Do we have any mechanics around

[tccstudent]

I have a 07 Dodge Durango

Wednesday morning I went out and my battery was dead and shook my battery cables and was able to get just enough juice to get it started. I drove to school and after class I couldnt get it to turn over. Drove around awhile and then went home.
(I keep my bag in the back and they slide around alot the light on the gate seemed to be staying on so I took the bulb out hoping that would fix the issue.
Thursday morning I couldnt get it started. Missed class. Got a jump around noon and kept it running for over an hour. Went to go to league and no problems. After league battery felt weak but got it started. Then I pulled out and i could not go over 15mph

[rv driver]

I have a 07 Dodge Durango

Wednesday morning I went out and my battery was dead and shook my battery cables and was able to get just enough juice to get it started. I drove to school and after class I couldnt get it to turn over. Drove around awhile and then went home.
(I keep my bag in the back and they slide around alot the light on the gate seemed to be staying on so I took the bulb out hoping that would fix the issue.
Thursday morning I couldnt get it started. Missed class. Got a jump around noon and kept it running for over an hour. Went to go to league and no problems. After league battery felt weak but got it started. Then I pulled out and i could not go over 15mph
I think you have an electrical problem.

Seriously, sounds like you may have a short somewhere.

[Amyers]

The altanator or the battery is probably bad. I would take it to autozone they can defintly test the battery and maybe the altanator too.

[MICHAEL]

The altanator or the battery is probably bad. I would take it to autozone they can defintly test the battery and maybe the altanator too.


Just buy a new car! Sell some of them bowling balls, and get a new vet!! They start, and run FINE!! (:) I know,,, nobody likes a smart .....ask!!! (:) Good luck finding out the problem!

[Mudpuppy]

First rule of car buying:
DO NOT BUY A DODGE

Your personalized fix:
Sell the car and buy any other manufacturer's car

I like that you missed class but you did make it to your league - priorities are important, lol.

In all seriousness electrical problems are not easy to troubleshoot - especially over the internet. Sounds like you should go to the auto parts store and have them test your battery and alternator. If they both test good then hook up the code reader and see what it says - if you get a list of codes go on google and it will tell you the problem. Could be related to the vehicle's ECU or PCM. Hopefully neither are bad and it was just a weak battery.

[striker12]

well with the problem you are saying it could be 1 of 3 things.

1-the alternator is not giving enough charge to the battery

2-the battery cables could be frayed inside of the line

3-it could just be one of your power relays(sorry at the moment cant remember its name)

these are the 3 most common ones to happen because you would never think of the power relay box but a few years ago when I was working on a truck that did the same thing you are saying and we spent 3 weeks trying to find the problem so 1 day I just decided to take a 2nd look threw the power relay box and I found where the problem came from it was on the bottom of 1 of those power plugging in things don't mind me only woke up a hr ago from a long night of working on stuff

[bdtrob300]

First rule of car buying:
DO NOT BUY A DODGE


Couldn't have said it better myself. LOl!

Definitely electrical. Probably related to charging.
Like everyone else has said, try a local parts store for a quick check of the battery and alternator w/ a load tester.
Check all fuses and relays, looks for anything burnt. My guess is probably not a short, probably a lose ground somewhere.
I'm gonna guess it went into limp mode when the voltage dropped too low? maybe so you don't lose all power and have time to get off of the road.

I really don't think it could be anything serious. There's a resistor that's built into the alternator, sometimes that goes bad and can cause problems, or it could be the battery connections themselves, if you can wiggle them, like you said, that's no good. You really need a good, clean, tight connection. Might just need new terminal connectors.

Electrical problems can take a little time to pin down, so it can be really annoying.

Good Luck.

[Mudpuppy]

Also something always overlooked - check the ground cable! If it is rusted, etc. which most are then it's not getting a good ground. Easy to fix and cheap.

[mc_runner]

My first guess was a loose ground. What was happening when you couldn't go over 15? Were you flooring it and it just wasn't moving? Was it stalling out?

[tccstudent]

i could floor and was as if I was getting no response
but today i get in it and the battery seemed weak but it started and then everything seemed fine was able to drive like ricky bobby before the big wreck
I am waiting for a package to arrive that I must sign for (no it is not a bowling ball) then i am going to autozone and have the battery and altenator checked and they also do free battery charging so hopefully I will be able to find something out

[rv driver]

Couldn't have said it better myself. LOl!

Definitely electrical. Probably related to charging.
Like everyone else has said, try a local parts store for a quick check of the battery and alternator w/ a load tester.
Check all fuses and relays, looks for anything burnt. My guess is probably not a short, probably a lose ground somewhere.
I'm gonna guess it went into limp mode when the voltage dropped too low? maybe so you don't lose all power and have time to get off of the road.

I really don't think it could be anything serious. There's a resistor that's built into the alternator, sometimes that goes bad and can cause problems, or it could be the battery connections themselves, if you can wiggle them, like you said, that's no good. You really need a good, clean, tight connection. Might just need new terminal connectors.

Electrical problems can take a little time to pin down, so it can be really annoying.

Good Luck.
the resistor, though, is usually integrated, so you have to buy a whole new (or reconditioned) alternator...

[tccstudent]

so i made it to autozone he put the tester on the battery and it didnt even register. Then It started right up so we could check the altenator and he checked it three times on fail and two passes

[MICHAEL]

the resistor, though, is usually integrated, so you have to buy a whole new (or reconditioned) alternator...

I was told by Geno2u, that a new generator for a Goldwing is between 800, to 900 bucks!!! WHAT??? Crazy!!! I remember buying one for 19.95 back in the muscle car days!!

[rv driver]

so i made it to autozone he put the tester on the battery and it didnt even register. Then It started right up so we could check the altenator and he checked it three times on fail and two passes
I still think you've got a short somewhere that's draining power. That trunk light on all the time bothers me.

[rv driver]

I was told by Geno2u, that a new generator for a Goldwing is between 800, to 900 bucks!!! WHAT??? Crazy!!! I remember buying one for 19.95 back in the muscle car days!!
Everything's shamefully pricey these days. Including bowling balls!