Q: Is this the alternator or just the battery?
Hi this morning my car was dead and wouldn't start, so eventually I jumped it with a charger and after twenty minutes or so it died , I did this again and same thing. This leads me to think the alternator is bad because it's not recharging the battery but the date on the battery says it original to the car from 2001. So is it possible the battery just can't hold a charge anymore and the alternator is ok? Also if I put a new battery in would I be able to drive 5 miles to my mechanic without it dyeing assuming then that it is the alternator? * I checked the connections and cleaned the small amount of corrosion on the battery also before the first jump *
My car has 115000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
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Since the battery was dead, this could be the cause of a failed alternator that was unable to maintain the battery charge. Try charging the battery first and running the vehicle. If the Charge Warning Light illuminates, there could be a problem with the alternator. In this case I would replace both the battery and alternator at the same time for the best results. If you need assistance wit this, consider YourMechanic, as a certified technician can diagnose your starting issue and replace these components as necessary. Good luck.
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