# Power Steering, Blinker, car wont start intermittently



## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

How old is the battery? If it's over two years, that's likely the issue. It takes a long and sophisticated test to really check it. 

As a tip, when you park the car, make sure to end any Bluetooth conversations as well as locking the car when you leave it. Otherwise, the car may stay "awake" and drain the battery.


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

It could still be the neg battery cable. You may have gotten one of the bad ones - never know how long that part was on the shelf.

[FONT=&quot]How to Check Resistance in Battery Cables[/FONT]


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## Jessikared97 (Jun 2, 2017)

I had it load tested. Is that not a thorough enough test for the battery?

I always end calls and lock the car as I live on campus where my CDs could be stolen.

I will have the new cable tested as well.


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## Rivergoer (Mar 30, 2017)

Jessikared97 said:


> I had it load tested. Is that not a thorough enough test for the battery?
> 
> I always end calls and lock the car as I live on campus where my CDs could be stolen.
> 
> I will have the new cable tested as well.


How old is the battery?


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## Jessikared97 (Jun 2, 2017)

The car was purchased in December 2015. It was a lease car. I purchased in June 2017. TLDR- I dont know.

This morning car had trouble starting and I got a message telling me to roll driver window down and up.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Jessikared97 said:


> This morning car had trouble starting and I got a message telling me to roll driver window down and up.


Sure sounds like battery or associated wiring.




Jessikared97 said:


> The car was purchased in December 2015.


There's pretty good odds that it's the original battery. If so, it's had a good run. If it's a Delco and doesn't have any stickers that show when it was installed/sold, that's probably the case. And no, a simple load test isn't enough to prove a battery is good. It can flunk a battery, but it can still go bad in other ways.


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## Jessikared97 (Jun 2, 2017)

ChevyGuy said:


> There's pretty good odds that it's the original battery. If so, it's had a good run. If it's a Delco and doesn't have any stickers that show when it was installed/sold, that's probably the case. And no, a simple load test isn't enough to prove a battery is good. It can flunk a battery, but it can still go bad in other ways.


Thanks everyone for the help!

I went ahead and replaced the battery ($120 at Walmart with 5 year warranty). I'll post an update if it starts fritzing again. I'll post an update in a week if nothing else happens.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

Blasirl said:


> It could still be the neg battery cable. You may have gotten one of the bad ones - never know how long that part was on the shelf.
> 
> How to Check Resistance in Battery Cables


Good article. BUT

The positive pulls more amps then the negative returns the amps. It should have a higher spec.

It'll definitely have a higher reading.

According to delco Remy. The positive was .5 Negative is .3

Science might have changed that spec. 

?


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

snowwy66 said:


> The positive pulls more amps then the negative returns the amps.


Say what?

Depending on the car's design, the positive side may have a longer run, so it might take a thicker cable to keep the voltage drop in the same range. But at any given instant, the two sides will have the same current.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

ChevyGuy said:


> Say what?
> 
> Depending on the car's design, the positive side may have a longer run, so it might take a thicker cable to keep the voltage drop in the same range. But at any given instant, the two sides will have the same current.


No. The positive always pulls more. The negative returns what isn't used. 

Electricity starts with positive. Goes to item. What doesn't get used returns through ground. Back to battery. And recycles through the battery back to positive. 

It doesn't flow from both sides. 

It's a circle. 

If you had an amp meter. You'd see the starter pull more amps on the positive. And if you put the clamp on the same way on the negative. The number will be lower and read negative. My meter does, anyway. 

Automotive basic, taught in school. 

I used to think it flowed from both sides to item.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

[h=2]Positive and negative polarity[/h] Electricity flows from a battery in one direction only, and some components work only if the flow through them is in the correct direction.
This acceptance of a one-way flow is called polarity. On most cars the negative () battery terminal is earthed and the positive (+) one feeds the electrical system.
This is called a negative earth system, and when buying an electrical accessory a radio, for example check that it is of a type suitable for your car's system. Fitting a radio with the incorrect polarity will damage the set, but most car radios have an external switch for setting the polarity to suit that of the car. Switch to the correct setting before fitting.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

snowwy66 said:


> Electricity starts with positive. Goes to item. What doesn't get used returns through ground. Back to battery. And recycles through the battery back to positive.
> 
> It doesn't flow from both sides. ...
> 
> Automotive basic, taught in school.


Perhaps that's a misapplication of something else, but as stated, that's no where near right. Aside from static electricity (like lightning), all current is a complete circuit. What goes out, has to come back. If it doesn't come back, it stops going out. A current meter placed in the positive lead will measure the same thing as one placed in the negative lead.

If you don't believe me, try to find that concept somewhere on the internet.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

ChevyGuy said:


> Perhaps that's a misapplication of something else, but as stated, that's no where near right. Aside from static electricity (like lightning), all current is a complete circuit. What goes out, has to come back. If it doesn't come back, it stops going out. A current meter placed in the positive lead will measure the same thing as one placed in the negative lead.
> 
> If you don't believe me, try to find that concept somewhere on the internet.


In 12 years of wrenching. I've never seen the same measurement.

Yes. There has to be a complete circuit. NO. What comes back. Never equals what goes out. If that were the case. The battery wouldn't go dead. And the starter wouldn't spin. 

You can't make anything work, without using up something.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

snowwy66 said:


> What comes back. Never equals what goes out. If that were the case. The battery wouldn't go dead. And the starter wouldn't spin.


You're confusing current with energy. 

current in a series circuit.


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## Jessikared97 (Jun 2, 2017)

So I replaced the battery and in 2 weeks have not had any more problems. Thanks for the help! You guys saved me a lot of money from guessing what was wrong!


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