Why is my 1990 Toyota Corolla's battery suddenly dead?
What is your question?
The car ran like a champ yesterday, but the battery went dead overnight. It is probably at least 4 years old. I jumped it off, and it started, but the engine idled weird...weak and then strong alternately...and then died, and the battery was dead again. I've had the alternator replaced several times over the life of the car. Once the alternator was electrically unsound and was pulling power, but I had that repaired. If it is the alternator, that would be OK. I'm just worried about the engine. It hasn't had a tune-up in a while. It blew the head gasket a few years ago, but I replaced that. It sounds a little rough like it could use a block seal, but then, it could also use a tune-up. Engine aside, is it possible that it idled scary like that and died just because of a stone-dead battery or faulty alternator?
What makes this problem better or worse?
It's worse when it's sweltering hot
How long has your 1990 Toyota Corolla had this problem?
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They can just suddenly die, especially one that old. the average battery life in SC is about 30 months. The heat takes it's toll on them. There also is the possibility that a bad alternator took it out.
Thank you for answering. Well I went to remove the battery to go get a new one, and discovered rust under the negative connection, which looked fine from above. I'd already removed and wire-brushed the positive terminal which had some corrosion. Cleaned off the rust, and viola, it started and idled its usual and drove as usual. Let's see if that was it, for now. So...batteries don't last forever. I do keep forgetting that and going to worse-case scenario because of the car's age.
Thank you for answering. Well I went to remove the battery to go get a new one, and discovered rust under the negative connection, which looked fine from above. I'd already removed and wire-brushed the positive terminal which had some corrosion. Cleaned off the rust, and viola, it started and idled its usual and drove as usual. Let's see if that was it, for now. So...batteries don't last forever. I do keep forgetting that and going to worse-case scenario because of the car's age.