Intermittent battery drain while driving

[jose6326]

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[Doubeleive]

well if the battery is holding a charge my first suspect would be the alternator and the first thing I would just replace
battery's are normally pretty stable either they hold a charge or they don't or they get weak and drain faster they don't normally just die and then work again
alternators on the other hand are a different beast

 

[jose6326]

the alternator is charging the battery, i tested it

 

[adriver]

Not to be a dick, but I'm still thinking you have a loose connection somewhere. What work if any was done to it recently.. By recently I mean the last 6 months and several thousand miles.

 

[jose6326]

Not to be a dick, but I'm still thinking you have a loose connection somewhere. What work if any was done to it recently.. By recently I mean the last 6 months and several thousand miles.

lol. all suggestions are welcomed

only thing i have done was an oil change and rear brakes

last year i changed the leds on the cluster and were working fine until the beginning of this year they started to flicker and the gauges would work fine then they would stop working. even if i shut off the engine and pulled out the key from the ignition the gauges would go crazy

i just changed all of the gauges and they seem to be working fine now and i removed the leds

 

[adriver]

on 99-02, they should just be pull out and put in new ones, 03-06 they should be soldered in. I didn't see what year yours was.. Also just noticed Chicago, just since were throwing stuff out there, corrosion on a battery terminal or main ground would cause this.

 

[bladenbullet]

connection...connection...connection...if the alternator is charging you can take the battery out of the equation and the engine will continue running...not recommended...but true...youve got an intermittent connection somewhere or a module that is playing hide and go seek with you...or an ignition switch flipping you the bird...

does the vehicle lose elctrical power to the gauges or accessories when it wont start?

next time it wont start have someone get in the vehicle and turn the key while you wiggle every conductor under the hood...

 

[Doubeleive]

the alternator is charging the battery, i tested it

the alternator is charging the battery, i tested it

Doesn't mean it is working all the time, pretty obvious if the battery is going dead yet charges up and works fine

 

[Doubeleive]

I would just do a process of elimination, start with replacing the alternator, if a rebuilt one is not affordable then you can find used ones at a junk yard very reasonable or even online. your information center/dic never says anything?

 

[jose6326]

thanks for feedback

i will replace the alternator and check connections this weekend


2003 chevy tahoe