was there I asked him what he thought of my battery terminals, cause people had made comment on how corroded and messed up they were. He first thought they were fine, then said my positive was strangely loose and corroded and that it could be something right there, so he tried filing off some of the corrosion and tightened it back down as best he could.

NO battery light at all for days and days. Car also drove fine, suddenly had no power loss, did not lurch, nothing.
Drove the car fine like that for a week, then the battery light started slowly coming back on, and the missing started up. Today I got in and the battery light came on after I got it a mile down the road, and the engine power was weak and hiccuping every so often, even very lightly and randomly while I had it at idle.

So my thought it is must be the terminals, because they're old, he commented on how the positive was out of room to adjust and tighten it, and it had such a dramatic effect when he did it the first time.

I'm a little worried if it could be something else, the only other thing I could possibly think would be the car's computer. I know people will reset a check engine light by disconnecting the battery for a few minutes, but, if the computer itself was messed up, would it just suddenly run great, no problem for a week like that?
Really hoping it's just the terminal but wanted to get some opinions if anybody has anything helpful to add.

Thanks for your time
PenAndPixels is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-11-2016, 01:23 PM   #2
aleekat
AF Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: clarksville, Tennessee
Posts: 1,699
Thanks: 23
Thanked 183 Times in 179 Posts
Re: 98 Neon Battery Light, loss of engine power, occasional missing

Before you start thinking about the computer, stick with the battery. Seen some guys take a high quality steel hose clamp and cut it down to fit around the battery terminal. Then slip the cable back over top and tighten. If the computer sees anything less than 12v lots of symptoms can occur.
__________________
Post back, that's what makes Forums Work.
aleekat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2016, 05:52 AM   #3
PenAndPixels
AF Newbie
Thread starter
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: West Plains, Missouri
Posts: 2
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: 98 Neon Battery Light, loss of engine power, occasional missing

Quote:
Originally Posted by aleekat View Post
Before you start thinking about the computer, stick with the battery. Seen some guys take a high quality steel hose clamp and cut it down to fit around the battery terminal. Then slip the cable back over top and tighten. If the computer sees anything less than 12v lots of symptoms can occur.
starting to really think it has to be the computer. Had the terminals checked out and the shop couldn't find anything wrong with them.

Everytime the car has gotten to that point where it's really weak driving and sputtering, i can disconnect the terminals, leave them off for 30 minutes to purge the electrical system and force a temporary reboot, and the car will suddenly drive completely better
PenAndPixels is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply

POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD

Go Back   Automotive Forums .com Car Chat > Dodge > General Discussion

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:17 AM.

Community Participation Guidelines | How to use your User Control Panel

Powered by: vBulletin | Copyright Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
 
 
no new posts