So yesterday my car wouldn't start, needed a jump from my friend.

I sat in my car, pushed the brake, held the push to start, no go. all the lights popped on and the nav screen flickered. put the car wouldn't turn over. once jumped, the car was "normal". i have a radar detector with a built in battery voltage meter and it said the battery was at 13.9V. My question to the experts here, is that battery (Acura OEM) or is that a sign that the alternator is going.

I feel like its the battery since the charge was maintained for the whole ride and i was charging my phone and had the radar detector on. just want to get an opinion from you guys before i go to sears and they tell me something else and try to screw me over.

If its the battery, im looking to pick up a DieHard from Sears.
http://www.sears.com/automotive-batt...0&AID=11042411

or if any of you have a recommendation for normal everyday use batteries, please let me know. Thanks in advance.

 

It is possible but would be unusual for the alternator to be going bad already. I'm going to go with all you need is a new battery and should be all set. And I have always gone with Diehards as replacements

 

I agree, sounds like an issue with the battery.

 

Or it could simply be the connections.

 

You've lasted much longer than others with the original OEM battery.

 

yep it was the battery, i switched it out and everything is A ok. i ended up going with a DieHard gold series.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/ProductDi...p-02851823000P

one thing i never knew about car batteries was the CCA, cold crank amps. the OEM was 500 or 550, the one i got is 700. from what i researched it helps with cold starting, but not to sure if the jump from 550 to 700 is significant. im in chicago for the time being and the car is park outside, so hopefully this will get me through the winters.

I used a voltmeter and

 

Sounds good and you will be served well with the Diehard and the 700CCA!!

 

MoAbbas, you'll have to measure the instantaneous battery voltage while cranking the car. This is the true battery strength when the battery is under load, while starting the car.

If the battery voltage is measured good when the engine is not running/cranking, it doesn't mean that the battery is good. That why battery shops will do a "load test" to determine if the battery is any good.

 

Your OEM battery was 500-550 cca. So the jump to 700 cca should help with the Chicago winter temps and starting.

 

I am on my 3rd Acura battery, the first had a loose plate in it and wouldn't even take jump. Had to have it towed to the dealer. The last was just replaced under warranty a couple of months back. It's most likely the battery.

 

OP already said it was the battery.

 

Hello I'm replacing my alternator on a 04 MDX this is the 2nd since I've had it. MY question to anyone is, is this something that occurs normally it has 155k

 

Hell get Interstate Megatron Plus. I have never had a problem with Megatron Plus. (I mean Megatron Plus not Megatron II)
(Used this one in my old RX-7 , Acura CL type S, soon to be 2013 Acura TL SHAWD)
http://www.interstatebatteries.com/p...v=N~2147384903
Bought for $140ish
1000amp 800CCA and 125min reserve - Lots of winter power - The CL one lasted for the whole time we owned the car, like 8 years
The other options I would think about if you want a deep cycle.
(Interstate AGM battery though pricy)
http://www.interstatebatteries.com/p...424-2147384906
1000Amps 800CCA
or
(Optima Yellowtop)
https://www.optimabatteries.com/en-u...cycle-battery/
like 770amps and 620CCA
Though Interstate and Optima are owned by the same top company ...which I cannot think of the name of
or
Sears Option above

 

Depends - Sometimes the aftermarket ones can be not that great. All depends what was put in the vehicle on the 1st replacement.
I havent had to replace the alternator on either of my Acura. The CL lasted at least 185K and still was the original one.

Cant remember the numbers on testing with multimeter. Battery should be like 12.6 to 13.5V range not started then start the car the ALT should be 13.7 to 14.5 then put in under load with lights, and radio it should bump up to the high range of 14.4 to ~ 15V in response to the load. (note below)

Sorry the web can probably give you exact V range. (I am sure TheMuffinMan has the numbers)

 

depends on how good quality the 2nd one was but it's not unheard of to need more than 2 alternators in 155K.

 

Absolutely agree with Anicra and csmeance. A lot depends on the quality of the aftermarket alternator.

 

Alternators can go at anytime. If you bought a non OEM alternator, some, do not last as long as OEM. My 06 Nisssan Frontier Alternator went out last year with 50K miles. Normally you get with you pay for.

 

So true dwest so true

 

Not to mention most replacement alternators are actually rebuilt units.

 

I have a 2003 TL. Today I was driving home and stopped at a store. I was out in five minutes and my car wouldn't start, the battery was very dead, I mean I couldn't move the windows let alone get a crank.. I got a jump and drove home. Turned off the car and again it won't start. Since I have not had any trouble with the battery before, it seemed like there was more to it. Is it likely the battery simply went bad or the alternator? The battery looks fairly old, it was in the car when I bought it almost three years ago.

 

Odds are you have a bad battery. If the alternator was the issue you should have seen lights slowing dimming and other electrical items slowly becoming dimmer and dimmer until the car went kaput on your drive home. (assuming the drive was long enough and you had multiple systems running to create a substantial load on the charging system)
You can always jump it and test the alternator with a multi-meter.

 

That's good news. Yeah, I had the stereo cranked and the AC/fan blowing full. I had been stuck in a massive traffic jam for about a half hour before I stopped at the store. There was no indication on the dash that anything was wrong. It was the middle of the day so I didn't have lights on, but nothing seemed to dim such as it was.

Today I'll get another jump and make it over to Sears for a new Diehard. Thanks!

 

Curious what your running voltage is now with the new battery. I'm at 13.6V with the original battery (2011 TL) and am wondering if the battery is why my voltage isn't higher. I realize the alternator takes over once the vehicle is started, but I imagine a depleted battery can load the alternator down. I don't have any issues with starting, etc., but I've never seen an alternator voltage this low.

 

13.6 is not low. The ECU controls the charging voltage based on the state of the battery and tempeture. I have seen charging as low as 12.9.

 

It went as low as 12.3V the other day. I turned the headlights on amd it immediately jumped to 13.9V. I'm going to read the voltage directly at the battery because I don't completely trust the OBDII scanner at this point.

 

Since you have a new battery, I really would not be concerned about the 12.3. The fact that it jumped to 13.9 with the lights on, tells me the voltage regulation is doing its job. Its possible the new battery was not fully charged, as 12.3 is a little below what a new charged battery should read. It has been my experience that you probably will read a higher voltage with a volt meter.Anywhere from 2 to 3 tenth of a volt higher. Based on what you have been saying I think you are all good.