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Grand Vitara - battery issues/losing charge

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Stephon.
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Grand Vitara - battery issues/losing charge

Postby Stephon. » July 1st, 2011, 2:54 pm

My battery is losing charge faster than it is charging. If I start in the morning with no air condition, no music, no lights etc. The car will dog to the destination safely; but when I drive with music, air conditioning, lights (at night) etc. The lights on the dashboard dims, the music randomly stops, I can't kick off as if there is a loss in power etc.

I carried it by lifestyle and they changed the alternator, Same problem
I carried it a second time and they changed my battery and I have the same problem
I carried it again today and they said that it's charging normally and there is no problems with the vehicle. I'm just about ready to take my battery out and stone down the mechanics at lifestyle motors for making me waste so much money in the past 3 days.

I'm scared to take it to an outside electricians/mechanics.

A close family friend had similar issue but his was the alternator AND battery (b14)

My father told me that there is a possibally that they put in a faulty alternator, but before I go back and waste more money, I'm wondering what else could be causing this problem? Or is it really a faulty alternator?

Ira the current model GV btw, if that would be any help

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Re: Grand Vitara - battery issues/losing charge

Postby Big Z » July 1st, 2011, 7:12 pm

Seriously.. go to a good electrician and have it checked.
Sounds like the main fuse going to me, or faulty wiring.

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Re: Grand Vitara - battery issues/losing charge

Postby 3stagevtec » July 2nd, 2011, 5:41 am

Do you have a volt meter? You need to find out what is the voltage like with the vehicle on with and without electrical load on it..

Anyone with a multimeter can do this.. If the voltage reads around 12.xV with the engine on, the problem is definitely either with the alternator or the wiring. It doesn't make sense changing parts at random and hoping that solves the problem.. I hate it when so called experienced mechanics make you do that..

Get a meter and let me know what the voltage looks like. It must be around 14V with the engine on.

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Re: Grand Vitara - battery issues/losing charge

Postby Stephon. » July 2nd, 2011, 6:09 am

Ok so when the engine starts it reads 14 FLAT
Then it drops to 13.7X
Then it constantly drops when I put on everything in the car (dropped to 11.XX)
When I took off everything, the voltage gradually went back up :X

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Re: Grand Vitara - battery issues/losing charge

Postby 3stagevtec » July 2nd, 2011, 6:17 am

Stephon. wrote:Ok so when the engine starts it reads 14 FLAT
Then it drops to 13.7X
Then it constantly drops when I put on everything in the car (dropped to 11.XX)
When I took off everything, the voltage gradually went back up :X


Possible wiring fault. With the car on, wait for the voltage at the battery to drop to below 13.0V, then measure the voltage at the alternator output post. (take all measurements using the engine block as the ground point, NOT the battery negative terminal)

If the voltage at the alternator output post is still ~14V, the alt is good and the fault lies elsewhere..

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Re: Grand Vitara - battery issues/losing charge

Postby zaria » July 2nd, 2011, 9:58 am

A few yrs back I bought a diehard battery and went
in to the company for the warranty,they used an automotive battery meter(very big on a trolley)that
used a clamp on the positive to bat and grnd.This meter
was able to give chg V/A and then with all accs in use give
pwr consumed and alt condition.
I am sure Lauglin may have a meter like this in there service dept that can diagnose your problem quickly without worrying abt warranty issues.To me its seems like something simple to fix.

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Re: Grand Vitara - battery issues/losing charge

Postby Stephon. » October 8th, 2011, 10:54 pm

Sorry to bump this but I thought I should at least bring closure to the situation :lol:
Apparently the alternator they put in the vehicle was defective, they replaced it and everything, now the vehicle works fine, no battery problems since. They even refunded me for the battery.

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Re: Grand Vitara - battery issues/losing charge

Postby GVTrini07 » October 10th, 2011, 11:55 pm

Stephon. wrote: I'm just about ready to take my battery out and stone down the mechanics at lifestyle motors for making me waste so much money in the past 3 days.



IMHO - Best soloution. Lifestyle motors Service which I had once rated as very superior have changed within the past 2 years. They guessing!!! If the FIRM cannot fix my GV which was purchased from them who do I expect to fix my car? Most recent complaint - Charging for "all fluids top up" on the service invoice and guess what.... it still have brakes and PS fluid under full level, same before it was taken into service. Had smell a rat before and took photos before and after service, presented it with invoice to sevice Manager...

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Re: Grand Vitara - battery issues/losing charge

Postby Kenjo » October 11th, 2011, 8:36 am

GVTrini07 wrote:
Stephon. wrote: I'm just about ready to take my battery out and stone down the mechanics at lifestyle motors for making me waste so much money in the past 3 days.



IMHO - Best soloution. Lifestyle motors Service which I had once rated as very superior have changed within the past 2 years. They guessing!!! If the FIRM cannot fix my GV which was purchased from them who do I expect to fix my car? Most recent complaint - Charging for "all fluids top up" on the service invoice and guess what.... it still have brakes and PS fluid under full level, same before it was taken into service. Had smell a rat before and took photos before and after service, presented it with invoice to sevice Manager...
'

how did the manager respond?

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Re: Grand Vitara - battery issues/losing charge

Postby GVTrini07 » October 11th, 2011, 3:48 pm

Call in the boy and tell him to top it up... End off... I have had a few complaints about the lack of care when performing services. I believe that lifestyle South Service Dept have stoped giving value for money.

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Re: Grand Vitara - battery issues/losing charge

Postby kimmerdog » November 17th, 2011, 7:02 pm

Just installed new battery. Car turns over nicely, but when I put the vehicle into drive, reverse (engine stalls, due the RPM not being high enough). How do I fix this?

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Re: Grand Vitara - battery issues/losing charge

Postby VJTEK » November 16th, 2016, 3:06 pm

Bumping this old post...Had an issue with my alternator as well. Turns out the power steering pump had a leak which dripped PS fluid directly onto the alternator which is located directly under the PS pump. I heard this is a common issue with this model of Grand Vitara (2006 model year, looks similar to the current generation) from the electrician that sorted out the issue for me. It cost $2k for a foreign used replacement.

In short, attend to Power steering leaks as soon as you can, my negligence cost me an alternator.

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Re: Grand Vitara - battery issues/losing charge

Postby car » November 16th, 2016, 4:05 pm

GVTrini07 wrote:
Stephon. wrote: I'm just about ready to take my battery out and stone down the mechanics at lifestyle motors for making me waste so much money in the past 3 days.



IMHO - Best soloution. Lifestyle motors Service which I had once rated as very superior have changed within the past 2 years. They guessing!!! If the FIRM cannot fix my GV which was purchased from them who do I expect to fix my car? Most recent complaint - Charging for "all fluids top up" on the service invoice and guess what.... it still have brakes and PS fluid under full level, same before it was taken into service. Had smell a rat before and took photos before and after service, presented it with invoice to sevice Manager...


At 15k one of the service at toyota is lubricating the hood lock. It was never lubricated.

The Ac valve cap for checking the pressure and toping up was missing. They said it never came with 1.

Every 5k they want u to rotate tires and do an alignment.

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