Electrical Problems

[dtmplus4]

97' Avenger is having problems with the electrical system. The alternator has been checked numerous times and is putting out 12 volts. I have gone through at least 4 different batteries so a faulty battery is not the problem. Has anyone else had this problem with their Avenger? Or if you believe you may know what a possible problem could be please sontact me. Thank you.

[95DodgeAvenger95]

Originally Posted by dtmplus4

97' Avenger is having problems with the electrical system. The alternator has been checked numerous times and is putting out 12 volts. I have gone through at least 4 different batteries so a faulty battery is not the problem. Has anyone else had this problem with their Avenger? Or if you believe you may know what a possible problem could be please sontact me. Thank you.

what kind of electrical problem are you having? is it just your battery dieing or what?

[growe58]

Also, you should have more like 14 volts at the battery with the engine running and a good alternator, not 12. To fully test the alternator (amps and volts, load test etc), take it to one of those auto parts stores that have the right equipment and will do it for free.

[KimMG]

If possible have the charging system load test while on the vehicle. Some chain autoparts will do this for free.

[BeautifulHaven]

how ironic...i just posted this on another thread LOL
I have the same exact problem with my 99...I already put 3 new batteries into my car
I took mine to auto zone and had everything tested on it...But the car will have its moments if it sits overnight and will not start at all unless it is jumped. It pisses me off so much...so i am wondering if mine was electerical as well.
My battery is always dying...or could mine just need a new battery harnest or cables???

[growe58]

Originally Posted by BeautifulHaven

how ironic...i just posted this on another thread LOL
I have the same exact problem with my 99...I already put 3 new batteries into my car
I took mine to auto zone and had everything tested on it...But the car will have its moments if it sits overnight and will not start at all unless it is jumped. It pisses me off so much...so i am wondering if mine was electerical as well.
My battery is always dying...or could mine just need a new battery harnest or cables???

Beautiful Haven: Not to be mean, but it’s best if you start a new thread rather than “hijacking” someone else’s, both from a clarity and netiquette standpoint. We don’t actually know that your problem is the same as the original poster because they never clarified beyond saying it was electrical.

You, however, have given us a pretty good description of your problem – battery requires a jump in the morning, alternator tested OK, battery is new. Just to be clear, when you say the battery needs to be jumped, you mean that when you turn the key, you get nothing (except maybe a click); you don’t hear the rrr-rrr-rrr sound of the starter spinning the engine even though it doesn’t start. If so, it’s likely one of two things – as you noted, it could be bad cables or bad cable connections and either the clamping action of the jumper cable or the extra volts of the charging vehicle are overcoming the increased resistance of the bad cables. If you have a voltmeter, test the battery. It should have 12 volts and if so, it’s probably a cable issue. If it doesn’t, read on…

Since this is only happening overnight, the more likely scenario is that there is an electrical device in your car staying on and running down the battery overnight. This is not good, because after a few deep discharges, your battery will be trashed. In addition, the alternator has to work extra hard to recharge the battery and you run the risk of frying your alternator as well. Until you can get it fixed, you might consider simply disconnecting the negative terminal of the battery when you turn the car off and then hook it up again when you’re ready to start. (This will get annoying real quickly, not only with winter approaching, but you will lose your radio presets, the car may run somewhat poorly due to the computer rebooting, it won’t pass emissions inspections in some states and so on). The long term solution is to find out what component is staying on and running down the battery. (Note that there are some things that are supposed to be on at all times, radio/clock memory, and the computer come to mind). Checking it requires putting a voltmeter between the negative cable and negative terminal of the battery and pulling fuses until you see the voltage drop. Then figure out what components are on that fuse and figure out which one is still on. Maybe best left up to a shop. You can and should check the obvious things – radiator fans staying on? – interior light staying on? - and the biggie, is the trunk light staying on?

Good luck!

[BeautifulHaven]

Originally Posted by growe58

Beautiful Haven: Not to be mean, but it’s best if you start a new thread rather than “hijacking” someone else’s, both from a clarity and netiquette standpoint. We don’t actually know that your problem is the same as the original poster because they never clarified beyond saying it was electrical.

Well I am sorry for posting on this thread. Nothing was done intentionally.

However...I still have no idea what is wrong, but as far as I know nothing is left on when I do turn my car off. I do think that it is kind of weird that when I do turn on my headlights...all of my interior lights dim. Especially the sterio lights. Now I haven't had much problems with it if I do power off my sterio before turning the car completly off. So maybe it just might be the sterio causing all the problems. I probably just have to put the car back into the shop again and have everything tested and probably all the fuses.
I just hate the fact that this car has been sitting in the shop more since I have bought it this year than anything. It is just such a downer

[growe58]

I wasn’t implying that YOU were leaving lights on, but that you should check to make sure that the lights aren’t malfunctioning and staying on and running down your battery. I’m not sure what interior lights you mean dim when you turn the headlights on, I thought that the gauges and such are off when the headlights are off anyway. And it seems unlikely that a stereo would drain a good battery overnight even if it was wired wrong (is it the factory unit or did someone put in an aftermarket stereo) unless you have a high powered amplifier or something.

I’m sorry to hear about all your problems with your ‘venge. I can certainly sympathize as we have a Monte Carlo that I think was built by the Devil specifically for Job…

[95DodgeAvenger95]

about the battery thing, i dont know if this could cause a problem or not but, what happend eith my car is the battery was touching or close enough to my hood to leave a circle of erotion on my hood. maybe this could drain out the battey? but i dont see how it would cause it to not start the day after its been ran. but for me i need a bigger altenator or something bc i have subs and under glows and extra lights and shit and when i have anything on i cant use the cig lighter thing to charge my phone bc to much power is drawn from the lights and stuff. just some ideas i thought i would through out there maybe some one can prove me wrong while helping me fix my problem as well with the cig lighter thing for charging my phone. bc it works when i have the headlighs off but not when there on.

[BeautifulHaven]

yeah...it is a shame having so many problems...but that is probably just my luck. I have a love/hate relationship with this car.
I have a regular factory sterio still in my car and a small amp in the back. So I really don't know. I think it is just bad connections...I used to have a lot of erosion around the battery even after it has been cleaned. Thanks for the tips though...I will just but it back in the shop because I know my rotors need to be replaced anyways hahaha. It is just one thing after the other.

[RIP]

Got bored on the Camry forum so here I am. If all else fails this works on any car that is draining a battery overnight. Disconnect the positive battery cable and connect one lead of an ammeter to the disconnected cable and the other lead to the positive battery post with the engine off. Shouldn't read more than 50 milliampres. Check with the dealer on that figure. I've never touched an Avenger. If you're reading much more than that a circuit is draining the battery for you. Leave the meter hooked up and start pulling fuses till the meter drops back to spec. Whichever fuse you pulled when the meter drops is the circuit you need to look at.