1992 Dodge Dakota Battery dies while driving

Tiny
1992DAKOTA
  • MEMBER
  • 1992 DODGE DAKOTA
  • 65,000 MILES
I have a brand new alt. And battery. I have replaced relays, fuses and battery terminals. I still cant figure it out. The truck runs perfectly fine, until the battery dies. All dash lights turn on before the truck dies. Check engine light is always on. Doesnt charge battery,
Tuesday, June 11th, 2013 AT 12:43 PM

12 Replies

Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Make sure the battery has a full charge. Use a digital multimeter across the battery posts, engine and everything off. A fully charged battery should read over 12 volts. Next, start the vehicle, take second reading across battery posts, engine running, the second reading should be higher than the first if the charging system is working.

Also check for voltage at the alternator bat terminal, everything off, it should read battery voltage at that terminal. You may need to check fusible link? Could be a problem with wiring circuit to or from the alternator, if the charging system isn't working.
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Tuesday, June 11th, 2013 AT 1:55 PM
Tiny
1992DAKOTA
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
I have checked while not running and it is at 12.4, when I start the truck it instantly drops to around 11.3 and then it drops one point at a time and will do this until battery dies. I have also checked voltage at the alternator but im not to sure what volts it should be at?
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Tuesday, June 11th, 2013 AT 2:02 PM
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
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It sounds like your charging system isn't working. The bat terminal at the alternator should show around 13--14 volts, engine running.
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Tuesday, June 11th, 2013 AT 2:28 PM
Tiny
1992DAKOTA
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
How should I take care of this? What can be a simple cheap fix?
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Tuesday, June 11th, 2013 AT 2:32 PM
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Check the fusible link, if it isn't charging.
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Tuesday, June 11th, 2013 AT 3:16 PM
Tiny
1992DAKOTA
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Do you know where I can locate the fusible links? I have looked and looked but I can not find them.
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Tuesday, June 11th, 2013 AT 4:40 PM
Tiny
JDL
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My info says the fusible link for the charging system is on the left shock tower, dark green.
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Wednesday, June 12th, 2013 AT 5:50 AM
Tiny
1992DAKOTA
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Thank you. I found the the link, all is good. I have rechecked everything I found that on my alternator there is four ground wires. While not running they all read with the battery. But when I checked it while running the bottom two on the back of the alternator harness read.40 &.20. I'm not s sure what they go to, my guess would be the voltage meter in the cab?
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Wednesday, June 12th, 2013 AT 4:37 PM
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Check for charging system trouble codes. To check for mil codes, turn the key just till the dashlites come on, no further. Cycle the key on--off, on--off, on, then the mil on the dash starts flashing, you count the flashes to get the codes. Your looking for two digit codes.
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Thursday, June 13th, 2013 AT 6:03 AM
Tiny
1992DAKOTA
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  • 9 POSTS
OK, what do the codes mean? I got a single flash, then a double, then a quad, back to a single, a double, then triple, then it flashed five times and it was done.
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Thursday, June 13th, 2013 AT 12:56 PM
Tiny
1992DAKOTA
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Theses are the codes I got after putting more research into what I was doing. 12, 41, 23, 22, 55.
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Thursday, June 13th, 2013 AT 1:31 PM
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
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Code 12 means battery voltage to the computer has been lost at some point. Code 41 has to do with your charging system. Code 23 is intake air temp, I believe. Code 55 is end of message/codes.

Four wires at the generator, two are for generator field, Dark blue wire is close to battery voltage, engine running. Dark green wire is switching ground for the generator field, controlled by the pcm. Solid black wire should be generator bat. Terminal. Black wire with white tracer is a constant ground for the generator.
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Thursday, June 13th, 2013 AT 1:44 PM

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