question about engine charging system....

[ecko614]

well....had some bitch ass nuggets break into my car and due to them leaving my dome light and glove box light on all night....i got up the next day and started my car. Car started fine but noticed my battery light was on and the needle on the gauge was sittin at 8. I let it run and drove around the block for a lil bit hoping the alternator would give it some juice back...but no dice. The alternator is brand new...less than 6months old, and the battery is practically brand new...less than 9months old. I took my battery to auto zone and had them charge it up for over an hour.....slapped it back in....same gauge reading. Prior to me taking the battery to auto zone, i was on my way home and the car lost everything.....brakes started geeking, gas pedal to the floor...no sudden jump, i assumed it was because the battery wasnt pumping out enough volts to make these things work, then outa nowhere car shut down. took the battery to the zone, yada yada yada and im here now....battery still actin like it has no juice. i noticed before when my alternator went out...it squeeled and whined before it was deemed useless....not the case at all this time. i was told it was my alt. but i didnt have the signs i had gotten previously. any body know what the hell is wrong with it?? the night before they molested my car-it ran perfectly. the day after they molested her-she isnt the same. what gives??

[bszopi]

Did they take anything? There is a chance, if they cut any wiring, that they have created some type of short that is draining the battery.

[Joseph Upson]

What year make and model car are we talking about? Leaving the lights on should have no effect on the alternator. If something was taken out of the car and wires cut or damaged you need to check all of your fuses including those under the hood if you have any. Some GM cars have an under hood fuse associated with the alternator that actually turns it on. If your steering column is damaged that could also be causing the problem. If you take the alternator off and have it tested and it comes out fine then you'll know where the problem is.

The reason the old alternator had squeaking noises associated with it is probably because the bearings failed which can make it hard to turn causing a belt squeal or just noisy producing a bearing squeal.

[ecko614]

its a 1995 Grand Am GT. they didnt take anything other than my faceplate...they attempted to get to the whole deck but instead of ripping the plastic dash pieces off...they just shoved it back into my dashboard about 4 inches. i took out my faceless deck...and i tried to install a new,cheaper deck....but before i even touched the deck itself, i noticed that you can hear my power locks keep clicking about every 30 seconds. im confused on this because i actually unhooked the power locks the day i got my car...by that i mean, i popped the switches off both doors and unplugged the connectors. what would make them do that?? could that be the issue??

[ecko614]

inspected my ignition and it looks okay other than after i insert my key...start the car, the keys practically fall out-while the engines runnin. its been like that since ive owned it, but ive had 2jiggle the key out....now the bastards just fall out. Why would my locks keep poppin like that?? checked my fuses and everything checked out good....no under hood fuses here....just the 4relays on the passenger side by the strut mount. now im really lost. its so bad that my fully charged battery is deader than a damn door nail less than 24hrs of having it fully charged

[ecko614]

update........

well heres and update on the situation....took my battery back to the zone and the an a test and the battery came back bad. Got my free replacment and went home. slapped in it the beast...and fired it up to find still the same low voltage and the battery light still on. Decided to go rent the sepentine belt tool from advanced, took my alternator off and took it to pep boys(where i got it from( and had them test it. It came back bad also. Instead of them replacing it with a used/remanufactured one, they gave me a brand spankin new fresh out the box bosch alternator. Went back to my garage, slapped it back on in less than 20 mins, started her up.....full charge, no battery light, headlights and dashlights brighter than a mutha. What could possibly make those 2 things go bad like that together?? would my car bein broke into have anything to do with it?? or was that just sheer coincidence?? thanx alot