06 Kia Spectra, Electrical Problems

06kspec · 08-21-2011, 04:13 PM

I tried to start my 2006 Kia Spectra today and there was not enough power going thru to the physical parts to get it up and running. Naturally I thought there was something with the battery so I tried to have it jumped and it still would not start. I took it out, and walked to walmart to have it checked out there. They informed me the battery was running as it was supposed to. I got back and put the battery in the car and it managed to start. However, the clock was dim and the AC was not running like it normally does. I managed to get it to advance auto parts and there they tested the battery while it was still inside of the car. According to their report, the voltage of the battery was only outputting 11.91 V when it should be close to 15V if it was running at optimum performance and the CCA level was only 258 when it should have been 590. After the tests, we had to have the car jump started to get it running. On the way home, the speedometer went out, the clock radio went out and the ride was no longer smooth at all it was skipping madly. My question is what needs to be fixed/replaced/looked at in order to get this situation resolved and my car running again? Thank you for your help.

spongebob218 · 08-21-2011, 04:40 PM

Sound like you may have a bad alternator or possibly a poor connection to it.

Pacosworld · 08-21-2011, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 06kspec

I tried to start my 2006 Kia Spectra today and there was not enough power going thru to the physical parts to get it up and running. Naturally I thought there was something with the battery so I tried to have it jumped and it still would not start. I took it out, and walked to walmart to have it checked out there. They informed me the battery was running as it was supposed to. I got back and put the battery in the car and it managed to start. However, the clock was dim and the AC was not running like it normally does. I managed to get it to advance auto parts and there they tested the battery while it was still inside of the car. According to their report, the voltage of the battery was only outputting 11.91 V when it should be close to 15V if it was running at optimum performance and the CCA level was only 258 when it should have been 590. After the tests, we had to have the car jump started to get it running. On the way home, the speedometer went out, the clock radio went out and the ride was no longer smooth at all it was skipping madly. My question is what needs to be fixed/replaced/looked at in order to get this situation resolved and my car running again? Thank you for your help.

If Advance Auto checked it out, they should have been able to tell you if the alternator is charging. That's what sounds like the problem is. Your alternator is not charging correctly, the electronics start going crazy because they are not getting the power they need.

06kspec · 08-21-2011, 07:39 PM

Thank you for your help. Is there anyway to tell whether or not it is the alternator itself or a wire/physical connection to the alternator? I'm guessing if there's a faulty connection to the alternator it won't matter if I put in a new one because the faulty connection might lead the electrical systems to short out again sometime in the near or far future. I'm having it checked out with the mechanic tomorrow and I'm going to see what they tell me. Again, thanks for all of your help.

Luckdogg · 08-23-2011, 12:15 AM

Sounds like the ground wire might have fried apart. It runs from the alternator and along the bottom of the radiator support and up to the fuse box on the driver side. That was the issue I had a few weeks ago and the symptoms that I was experiencing were 100% identical to the symptoms you're experiencing

06kspec · 08-26-2011, 11:26 PM

thanks for your help luckdogg, i replaced the alternator and its working better then it was before it started acting up, i will check into having the ground wires replaced

DavesSpectra · 08-27-2011, 10:09 AM

06kspec...
I would check that ground that Luckdogg suggested also. It looks like you are on the west coast of Florida. Saltwater spray will cause corrosion problems like Luckdogg said and you may get stranded believing the alternator was your problem.
Just watching out for you...
Dave