WTF is wrong with my electrical system!

[Mikey6p]

Rep for anyone who can help me out:

Mods that would affect this:
Foglights
PNP HID's, wired with the relay harness

Symptoms:
When I put the key into the ON position....the dash lights flicker rapidly and it makes a clicking noise. Go to crank it into the start position.....nothing happens.

I got a jump start...and the car started right up. Then while driving, if i put on my blinkers...the radio shuts down to a black screen. Same if i turn the foglights on.

WTF. the tow truck driver thinks its the battery.....i hope thats all it is.

[peenoySI]

battery....or alternator....warranty???

[midnightex]

My 01 Civic did that to me a couple times. I can't tell you how many new batteries I bought, only to find out it was the alternator.

Mine went so far as to just shut down while I was driving.

Have it towed to the dealership, and good luck!

[illusionstwice]

Alternator for sure bro. Be careful though, a friend had a similar issue in his Tc (wifes car tecnically lol) and the mechanic gave him a heads up about the pnp HID kit. He actually uninstalled it cuz the mechanic said the manager is a dick, and if he saw the HID kit he would probably try not to cover the alternator under warranty!?

Good luck! Keep us posted

[Mikey6p]

I walked out to my car this morning.....this really pisses me off.

The clicking sounds like a relay in the dash somewhere, clicking rapidly.

How can I tell if the alternator is bad, or the battery?

[schield]

First I would take it to auto zone or some place like that that does free alternator tests. Or although not fool proof sometimes this works: start the car normally, and while the car is running, remove the negative battery cable from the the battery, (idk how easy this is to do on civic since I have yet to do anything with the battery), and if the car dies the alternator is most likely bad.

[NIGHTHAWKSI]

alternator or battery. check the voltage of the bettery while the car is off with a volt meter.should be between 12 and 13.as you start the car, check the voltage (need 2 people for this obviously), then start the car and check what volts the battery is getting, should be about 14.

this will diagnose if it is theh battery or alternator for sure. but immediatly from the sounds of it, i would say alternator. because when your driving, the battery doesnt use any of its charge...the alternator should be supplying all power needed to run the fogs/blinkers/radio.

[DrkClouD]

go to an parts store and have them check your electrical system

[peenoySI]

brand new car....warranty?????

[Mikey6p]

Originally Posted by peenoySI

brand new car....warranty?????

Well obviously...but I wont have time to bring it to the dealer until Monday, and I want to know wtf is wrong with my car.

[NIGHTHAWKSI]

if you have a volt meter...try what i said in post #7

[JeShUa]

Alternator.

[07mugencivic]

Same Thing When I Added The System...the Battery Is To Small To Handle More Than It Can...i Had To Upgrade Th E Battery

[distrbd]

Originally Posted by NIGHTHAWKSI

alternator or battery. check the voltage of the bettery while the car is off with a volt meter.should be between 12 and 13.as you start the car, check the voltage (need 2 people for this obviously), then start the car and check what volts the battery is getting, should be about 14.

this will diagnose if it is theh battery or alternator for sure. but immediatly from the sounds of it, i would say alternator. because when your driving, the battery doesnt use any of its charge...the alternator should be supplying all power needed to run the fogs/blinkers/radio.

The best post /reponse is this one,bc its the easiest way to know for sure if its the battery or the alternator.right on NIGHTHAWKSI

[midnightex]

Originally Posted by schield

First I would take it to auto zone or some place like that that does free alternator tests. Or although not fool proof sometimes this works: start the car normally, and while the car is running, remove the negative battery cable from the the battery, (idk how easy this is to do on civic since I have yet to do anything with the battery), and if the car dies the alternator is most likely bad.

I don't think this works the same way on today's cars. I had a '92 Chevy truck in college and was having problems with the thing always dying on me. When I took it to the dealership, the service guy said it was a loose negative battery cable. He tightened it and I never had the problem again.

When I told him that I thought once the car was started teh alternator did everything. He said that on these "newer" vehicles, the battery still provides power to things like the ECU.

I would think that it's the same on today's cars. I could be wrong since we're talking about a '06+ Honda compared to a '92 Chevy, but I'm pretty sure that even once the car's running, if you disconnect the battery it will die regardless of the condition of the alternator.

[Mikey6p]

I'm thinking its the battery....I will find out tomorrow when I go to the dealer.

I forgot to mention...it does crazy stuff while its running. After I got the jump start and was driving home, if i put my blinker on it would turn the radio all the way off, to a black screen.

[sandeep108]

It is most probably the battery. Similar story with an older civic. Put in a new battery - all fine.

AFAIK if you continue to drive on a bad battery, you risk putting out the alternator too.

[JeShUa]

I'm pretty sure its the alternator. When my mom's alternator went out.. the radio went out while driving.. then I was like.. "wtf".. so I turned it back on and the car shut off. Pretty sure thats what went out.. idk why :x. Hopefully they replace it for you holmes.

[Mikey6p]

Originally Posted by JeShUa

I'm pretty sure its the alternator. When my mom's alternator went out.. the radio went out while driving.. then I was like.. "wtf".. so I turned it back on and the car shut off. Pretty sure thats what went out.. idk why :x. Hopefully they replace it for you holmes.

Crossing my fingers, and praying to the Honda Warranty gods....I don't want to spend any money.

Ill find out tomorrow morning.

[mix]

would like to hear about the outcome.