Is my car battery dead or is it the alternator?
When a car battery repeatedly dies after a couple of days and requires a jump-start, it is hard to tell whether the battery itself is failing or if there is an electrical problem with the alternator. This uncertainty leaves non-car people stranded and unable to reliably start or move their vehicles.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Trickle charging the battery, testing voltage while driving with a tool, getting components bench tested at an auto parts store, and jump-starting the vehicle.
- 2Visiting a starter/alternator shop to find a replacement or upgrading to an internally regulated version.
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Having an issue that may be electrical in nature, anyone know what this alternator is? It is on a 1951 flathead ford 8ba and the battery is slowly dying.”source ↗
“Went to start the car 2 days later, battery dead again. Had to jump it to move it. I am not a car person. Any idea which is the issue?”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 10Car battery keeps dying even after replacing battery and alternator
- 2Do I actually need to register a new car battery?
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- 7How to tell if car suspension bushings need to be replaced
- 2Why is my check engine light on after changing the car battery?
- 9Car won't start or shift gears after dead battery