battery or alternator problem?

[bluecollaraddict]

i have a 2001 alero. lately when i try to start it, the battery is totally dead. no interior lights, no radio, no door buzzer... nothing. it starts right up when i jump it, and the light on the battery itself is still bright green. its almost like i'd left the headlights on, but they switch off automatically when i turn off the car. it has happened twice in the past week. it starts 90% of the time. seems like something is draining battery power while the car is off. any ideas/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by bluecollaraddict

i have a 2001 alero. lately when i try to start it, the battery is totally dead. no interior lights, no radio, no door buzzer... nothing. it starts right up when i jump it, and the light on the battery itself is still bright green. its almost like i'd left the headlights on, but they switch off automatically when i turn off the car. it has happened twice in the past week. it starts 90% of the time. seems like something is draining battery power while the car is off. any ideas/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

If you have the green eye indicator, I'm assuming you still have the OEM AC Delco battery. Sounds like a bad cell. Have the battery tested at Autozone or Advance Auto before moving on to the alternator. BTW - It's not a good idea to have it jump started. It may damage the Powertrain Control Module (PCM).

[JTrujillo86]

Is that true about jump starting? I'm not trying to argue, I'm just trying to understand. If that were the case, why would they put info on jump starting in the owners manual? I thought as long as you do it correctly, you'll be okay...

Jeremy

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by JTrujillo86

Is that true about jump starting? I'm not trying to argue, I'm just trying to understand. If that were the case, why would they put info on jump starting in the owners manual? I thought as long as you do it correctly, you'll be okay...

Jeremy

Jump starting is a good way to fry the PCM sense 12v wires which may in turn damage the PCM, especially when done improperly. The Alero is fragile enough as it is. Better safe than sorry.

Recently worked with a friend with a '01 Grand AM GT and after a jump starting episode the 12v primary inputs feeding the PCM were missing. After backtracking we found the PCM sense fuse was blown and continued to blow. We had to replace some wiring and the PCM.

Most people do not know how to properly jump start a vehicle in the first place and probably don't read the owner's manual before performing it. All it takes is one screw up. Also note all the disclaimers, notes and warnings in Chapter 5 concerning jump starting.

Just my 2 cents.

[bluecollaraddict]

i had the battery tested and it said it was good. the guy said i probably left something on. lights turn off automatically, and its happened twice in the last 5 days. once might be a fluke, but twice is something else. is it possible that its pulling power from the battery while the car is off? if so, would a diagnostic catch this even if it only happens occasionally?

[alero99]

i would try taking it someplace and getting the alternator tested. i had to replace mine a couple of months ago after the same type of thing was happenin to mine...like 250 bucks part and labor

[vamc]

Originally Posted by bnaylor3400

Jump starting is a good way to fry the PCM sense 12v wires which may in turn damage the PCM, especially when done improperly. The Alero is fragile enough as it is. Better safe than sorry.

Recently worked with a friend with a '01 Grand AM GT and after a jump starting episode the 12v primary inputs feeding the PCM were missing. After backtracking we found the PCM sense fuse was blown and continued to blow. We had to replace some wiring and the PCM.

Most people do not know how to properly jump start a vehicle in the first place and probably don't read the owner's manual before performing it. All it takes is one screw up. Also note all the disclaimers, notes and warnings in Chapter 5 concerning jump starting.

Just my 2 cents.

I think it could be the alternater. What do you think. a bad cell can also kill the alternater.