Just got my car back from the ***********...they said I needed a new battery after a fan assembly replacement...

The car runs fine until i turn on the lights, radio and air... then the car loses power and dies if i stop.

Any ideas what it could be before I take it back to the dealer and pitch a bitch?

 

The alternator should be able to supply enough current to run all rhe car's systems including accessories at the same time. If your battery is dying when they're on, the alternator isn't doing it's job. It is possible that a dying battery is also taxing the charge system into overload (not THAT possible though)... I suggest you take your car to a local major auto parts store - most will test your battery for free, and provide a replacement, if necessary, at 1/2 the cost of the dealer.

 

The catch is.. the car was at the dealer when the noticed the problem, check the alternator, and the rest of the system and said it was the battery. They installed a new battery and it is now doing the same thing.

 

Sounds to me like the alternator. I'd go with Quadmaniac's advice and have it tested at the auto parts store. When testing they can also tell you if your alternator is working properly. The new battery the dealership installed got the car out of their shop but left you with a new problem. Was the car doing this when you took it in for the fan replacement? Also...the alternator could be working properly but not getting the juice back to the battery. BTW...nice looking car.

 

They may not have done a proper load test on the alternator. Maybe they checked the battery -- found it to be bad and thinking "its the most logical problem" replaced it. I have had alternators pass a basic test and then die days later - so this does happen. And its not uncommon for a failing alternator to stress an older battery to failure.

I have never replaced an alternator in any of my Jaguars -- even in the 80's - they are normally very reliable. But it sounds like you need one. And the battery from the dealer while a little $$ is a very good one.

Good luck

 

I just noticed your other posts.

When the front fans were running - did they run until the battery died?


The battery alone should not have been $400.00 -- They should have done a full test and install for that amount.

 

Just got back from the dealer... they said the did a full test on the system, including the alternator. They think there's a short somewhere.

This problem did not materialize until they replaced teh fan assembly

 

So, what does that tell you? It is the alternator (or there is some huge parasitic drain somewhere). Dealers are famous for the 'shotgun' approach - if they don't fully understand the problem (and very few truly understand the electrical system), they just start replacing parts and hope for the best.

Often the best approach is to take your car to a shop that specializes in automotive electrical service and repair.

 

Good call...

Alternator was shot... I just dont understand how this problem materialized only after the fan assembly was replaced...

The damn car sat for a week until the parts came in... Didn't have this problem before.