My battery is going dead while driving

MSJAYELLE

MEMBER
2002 JEEP CHEROKEE
142,000 MILES

My 2002 jeep grand cherokee keeps going dead. I have had the battery replaced & the neutral safety switch as well. It still is having the same problem. It will go dead while I'm driving or just not start all together. What else could be the problem? It will just go dead. Key turns over. All lights come on. It will just stall and sometimes go dead for no reason. Cant find the problem.

Thursday, October 13th, 2011 AT 10:58 PM

5 Replies

DAN_K

MECHANIC
213 POSTS

Recheck all of your charging system connections. Perform voltage drop tests on the cables to determine and locate high resistance.

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Thursday, October 13th, 2011 AT 11:07 PM

MSJAYELLE

MEMBER
8 POSTS

Do you have a rough estimate of the cost to have the things you suggested done?

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Thursday, October 13th, 2011 AT 11:52 PM

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
34,330 POSTS

Also check the smaller red positive battery cable where it bolts to the under-hood fuse box. Shine up the terminal with sandpaper and be sure the nut is tight. Do the same for the smaller black negative battery wire that bolts to the body.

To do the voltage drop tests Dan_K suggested, that must be done while the problem is occurring, otherwise there won't be a defect to be found.

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Friday, October 14th, 2011 AT 2:53 AM

MSJAYELLE

MEMBER
8 POSTS

What is and how do you exactly preform a voltage drop test? Connect cables to the battery and touch the other ends maybe?

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Friday, October 14th, 2011 AT 6:31 PM

CADIEMAN

MECHANIC
3,544 POSTS

Check the charging system yes but im thinking you may have a draw on your battery check that to. They just disconnect the negitive cable at the battery. Then hook a meter up in between the battery and the cable it cant be more than 50 milli amps.

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Friday, October 14th, 2011 AT 7:04 PM