My 97 Taurus is Dead again!!! HELP!
rkoval48
02-28-2013, 11:58 PM
So I have an 97 ford taurus gl wagon. I replaced the alternator in may of last year. I let the car sit not driving it from nov-Feb. When I tried to start it I had to jump it. They tested the battery said it was fine. If it didn't start in the morning the problem was the alternator. The next day it would not start. I pulled the alternator and the battery and they were both no good. So I replaced both of them. I had a smart start device installed the same day. It has done great for about 2 weeks. Then tonight the smart start continually beeped at me to breath into it, the display read restart. I was driving so the car was started and in gear. I stopped to drop a frind off, the dash lit up, oil light, check enginge light, radio stopped working, then everything dimmed and the car died. We jumped the car, and the smart start registerd 11.12 volts running for the battery and close to the same for the ignition. Obviously this is way too low voltage for a running car. It died 2 more times and jumped it two more times to get it home. My guess is the alternator again, however the alternator is only 2wks old. All it will do when I try to start it is click. Can someone please explain or give me ideas on what to do or try???:runaround:I am freaking out here!! I have basic auto skills and can do some of the work myself but what would cause a new alternator to go bad so fast? Oh yeah I should mention prior to all of this on my way to pick up my friend a mere 5 mi at most the blinkers stopped working. Any thoughts on what crazy glitch I may be experincing would help a lot. Could it be something under the dash that the tech intercepted when connecting the smart start? Ie relay, ground, fuse, or wiring circut?? PLEASE HELP!
shorod
03-01-2013, 11:18 PM
Do you have a multimeter you could use to measure the voltage at the battery itself? It's quite possible that you have a bad battery cable or connection that is causing the lower voltage for the charging system.
-Rod
-Rod
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