battery and starting issues

Paul Canavan

New Member
Help please I have a 97 1.4tornado 3 door that I am having issues with. About a year ago I replaced the alternator. Car ran fine until the wife drove through a huge puddle. Battery light now does not come on with ignition lights and seems as though alternator not charging it. Alternator been checked and differed battery tried but still got same issue. Fuses checked and additional earth lead cleaned and checked. Any ideas please
 

XpL0d3r

I had a Civic once.
Staff member
Registered VIP
Registered OG
5+ Year Member
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
:welcome:

Just to clarify, when you try to turn the car on, you don't see the battery light? But you can see the rest of the lights on the dash? I'm slightly confused by your wording.

Is the Check Engine Light on at all? It sounds like you still might have some damp electronics or water in a sensor that's screwing something up.
 


HeX

Authoritah, respected.
Staff member
Registered VIP
5+ Year Member
10+ Year Member
Please note this is a US dominant site and a Civic Tornado seems to be a European version hatchback. Its in your best interest to provide added details to make it easier for us to provide help. What engine do you have?
 

Paul Canavan

New Member
:welcome:

Just to clarify, when you try to turn the car on, you don't see the battery light? But you can see the rest of the lights on the dash? I'm slightly confused by your wording.

Is the Check Engine Light on at all? It sounds like you still might have some damp electronics or water in a sensor that's screwing something up.
Hi sorry no the battery light does not come on but the rest of the ignition lights do come on. And no the engine management light does not come on at all
 


XpL0d3r

I had a Civic once.
Staff member
Registered VIP
Registered OG
5+ Year Member
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Hi sorry no the battery light does not come on but the rest of the ignition lights do come on. And no the engine management light does not come on at all
Do you see the CEL come on when first turning the key to ON II? You should see that one lit up with the rest of the dash lights. This is to confirm that the CEL is even working.
 

Paul Canavan

New Member
Ok. And what about the battery issue? It seems as though it's not holding charge from the alternator and we have tested the alternator and that's working fine and I tried a different battery but that still has the same problem
 

Diana Nam

Respected
Registered VIP
Ok. And what about the battery issue? It seems as though it's not holding charge from the alternator and we have tested the alternator and that's working fine and I tried a different battery but that still has the same problem
well normally you wouldn't know. teh battery light only comes on for few sec upon start up if it stayed on it would mean there is something wrong with the charging system
 

Diana Nam

Respected
Registered VIP
The light is not coming on at all. And it don't seem as though it's holding charge
are you sure its not charging. how big was the water puddle?. also quick easy test for your alternator would be o get the car started and running, while its running disconnect the battery if your car stays on and doesn't die your alternator is good. i would check the battery termial wires with a volt meter should be reading close to 14v with the car running
 

Paul Canavan

New Member
It was a deep puddle lol and I have tried disconnecting the battery and the car dies instantly also with a voltmeter it reads about 12 then very slowly goes down
 

Paul Canavan

New Member
Mmmmm I did take it to a garage and they took the alternator apart and tested it. They reckon the brushes are good and it charged in their workshop. Strange.....
 

Diana Nam

Respected
Registered VIP
Mmmmm I did take it to a garage and they took the alternator apart and tested it. They reckon the brushes are good and it charged in their workshop. Strange.....
well if it didn't do it before driving through deep puddle then it safe to say your alternator got water damage. plus a good alternator will always keep your car running with out the battery the car only uses battery to start it. from what you told me its defiantly your alternator i'm pretty sure of it just cause you replaced 2 previous times doesn't really mean much 12v is way to low when the car is running its should rock solid around 14v anything under 13v given off the alternator the charging portion of the alternator is no good. did you check the wiring?
 

stcopley

Trollin in the Deep
Registered VIP
5+ Year Member
Ok. And what about the battery issue? It seems as though it's not holding charge from the alternator and we have tested the alternator and that's working fine and I tried a different battery but that still has the same problem
It could be a large variety of things. Bad starter, shorted wire would be my first 2 checks.

Do you have the stock air intake or a cold air intake?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 

Diana Nam

Respected
Registered VIP
It could be a large variety of things. Bad starter, shorted wire would be my first 2 checks.

Do you have the stock air intake or a cold air intake?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
his intake has no part in with the charge system.....completely different thing
 


Top