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2005 Dodge Neon

Question: Trouble Starting

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onedopeychic, 2.0L 4 Cylinder, Bakersfield, CA, August 28, 2009, 09:28

 Rookie

My car has been giving me trouble starting. I have replaced the battery and the alternator but the battery is not wanting to stay charged. What can the problem be.

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• Answer #1

  patrick mannion from Greg Solow's Engine Room, August 28, 2009, 10:02
  

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  Disconnect one battery cable put an Amp meter in series with the battery cable and battery post, wait a few moments the parasitic battery draw should be .02 or .03 Amp draw with the keys out of the ignition, doors closed everything turned off. If you have a higher amperage draw something is staying live and draining the battery the "draw" can be found or isolated by removing the fuses one at a time when you remove the fuse protecting the circuit that has the draw, the draw will go away and you must trace the components on that circuit. I assume the alternator is getting power.
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  onedopeychic, August 28, 2009, 10:10
  

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  Yes alternator and battery were replaced and checked and are working great. Could it be a bad fuse or could it be the regulator??
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  patrick mannion, August 28, 2009, 10:54
  

   Master

  A bad fuse on a circuit that should be supplying power to the alternator field could result in a "no charging condition". With the engine off put a voltmeter across the battery terminals at rest the battery should read 12.6 volts (a fully charged battery, if not charge the battery), next get someone to start the car while you look at the reading on the voltmeter, the voltage should read 14.7 volts approx. if the alternator is charging. If the voltage is not increased when the car is started the alternator is not charging and must be investigated.
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