Electrical/Battery issues

[redline-nsx]

So Dec 2004, my car was cutting off between shifts, then the battery died, jumped it, took it to the dealer - NSX tech said, cutting off between shifts indicates a weak battery (kinda weird to me since that didn't happen when I first replaced the original factory battery two years prior - ca 2002). Strange, but ok, so took the battery back to interstate, got a brand new one - no prob, (these are the 72 month heavy duty ones). The tech charged me for 2 hours diagnostic, said he checked all electrical components and couldn't find power leakage, alternator was fine - just a bad battery, won't hold a charge, he said.

Past few weeks, I have been noticing the the A/C and radio cut off for a millisecond between shifts - and the car itself even cut off twice between shifts (no i am not stalling out, this is while driving - usually happens when down shifting from 3rd to 2nd). 2 bad batteries in a row? I don't think so.... What could it be?

Alternator? Whats the life of these things on an NSX?

I have a Viper Alarm but at the dealer, he said he found no significant battery usage once the car was off.

Don't want to go back to the dealer so he can charge me $240 to change my battery - all labor. Ideas?

95 NSX-T (93K miles)

 

[bjmills]

I drove around for a few days with a really bad battery. I didn't experience a loss of any systems between shifts. Very strange. Did systems cut out while you were idling?

AFAIK the battery is only used to start the car, and all electrical systems are powered by the alternator once the car is running.

 

[Briank]

You can go any major auto parts store and they will test you battery and charging system for free but you may have to help them find and get to the battery :smile:

 

[rbirling]

I believe one of the positive batery cables, if loose will cause the car to go dead. If I remember right, Ojas explained this to me, maybe he can comment.

 

[redline-nsx]

I drove around for a few days with a really bad battery. I didn't experience a loss of any systems between shifts. Very strange. Did systems cut out while you were idling?

AFAIK the battery is only used to start the car, and all electrical systems are powered by the alternator once the car is running.

Yeah me too, when I changed the original battery (after the car was like 5 years old) - it didn't have odd symptoms like this - it just started to die and thats that.

This has got to be something else.

I believe one of the positive batery cables, if loose will cause the car to go dead. If I remember right, Ojas explained this to me, maybe he can comment.

Who knows something about this loose connector issue? Which positive battery cable - the battery itself or the other one?

 

[Briank]

Normally when someone complains about an NSX cutting off the main relay is bad or there is a problem with the ignition switch.

 

[Ojas]

Who knows something about this loose connector issue? Which positive battery cable - the battery itself or the other one?

Here’s the thread: http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41055

Please keep in mind that there are several similar, but slightly different "cut-out" problems - each resulting from a different component failing (main relay, ingition switch, battery, battery cable, etc.). So, it’s a good idea to make sure your observations are consistent with those other have made. There’s a lot of good observations and advice in the link above.

That said, your problem sounds similar to the one I had and, in my case, it was easy to remedy: There are two cables connected to the positive battery post. You should check both and make sure the connections are good, but pay special attention to the one that goes towards the passenger side, to the fuse box under the hood. A bad connection in this cable can cause the engine to shut off.

 

[rbirling]

Normally when someone complains about an NSX cutting off the main relay is bad or there is a problem with the ignition switch.

I've definately had this problem. It's only ever kept me from starting the car, but never stopped while driving. Not that it couldn't. Has anyone found this to cause their car to die randomly? (I've had the ignition problem, too. :smile: )

 

[NSXpert01]

I had a similar problem, resulted in one of the cables that go directly to the positive battery terminal wasnt making good contact so it wouldnt charge even when the altenator was perfect and jumping wouldnt help either. The car left me stranded like twice then all of a sudden it would crank up. Check you battery terminal cables make sure there nice and snug to the terminal. I went on a wild goose chase for about 2 months changed out parts and it still kept on, till I figured this lil cancer out. Good luck :biggrin: