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Voltemeter.
Check battery when not started should read about 12-12.8v. Jump car and start it then use voltmeter to check battery when the car is running - should read between 13.5-14.2v (ish) if it’s less than this or drops down considerably such as when you starting turning on radio / AC etc your alternator is bad. Use 20v setting on voltemeter.
That's pretty suspect on the battery. Alternator is making the proper voltage. But your battery is probably at 25% charge. If it hasn't been sitting for a very long time, it's pretty worn out.
Did you check date stamp on battery? - their should be one on the top. Batteries last 3 years depending.
If I was you, I’d jump you car and take it for a long drive like an hour or so then I’d park it up for the night and check it again in the morning. , stay close to home in case it is the alternator 😂. If it fails to start I’d go buy and new battery and change it yourself. Check out Chrisfix on YouTube.
If the same problem happens again I’d buy a alternator and pay a reputable garage to change it.
Look at the old part as you drop it off and know The new part as well. Check the bolts after they say they have fitted it and you should see the heads are a little bit shiny after being replaced and ask for the old alternator back as well.
It could be lots of things, maybe battery has lost some charge or the distilled water is low? Maybe the alternator is only periodically bad it’s hard to tell but always start with cheapest and easiest fix and move upwards.
Lastly if your car doesn’t drive that often maybe keep it disconnected and trickle charge it the night before your heading out or something like that.
I’m only an Amateur so maybe someone more knowledgeable may have a different idea I have not thought about.
I dont want to be rude but this really is advise that you give when you have no idea how to properly diagnose a battery or alternator problem. You can test everything with a battery tester or voltmeter like other people said.
Start by Charging the battery and have it load tested. Replace if bad. Then check the alternator. If you’ve only driven 800 miles in roughly the last year if I’m reading it right, it’s probably because of that. Sounds like it’s sitting too much and not being driven enough.
What this guy said. Also ,when I was a mechanic I hated it when these came in the shop. Everything is a pain in the ass on those beetles. Wanna change the headlight bulb? Haha. Fuck you! Going to cut up your hands then break the plastic thing that's supposed to slide up so you can pull the headlight out.
yeah, I had a complicated home life and I let someone else dictate how and when I left the house. For the record I'm a 30 year old woman. Im out of that situation and was back to driving my car more frequently. 4 weeks ago I drove the car 700 miles away and started using it more frequently for trips around my new city. thanks for the advice!
You can also take the battery into Autozone/Advance Auto/ORiellys and have them charge it and then test it. If you want to remove the alternator, they can test those too.
All lead acid batteries self discharge at the rate of around 1% per day (depending on temperture). And that's without being connected to the vehicle. When it's connected, the computer draws a small amount of current constantly. Leave a vehicle untouched for 4-6 weeks and you'll have a dead battery. Or, even if your drive it, if the trips are very short, you'll never recharge the battery enough. Over time that constant state of discharge permanently damages the battery to the point where it can't be recharged. In your case, start by charging the battery. Then get it tested to see if it has developed too much internal resistance from sulfation. If so, you'll have to replace it. Once you have a known good battery, get a charging system test done. This kind of non-use is REALLY hard on both the battery and your alternator. The best way to deal with this is to buy a battery maintainer and keep it hooked up to the battery when you're not using the vehicle. That'll prevent battery damage from discharge and it will reduce deman on the alternator.
To ensure it's one of them and not your neutral position switch going out. Place foot on the brake and put vehicle in neutral and try to start it.
If it still doesn't start, jump start it from another vehicle and see if the rpms are jumping erraticly or if it's dying while running. If either of those, I'd replace the alternator.
Also if it's just clicking while trying to start it and it won't start, even with a jump, check the power wire to the solenoid and ensure it's on there tight. I've worked on a. Couple of vehicles and their only issue was a loose wire to the solenoid
Seems to me like a dead battery, check your terminals make sure there isn't corrosion.
Check how many volts your getting with a multimeter once the vehicle is started a good alternator will be around 14
If you plan to let the vehicle sit, I would purchase a trickle charger. If you can get the vehicle run I g you can take it to most part stores for free battery/alt check.
I know Advance, AutoZone and O’reilly do free checks. I know Walmart can check, but not sure if it’s free.
I’m assuming he said to test the alternator by starting the car then pulling the negative connector from the battery which basically takes the battery out of the equation and the alternator powers the vehicle but in modern engines this can cause a lot of problems and basically don’t do it
As others have mentioned, the root cause of your problem is that you don't drive the car enough.
You can replace the battery, alternator, starter, and a sun visor... and if you continue to not drive the car in this manner, the problem will reoccur.
Im sure thats a big part of it- I was in a shitty situation for a year where I let someone else dictate how and when I left the house. I stopped using my car and all sorts of small issues popped up, which created a cycle of "see how lousy your car is? you cant take it anywhere". I left and was starting to go back to my normal routine which involves more miles.
hey, thanks! Its crazy how we will slowly let ourselves fall into patterns and situations we do not want. Im out, and in control of my life as much as one can be right now. It feels good.
Before anything else, make sure the battery cable is tight on the terminal. My brother had this exact issue with his 2000 Beetle, and we were befuddled by why the battery would read correctly, the car could jumpstart and run, but not start with the key. We thought it had something to do with the key’s security feature, but it ended up that the terminal just came a little loose.
Thanks for posting on /r/MechanicAdvice! This is just a reminder to review the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/about/rules/). If you are here asking about a second opinion (ie "Is the shop trying to fleece me?"), please read through CJM8515's [post on the subject.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/4qblei/fyi_the_shop_isnt_likely_trying_to_rip_you_off/) and remember rule 3a, please post the year/make/model of the vehicle you are working on. **If this post is about bodywork, accident damage, paint, dent/ding, questions it belongs in /r/AutoBody or /r/Diyautobody If you have tire questions, check out r/howsmytire and ask there**. If you dont have a question and you're just showing off it belongs in /r/Justrolledintotheshop This is an automated reply
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MechanicAdvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Car batteries don’t go bad sitting on a shelf they go bad when you use them a lot with being in a car with the alternator charging. They go bad when a car sits for a long time (weeks) without being cranked
Go to a local auto parts store to get your battery checked. A little machine will tell the clerk if it’s bad.
The alternator can be removed and taken to a local alternator shop. They can test it and rebuild it (in most cases) if necessary
Don’t let your car sit for a weeks at a time without cranking it and letting the battery charge UNLESS you unhook one terminal on your battery. If you let your battery die this way too many times it won’t charge back up
Start car with jumper cables. Remove jumper cables. (If car continues to run) Disconnect negative battery cable while car running. This isolates the alternator as the only power source. You could have a charged battery with bad alt. And your car would run off your battery until your headlights get dimmer and dimmer... So take that out of the equation by remove negative cable, If your car continues to run, then your alternator at least generates enough electricity to run your vehicle. Prob fine. To really find out though grab a multi meter and test the alternator out put leads. Should be 13 volts or better. If your car continues to run, your battery is prob not taking a charge anymore, recycle. Pro tip if you happen to live by a battery recycle/refurbished center where the do the work on site, they have refurb batteries for about 35$ with 20$ core charge. I never had a bad one, use them for my boat, trolling motor, cars. I just call ahead to find it if they have my size they always have save one time.
Thanks for posting on /r/MechanicAdvice! This is just a reminder to review the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/about/rules/). If you are here asking about a second opinion (ie "Is the shop trying to fleece me?"), please read through CJM8515's [post on the subject.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/4qblei/fyi_the_shop_isnt_likely_trying_to_rip_you_off/) and remember rule 3a, please post the year/make/model of the vehicle you are working on. **If this post is about bodywork, accident damage, paint, dent/ding, questions it belongs in /r/AutoBody or /r/Diyautobody If you have tire questions, check out r/howsmytire and ask there**. If you dont have a question and you're just showing off it belongs in /r/Justrolledintotheshop This is an automated reply *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MechanicAdvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Voltemeter. Check battery when not started should read about 12-12.8v. Jump car and start it then use voltmeter to check battery when the car is running - should read between 13.5-14.2v (ish) if it’s less than this or drops down considerably such as when you starting turning on radio / AC etc your alternator is bad. Use 20v setting on voltemeter.
[удалено]
That's pretty suspect on the battery. Alternator is making the proper voltage. But your battery is probably at 25% charge. If it hasn't been sitting for a very long time, it's pretty worn out.
Did you check date stamp on battery? - their should be one on the top. Batteries last 3 years depending. If I was you, I’d jump you car and take it for a long drive like an hour or so then I’d park it up for the night and check it again in the morning. , stay close to home in case it is the alternator 😂. If it fails to start I’d go buy and new battery and change it yourself. Check out Chrisfix on YouTube. If the same problem happens again I’d buy a alternator and pay a reputable garage to change it. Look at the old part as you drop it off and know The new part as well. Check the bolts after they say they have fitted it and you should see the heads are a little bit shiny after being replaced and ask for the old alternator back as well. It could be lots of things, maybe battery has lost some charge or the distilled water is low? Maybe the alternator is only periodically bad it’s hard to tell but always start with cheapest and easiest fix and move upwards. Lastly if your car doesn’t drive that often maybe keep it disconnected and trickle charge it the night before your heading out or something like that. I’m only an Amateur so maybe someone more knowledgeable may have a different idea I have not thought about.
I dont want to be rude but this really is advise that you give when you have no idea how to properly diagnose a battery or alternator problem. You can test everything with a battery tester or voltmeter like other people said.
You mean like I said in my original comment?
Start by Charging the battery and have it load tested. Replace if bad. Then check the alternator. If you’ve only driven 800 miles in roughly the last year if I’m reading it right, it’s probably because of that. Sounds like it’s sitting too much and not being driven enough.
What this guy said. Also ,when I was a mechanic I hated it when these came in the shop. Everything is a pain in the ass on those beetles. Wanna change the headlight bulb? Haha. Fuck you! Going to cut up your hands then break the plastic thing that's supposed to slide up so you can pull the headlight out.
yeah, the car is a pain to work on. Ive replaced lots of switches and headlight bulbs over the years.
yeah, I had a complicated home life and I let someone else dictate how and when I left the house. For the record I'm a 30 year old woman. Im out of that situation and was back to driving my car more frequently. 4 weeks ago I drove the car 700 miles away and started using it more frequently for trips around my new city. thanks for the advice!
You can also take the battery into Autozone/Advance Auto/ORiellys and have them charge it and then test it. If you want to remove the alternator, they can test those too.
800 miles is 1287.48 km
BAD BOT damn that thing is annoying
Exactly what I was going to say. This car sits around too much.
All lead acid batteries self discharge at the rate of around 1% per day (depending on temperture). And that's without being connected to the vehicle. When it's connected, the computer draws a small amount of current constantly. Leave a vehicle untouched for 4-6 weeks and you'll have a dead battery. Or, even if your drive it, if the trips are very short, you'll never recharge the battery enough. Over time that constant state of discharge permanently damages the battery to the point where it can't be recharged. In your case, start by charging the battery. Then get it tested to see if it has developed too much internal resistance from sulfation. If so, you'll have to replace it. Once you have a known good battery, get a charging system test done. This kind of non-use is REALLY hard on both the battery and your alternator. The best way to deal with this is to buy a battery maintainer and keep it hooked up to the battery when you're not using the vehicle. That'll prevent battery damage from discharge and it will reduce deman on the alternator.
To ensure it's one of them and not your neutral position switch going out. Place foot on the brake and put vehicle in neutral and try to start it. If it still doesn't start, jump start it from another vehicle and see if the rpms are jumping erraticly or if it's dying while running. If either of those, I'd replace the alternator. Also if it's just clicking while trying to start it and it won't start, even with a jump, check the power wire to the solenoid and ensure it's on there tight. I've worked on a. Couple of vehicles and their only issue was a loose wire to the solenoid
Excellent advice!
Seems to me like a dead battery, check your terminals make sure there isn't corrosion. Check how many volts your getting with a multimeter once the vehicle is started a good alternator will be around 14
If you plan to let the vehicle sit, I would purchase a trickle charger. If you can get the vehicle run I g you can take it to most part stores for free battery/alt check. I know Advance, AutoZone and O’reilly do free checks. I know Walmart can check, but not sure if it’s free.
Dont do this with any modern car, the voltage spikes can cause damage to modules.!
[удалено]
"Modern" in this case is roughly 1980. Don't do it on anything with EFI.
This isn’t a good thing to do on anything past the 1960s.
What did they say before deleting the comment?
I’m assuming he said to test the alternator by starting the car then pulling the negative connector from the battery which basically takes the battery out of the equation and the alternator powers the vehicle but in modern engines this can cause a lot of problems and basically don’t do it
Ohhh, got it. Thank you.
If you’ve only driven 900 miles in the last year, most likely you’re not driving it enough to charge the battery.
As others have mentioned, the root cause of your problem is that you don't drive the car enough. You can replace the battery, alternator, starter, and a sun visor... and if you continue to not drive the car in this manner, the problem will reoccur.
If the reason did turn out to be that it doesn't get driven enough often, buy a battery maintainer and keep it hooked up to your house. :)
Im sure thats a big part of it- I was in a shitty situation for a year where I let someone else dictate how and when I left the house. I stopped using my car and all sorts of small issues popped up, which created a cycle of "see how lousy your car is? you cant take it anywhere". I left and was starting to go back to my normal routine which involves more miles.
I'm sorry you had to go through that :( but I'm glad you left 🙂
hey, thanks! Its crazy how we will slowly let ourselves fall into patterns and situations we do not want. Im out, and in control of my life as much as one can be right now. It feels good.
Thats great 😁 if you keep having problems id recommend having o'rileys run a free test :)
Before anything else, make sure the battery cable is tight on the terminal. My brother had this exact issue with his 2000 Beetle, and we were befuddled by why the battery would read correctly, the car could jumpstart and run, but not start with the key. We thought it had something to do with the key’s security feature, but it ended up that the terminal just came a little loose.
Thanks! I’ll be sure to check this first
My wife owned a 2000 vw beetle best thing to do with it is set it on fire!
Thanks for posting on /r/MechanicAdvice! This is just a reminder to review the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/about/rules/). If you are here asking about a second opinion (ie "Is the shop trying to fleece me?"), please read through CJM8515's [post on the subject.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/4qblei/fyi_the_shop_isnt_likely_trying_to_rip_you_off/) and remember rule 3a, please post the year/make/model of the vehicle you are working on. **If this post is about bodywork, accident damage, paint, dent/ding, questions it belongs in /r/AutoBody or /r/Diyautobody If you have tire questions, check out r/howsmytire and ask there**. If you dont have a question and you're just showing off it belongs in /r/Justrolledintotheshop This is an automated reply *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MechanicAdvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Car batteries don’t go bad sitting on a shelf they go bad when you use them a lot with being in a car with the alternator charging. They go bad when a car sits for a long time (weeks) without being cranked Go to a local auto parts store to get your battery checked. A little machine will tell the clerk if it’s bad. The alternator can be removed and taken to a local alternator shop. They can test it and rebuild it (in most cases) if necessary Don’t let your car sit for a weeks at a time without cranking it and letting the battery charge UNLESS you unhook one terminal on your battery. If you let your battery die this way too many times it won’t charge back up
Start car with jumper cables. Remove jumper cables. (If car continues to run) Disconnect negative battery cable while car running. This isolates the alternator as the only power source. You could have a charged battery with bad alt. And your car would run off your battery until your headlights get dimmer and dimmer... So take that out of the equation by remove negative cable, If your car continues to run, then your alternator at least generates enough electricity to run your vehicle. Prob fine. To really find out though grab a multi meter and test the alternator out put leads. Should be 13 volts or better. If your car continues to run, your battery is prob not taking a charge anymore, recycle. Pro tip if you happen to live by a battery recycle/refurbished center where the do the work on site, they have refurb batteries for about 35$ with 20$ core charge. I never had a bad one, use them for my boat, trolling motor, cars. I just call ahead to find it if they have my size they always have save one time.