Dead Cell Or Alternator?

donj · 06-02-2006, 04:54 PM

O.K. guys I need some help... about a month and a half ago my wife was at the mall and called to tell me the battery was dead in our 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo. She had the mall security jump start her so she can get it home... I took the battery down to the local garage to have the battery tested for a dead cell and they told me the battery was ok at the time. They cleaned the connectors and everything seemed fine......

until tonight...

I drove it to work today(10 miles to work and 10 home) with no problems went to the local grocery store tonight with the wife and kids and everything was fine. Came out after being in the store for 15 or so minutes and BAM!! The thing won't start. Asked a gentleman to jump us and we drove it home with no problems. Pulled it into the garage and tryed starting her back up and nothing.

Does this sound like a dead cell, battery or something else?

Please help me troubleshoot this, I need her back on the road by Sunday for a 6 hour drive to Ohio.

gunthagunth · 06-02-2006, 04:58 PM

get the jeep started and remove the neg cable off the battery. if the jeep dies the alternator is bad. if not id finger point the battery. maybe a connection or wire on the battery. the alt could still be bad just not charging all of the time.

bstewart · 06-02-2006, 05:26 PM

I would say the battery is bad. The same thing happened to my wifes car a couple of weeks ago but I was unable to jump start her. Called AAA and they jumped her with no problem (major jumper cables and battery). New battery fixed it.

**Varkyl** · 06-02-2006, 05:29 PM

how old is that battery? But the first thing that pops into my mind is bad battery.

donj · 06-02-2006, 05:36 PM

Thanks Guys, at first I thought it was maybe a bad cell in the battery but when we took it down for them to test the battery last month they told me it was fine. I think I'm going with my gut and getting a new battery tomorrow. It is the original battery from 02.

**Varkyl** · 06-02-2006, 05:49 PM

yeah it's time for a battery anyways if it is the cheapie original unit.
If it was a bad alternator it die while running and not have enought juice to start. And once jump started it wouldn't stay running.

greasefingers · 06-02-2006, 06:01 PM

Alternators usually last from 8 to 12 years. Batteries can survive from four to six. Therefore you need a new battery.

**Varkyl** · 06-02-2006, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greasefingers

Alternators usually last from 8 to 12 years. Batteries can survive from four to six. Therefore you need a new battery.

LOL you haven't lived in Arizona! With a normal battery we consider it good if it last 2 years and it has lasted a long time if it last 3 years.

cyberjedi · 06-02-2006, 06:45 PM

It's the battery, could be a bad cell and when you moved the battery to test it you moved it enough for it to work so the test came back fine.

greasefingers · 06-02-2006, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Varkyl

LOL you haven't lived in Arizona! With a normal battery we consider it good if it last 2 years and it has lasted a long time if it last 3 years.

Wow I did not realize that heat was such a big factor. Here in the North East if a battery dies within three years it is considered a cheap or defective battery.