I own a 90-91 Maxima. Two days ago I came out to find the car dead. I jumped it and that worked fine but I stopped at a red light and when I pulled away my radio started cutting in and out and then the car started jerking back and forth and then it died. I jumped it again and took it to a mechanic thinking it was the Alternator. The mechanic hooked up the diagnostic machine to the alternator and it was putting out 14 amps, which he said was what it is supposed to do. He hooked up the battery and it was fine as well.

I drove the car again and after about 20 minutes it died as I was pulling away from a stop sign. I took it back to the mechanic and he thought maybe the alternator was heating up and quiting. He let the car run for 4 hours in the mid-day sun, it never died. He hooked up the diagnostic machine again and the was putting out 14 amps and the battery was fully charged.

The only thing I can think of at this point is that there is a loose conection that is shorting out something, because of the stopping and going motion that occurs when I have to stop at red lights and stop signs.

Has anyone ever heard of a problem like this? If so, what did you do to fix it?

 

this is a tough one, i would say take it to a different shop for a second opinion. but i think that mechanice ment to say 14 volts not amps, cause alternators usually charge around 13.5Volt - 14.5 volt on average while the engine is running. did the mechanic perform a battery test to check the cold cranking amp to see if they fall into spec the battery state on the sticker? but i cant really help you unless i look at it myself. but one thing you can do is take the mechanic on a test drive with you driving it and show him and maybe the car will act up with the tech riding with you. keep us posted cause i would like to know in case i ever get a car at work doing the same thing.

 

I'm sure you're right and that he told me amps and I changed it to volts (non-mechanic).

The only thing he could think of was that I have a short somewhere. He suggested I start checking all of the wiring I can find and look for exposed wires, burnt wires, black (ground) wires that aren't connected to something .... basically check all the wires I can find looking for something that just doesn't look right. He offered to do it himself but explained that he's only going to be able to find the wires I'll be able to find, but if he looks he'll have to charge me.

So I plan on getting down under the dash, in the trunk, under the hood and checking everything I can find.

Any suggestions on where to start?

I will certainly put a post up to let you know what it was ....... when I finally figure that out.

 

I would try two things:


1. Look for wires that are broken, show signs of corrision (green stuff), or are cut or kave cracked insulation. Also, do not forget to check the body ground strap.

2. You may have a current leak. Try this procedure to find a current leak:
(I have attached a jpeg file showing the connections)


a. Disconnect the battery neutral cable

b. Connect one probe of your multimeter to the battery post

c. Connect the other multimeter probe to the removed battery cable

d. A normal current reading should be less then 0.1A (100mA).

e. If more than that, then there is a current drain. Start pulling fuses or fusible links until there is a sharp drop in the current. If there is, then this can be the source of the current drain.