I am having a weird issue, it must be something trivial but I can't figure it out
- when I start the car the starter would not move at all. The windshield wipers move anemically and as they move the dashboard lights dim and flicker
- sounds like dead battery so I check and it's 12.9V, all good, right?.
- I brought a second car to jump it and my car start right away like new. I guess this means it's not the starter or the ground cable.
- then it ran for a minute, the dash lights flickered, went dark and the car died again
- and now it would not start again. I repeated it 10 times with the second car and it's the same thing every time.
Can it be the alternator? But if it's the alternator why wouldn't the car start on its own with 12.9V?

please please help

 

More details - when I turn ignition key voltage on battery terminals drops to 1V! Then I take the key out and it starts slowly cilimbing to 3,4,..10V. I have not seen anything like this before. Is this a bad battery or a bad drain somewhere?

 

You need a new battery.

 

yep, that was it. after 200K miles, new starter and two alternators every electrical issue seems bigger than it is. thanks!