Electrical gremlin caused car to stall out-ABS + Parking brake light on-stereo dies -

[alwayscode390]

I was just stalled out in the middle of an intersection with ZERO power ( couldn't even open my door from the inside ).

When I first started the car I noticed the ABS light was lit up w/ the parking brake light. I put the parking brake down and both lights went off ... so I went on my trip.

As I'm driving on the highway the ABS light + parking brake light would go on for a few seconds ... then when they would go off the radio would cut out for a second but it would keep the memory. This happened 3 times.

I stop at a light off the highway and it does it again, so I go to press the power button on the radio to turn it off and the car dies ...I mean DEAD.

I get two people to push me into a gas station and I get a tow truck dispatched ... while my door is open I hear the "chime" come on. I go to start it and NOTHING , and the chime stops.

The chime comes on again a minute later, and I go start it and BAM it starts up!

My voltage shows normal volts, and I made it home 7 miles with no issues after it re-started. When I got home I started it again after turning it off to see if it would start, and it did.

Is this an electrical gremlin, or does it sound like my battery may have came loose ... or ground issues possibly?

If I jack the car up to check the battery the car is getting retired for the winter early, and I will just take the battery out and put it on a trickle.

Thanks! ---

 

[alwayscode390]

Re: Electrical gremlin caused car to stall out-ABS + Parking brake light on-stereo di

Does your voltage gauge drop slightly when the fans kick on?

Mine does, and I am starting to wonder if this is an alternator issue instead?

Can the alternator be checked with a multimeter?

Thanks! ---

 

[alwayscode390]

Re: Electrical gremlin caused car to stall out-ABS + Parking brake light on-stereo di

OK, I checked under the hood at the jump point with a multimeter. Here is what I found:

The battery when off was at 12.05 ... then after a 5 minute idle with the car off it was 12.15.

With the car started it jumped to 14.2 and with the fans on high was at 13.6.

Im wondering if the battery went under 12V and thats when everything acted screwy?

Atleast the alternator seems fine ---

 

[AZTVR]

Re: Electrical gremlin caused car to stall out-ABS + Parking brake light on-stereo di

The battery when off was at 12.05 ... then after a 5 minute idle with the car off it was 12.15.

Well, I'd say that the battery is either very low on charge, or possibly you have a bad cell that is causing the voltage to be that low under non-running load. It should be over 12.5 or more volts if charged and not running, methinks. (No Viper currently in house; but other car is 12.9V, engine off) Or, you have an intermittent ground or positive cable connection. You can prove that by measuring directly at the battery.

 

[alwayscode390]

Re: Electrical gremlin caused car to stall out-ABS + Parking brake light on-stereo di

Thanks for that , I thought it was a little low but acceptable.

Is there a little bit of a loss from the battery to the remote positive under the hood?

I will probably load test the battery after I pull it , and test at the battery before I pull it.

Since my radio was connected to all this I decided to turn it up and listen, and noticed my aftermarket amp was cutting on and off ... so I disconnected it (before the tests).

Is the radio connected to the ABS and Parking brake indicator dash lights somehow or put extra strain on the battery with the amp?

Maybe the amp caused the battery to be strained dipping it into low voltage once the car was started?

Its probably not related but since its acting funny I figured I should unhook it anyway ---

 

[alwayscode390]

Re: Electrical gremlin caused car to stall out-ABS + Parking brake light on-stereo di

Im starting to think it may just be my Optima battery.

They take charges REAL slow , and if its already at 12.0 before being started ... the strain of it being started and an amp/radio draining it immediately would mean it wouldn't get much of a charge from the alternator.

I don't drive more than 20 min at a time usually.

I'll check the grounds everywhere and probably end up going to a liquid battery, hoping it will take a charge quicker and hold a higher charge while sitting longer that way ---

 

[Viper98912]

Re: Electrical gremlin caused car to stall out-ABS + Parking brake light on-stereo di

Sounds like a battery? I run just the "best" store-brand battery from the auto parts store. Keep it on a tender. Has worked flawlessly...

 

[8.0L>1.8T]

Re: Electrical gremlin caused car to stall out-ABS + Parking brake light on-stereo di

... Keep it on a tender....

^^^^^This.

 

[Free2go]

Re: Electrical gremlin caused car to stall out-ABS + Parking brake light on-stereo di

I was just stalled out in the middle of an intersection with ZERO power ( couldn't even open my door from the inside ).

When I first started the car I noticed the ABS light was lit up w/ the parking brake light. I put the parking brake down and both lights went off ... so I went on my trip.

As I'm driving on the highway the ABS light + parking brake light would go on for a few seconds ... then when they would go off the radio would cut out for a second but it would keep the memory. This happened 3 times.

I stop at a light off the highway and it does it again, so I go to press the power button on the radio to turn it off and the car dies ...I mean DEAD.

I get two people to push me into a gas station and I get a tow truck dispatched ... while my door is open I hear the "chime" come on. I go to start it and NOTHING , and the chime stops.

The chime comes on again a minute later, and I go start it and BAM it starts up!

My voltage shows normal volts, and I made it home 7 miles with no issues after it re-started. When I got home I started it again after turning it off to see if it would start, and it did.

Is this an electrical gremlin, or does it sound like my battery may have came loose ... or ground issues possibly?

If I jack the car up to check the battery the car is getting retired for the winter early, and I will just take the battery out and put it on a trickle.

Thanks! ---

Well,......did you ditch the tow truck driver?

 

[alwayscode390]

Re: Electrical gremlin caused car to stall out-ABS + Parking brake light on-stereo di

Yeah I called and cancelled on my way home, they said an hour anyway LOL! ---

 

[klamathpro]

Re: Electrical gremlin caused car to stall out-ABS + Parking brake light on-stereo di

Honestly, Optima batteries are like modern BMW's, they are over-rated. Ditch the Optima, unless it's under warranty. I've had success with Autozone Gold series Batteries but anything around $130 will be a decent battery.

 

[steve e]

Re: Electrical gremlin caused car to stall out-ABS + Parking brake light on-stereo di

Anything under 12.6 on a fully charged battery is no good, you need a new battery.

 

[AZTVR]

Re: Electrical gremlin caused car to stall out-ABS + Parking brake light on-stereo di

Honestly, Optima batteries are like modern BMW's, they are over-rated. Ditch the Optima, unless it's under warranty. I've had success with Autozone Gold series Batteries but anything around $130 will be a decent battery.

I also buy Autozone Duralast Gold. They have a pretty good rep on the internet. ( I always used to have good luck with Optimas purchased before they moved manufacturung to Mexico. They may or may not have gotten there act back together in the near past; but, they really ruined their reputation with the product that came out of the new plant.)

 

[Mike Red 97 GTS]

Re: Electrical gremlin caused car to stall out-ABS + Parking brake light on-stereo di

I also buy Autozone Duralast Gold. They have a pretty good rep on the internet. ( I always used to have good luck with Optimas purchased before they moved manufacturung to Mexico. They may or may not have gotten there act back together in the near past; but, they really ruined their reputation with the product that came out of the new plant.)

I also have the Autozone Duralast Gold, never a problem.

 

[alwayscode390]

Re: Electrical gremlin caused car to stall out-ABS + Parking brake light on-stereo di

Thanks for the recommendations guys.

That's probably what I will end up doing.

I went out today to start it up and it wouldn't hold an idle until the 3rd time I started it and gave it gas immediately ... then held it at 1500 rpm for about 30 seconds ( it smoked a little when it finally started up ).

I figured since the car was completely dead it was like it went through a battery swap.

I then recalibrated the throttle bodies through the gas pedal, shut it down ... and tried restarting it . That fixed my idle issue, it started right up and sounded/felt strong at idle and throttle.

I'll take it for a short drive tomorrow ... unless I see the brake or ABS light staying lit HAHAH ... today nothing was lit up either. ---