seems like a basic problem so I did a search without any luck. Last night when I drove to the store my 88 vert won't start when I got back to the car 15 minutes latter. A guy in the parking lot gave me a jump and it fired right up. On the 10 minute drive home I noticed that the headlights would flicker just a little. I let it idle for another 10 minutes and turned the car off. Dead. Not even enough power to blow the horn! I put a different battery in the car, horn blew once and then no more juice. I follwed the wires under the hood, nothing was loose. This is a new one on me.
Thanks
Bob

 

Sounds like textbook alternator failure...Have you had it checked yet?

 

either ur battery or ur alternator....have both checked out.....did the idiot cluster lights come on?...or maybe it was too weak to show any signs

 

I put in a new battery, which was fully charged. So I don't see how it was the battery as the meter said it was fully charged. How would the alternator effect the starting of a car with a fully charged battery? Thanks for the feedback. No idiot cluster, no power at all.
Thanks,
Bob

 

I am wondering if I should change the ends that connect to my battery terminals.

 

I can't belive no one looks at the voltmeter right on the gauges while driving???

If you are running out of power (as in the alt has failed- or is dieing) then the volts will continue to drop and drop.

What does it read while the car is running???? It should be at least 13.5 volts (and ideally 14.4 volts). Anything under 12.6 volts means the alt is not putting out enough juice to even run the car and you are using battery power.

 

it was reading as normal, about 14 or 15 amps. I always keep and eye on that. But, I put in a new battery, has all the power in the of a new battery. Hasn't had a chance to be run down by the power being sucked out of it. But, my car acts like it has a dead battery.

 

Next time, try to turn the headlights to ON. The key circuit is different than the headlight circuit. So if the key circuit is dead but the headlight circuit works its a wiring problem to the key circuit.

Change the battery terminals is a good idea.

My, my. All the other RX, except turbo have volt gauges. Now I learn the Vert has a amp gauge instead. Learn something every day.

With a dead key circuit you'll also have no gauge readings, no starter, no idiot lights.

 

Amps???

There is no amp meter on a FC, and if you meant volts... 15 volts would be way to high and again suggest that the alt is failing.

and power of a new battery??? automotive batteries used in a FC are 12 volt batteries... they can't be more than 12.6 volts.

 

I replaced the battery cables and it fired right up. They looked like orgianls.
Thanks