Car is dead and twitching. Bad alternator?

Blobby · 12-10-2021, 08:31 PM

Yesterday the car was perfect. This evening I got in, everything was fine, went to start and it DIED. No attempt to crank, lights dim and flickering, kept getting worse, wipers started wiping incredibly slowly. Tried to jump under hood and no change. Tail lights and DRL stayed on constantly, dim, and flickering. Got the battery exposed and jumped from there. It tried to turn over but no joy. Electricals came back tho. Acted normal. All the lights turned off and I put the car to sleep for the night.

Auto parts guy says it’s probably alternator, but I think it’s obvious that satan himself has claimed this car. Any thoughts?

AGM battery two months old.
Hot start/ slow crank cable installed
2016 with 50k

Nilly Welson · 12-10-2021, 09:26 PM

I think if it were the Alt. it would still start with a jump, it just would not charge the battery. Seems like a jump with a strong source would also start it. Could be a loose connection somewhere.

Spaceme1117 · 12-11-2021, 06:01 AM

Even though the battery is new most likely its bad.

buck50 · 12-11-2021, 08:23 AM

Time to have that new battery load tested! Your lowest cost first step.

Blobby · 12-11-2021, 08:28 AM

Here’s a question. If an older car we’re running, you could disconnect the battery or alternator and the car would be fine… until the battery died. What would the Camaro do under either of these situations? Can you push start a Camaro without a battery?

avalonandl · 12-11-2021, 11:12 AM

No and No.

Do you have any aftermarket parts etc installed, ?

If alternator was defective your voltage would not go above 12.4.

Blobby · 12-11-2021, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avalonandl

No and No.

Do you have any aftermarket parts etc installed, ?

If alternator was defective your voltage would not go above 12.4.

The dashboard volt meter has always hung out just under 14v most of the time and sometimes hovers around 12v. It’s done that since new.

I have a dash cam installed but it is powered only by switched power.

arpad_m · 12-11-2021, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blobby

The dashboard volt meter has always hung out just under 14v most of the time and sometimes hovers around 12v. It’s done that since new.

That means the alternator is working properly, and if the meter does go down to ~12.5V periodically, the battery looks healthy, too. This gauge displays charging voltage when the alternator is charging the battery, and actual battery voltage when it isn't.

wwiiavfan · 12-12-2021, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buck50

Time to have that new battery load tested! Your lowest cost first step.

Yes, but not a definitive indicator to a good/bad battery. I had one that was less than a year old on my SS and acting like described. Dealer tested it twice and it passed, but they replaced it on their own dime and the problem went away and never came back.

Kerry · 12-12-2021, 11:01 AM

Most likley the battery is bad. If you have a good jump source and it wont jump with all the other symptoms of low voltage the battery is shorted and dragging down the system.

ctrlz · 12-13-2021, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kerry

the battery is shorted...

Agree with all who say bad battery, and favor internal short as mode of failure.
You need to get a meter on this thing and see what's going on. Or just get the battery swapped under warranty.

Auto parts guy is probably thinking, "new battery, so that can't be it." I disagree.
Number of battery problems reported on camaro6 - dozens that I've seen.
Number of alternator problems (i.e. real problems, not the ones made up by someone who thinks his audio upgrade needs 8000 amps) - zero

Blobby · 12-13-2021, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctrlz

Agree with all who say bad battery, and favor internal short as mode of failure.
You need to get a meter on this thing and see what's going on. Or just get the battery swapped under warranty.

Auto parts guy is probably thinking, "new battery, so that can't be it." I disagree.
Number of battery problems reported on camaro6 - dozens that I've seen.
Number of alternator problems (i.e. real problems, not the ones made up by someone who thinks his audio upgrade needs 8000 amps) - zero

The auto parts guy gave a disclaimer with his assessment. He said that a bad alternator caused similar symptoms on his truck, and since the battery is new, he’s “betting” that it’s the alternator. Need to bring it in for a test today.

Interesting note: the closest alternator was 150 mi away and closest starter was 4 states away. Thought this engine was more common than that.

GONIF · 12-13-2021, 11:17 AM

Just fully charge the battery and see if it's bad. Simple and free . Did you do a test on the battery after charging it ?

Gunkk · 12-13-2021, 11:30 AM

Unlike flooded cell batteries, AGM batteries recharge VERY SLOWLY. Driving the car 1+ hr may not charge it fully. Ask me how I know. Get a proper AGM battery tender on the car. If you have excessive parasitic drain, an AGM tender might throw a false positive error. If so, disconnect the negative terminal and charge the battery directly with the tender without the car drawing power.

One of these can help avoid with this as well as avoid premature battery death due to parasitic drain if the car sits for extended periods. Just make sure you don't fully close the trunk after you disconnect the battery or you'll be popping the lid off the door handle to get back in.

12-10-2021, 08:31 PM	#1
Blobby Drives: Former Owner '16 Camaro 2LT V6 conv Join Date: May 2021 Location: Florida Posts: 97	Car is dead and twitching. Bad alternator? Yesterday the car was perfect. This evening I got in, everything was fine, went to start and it DIED. No attempt to crank, lights dim and flickering, kept getting worse, wipers started wiping incredibly slowly. Tried to jump under hood and no change. Tail lights and DRL stayed on constantly, dim, and flickering. Got the battery exposed and jumped from there. It tried to turn over but no joy. Electricals came back tho. Acted normal. All the lights turned off and I put the car to sleep for the night. Auto parts guy says it’s probably alternator, but I think it’s obvious that satan himself has claimed this car. Any thoughts? AGM battery two months old. Hot start/ slow crank cable installed 2016 with 50k

12-11-2021, 08:23 AM	#4
buck50 Drives: 2021 C8, 2022 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 108	Time to have that new battery load tested! Your lowest cost first step. __________________ Order 9/09/2021,2022 2SS, NPP, 56W whls, B04 stripe, AQJ seats, N26 strg. whl., SLN brace 3000 1/19/2022 3400 1/25/2022 TPW 1/31 3800 2/15/2022 4300 2/19/2022 4B00 3/04/2022 4000 3/8/2022 Delivered 3/9/2022 ____________________________________ Order 6/01/2016 2017 2SS, NPP, 56R whls 3000 6/08/2016 3000 6/15/2016 TPW 7/18/2016 3400 7/7/2016 4200 7/25/2016 Delivered 7/28/2016 Sold May 2020

12-11-2021, 11:12 AM	#6
avalonandl Drives: 2019 ZL-1 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Troy, MI & Naples, FL Posts: 2,019	No and No. Do you have any aftermarket parts etc installed, ? If alternator was defective your voltage would not go above 12.4. __________________ 2019 ZL-1 Acquired 4/23/21 at 6300 miles. Riverside Blue, A10, PDR. Traded in 2017 2SS with 6M and 32k miles. Continental Extreme Contact Sports. Now has 10,000 miles... 2012 Yukon XL Denali w/ 6.2 AWD Last edited by avalonandl; 12-11-2021 at 11:22 AM. Reason: added

12-13-2021, 11:17 AM	#13
GONIF Drives: 73 VETTE ,, 05 2500hd diesel,14 1LE Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: The Left lane PHOENIX AZ Posts: 2,626	Just fully charge the battery and see if it's bad. Simple and free . Did you do a test on the battery after charging it ? __________________ OLD GUY FLYING FAST AND LOW

12-10-2021, 09:26 PM	#2
Nilly Welson Drives: Camaro Super Sport, Six on the Stik Join Date: Jul 2021 Location: Earth Posts: 308	I think if it were the Alt. it would still start with a jump, it just would not charge the battery. Seems like a jump with a strong source would also start it. Could be a loose connection somewhere.

12-11-2021, 06:01 AM	#3
Spaceme1117 Drives: 2017 Camaro SS, 2011 Corvette GS Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Erlanger, Kentucky 41018 Posts: 815	Even though the battery is new most likely its bad.

12-11-2021, 08:28 AM	#5
Blobby Drives: Former Owner '16 Camaro 2LT V6 conv Join Date: May 2021 Location: Florida Posts: 97	Here’s a question. If an older car we’re running, you could disconnect the battery or alternator and the car would be fine… until the battery died. What would the Camaro do under either of these situations? Can you push start a Camaro without a battery?

12-12-2021, 11:01 AM	#10
Kerry Drives: 2019 2SS Camaro Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Al Posts: 828	Most likley the battery is bad. If you have a good jump source and it wont jump with all the other symptoms of low voltage the battery is shorted and dragging down the system.

12-13-2021, 11:30 AM	#14
Gunkk Thank you Al Oppenheiser! Drives: Red Hot A10 ZL1 Convertible Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Sarasota, FL Posts: 4,978 View My Garage	Unlike flooded cell batteries, AGM batteries recharge VERY SLOWLY. Driving the car 1+ hr may not charge it fully. Ask me how I know. Get a proper AGM battery tender on the car. If you have excessive parasitic drain, an AGM tender might throw a false positive error. If so, disconnect the negative terminal and charge the battery directly with the tender without the car drawing power. One of these can help avoid with this as well as avoid premature battery death due to parasitic drain if the car sits for extended periods. Just make sure you don't fully close the trunk after you disconnect the battery or you'll be popping the lid off the door handle to get back in.

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