So driving in this morning I had some fun. About 15 minutes into the drive the battery low warning came on the dash. I clicked OK on the warning and the center warning went away but the warning light stayed on. I looked at the volt gauge and it was reading near 14 volts, but steady. I turned off the radio and fan, but i needed my headlights (it was dark) so that was the best I could do. Just before I hit my off ramp I hit a bump in the road and the warning system went "nuts". I got a PSM warning, a antilock brake warning and a warning telling me to take the car to a repair shop (or something to that effect) and the volt gauge pegged at the top. Just about a minute later all the warnings stopped, the volt gauge dropped back to normal (just a tick over 12) and the battery warning light went out too. So... is this indicative of a failing battery, or am I looking at something worse? Thanks for the help!

 

myself, id go to Walmart get H7 battery, clean terminals and see what happens..Probably cheapest fix option..doesn't fix ..it take it to mechanic$$

 

UPDATE... when i drove the car home last night it ran fine but I noticed the battery gauge running just at or a tick below 12. On the commute in this morning, no alarms, but the battery gauge was well below 12 all the way in and almost touched 10 at one point. I'm guessing that this isn't normal, but I never really paid attention to where that gauge should be sitting (I'm assuming it should be on 12). Does anyone know if this is a symptom of a bad battery or a symptom of something wrong with the charging system?

 

I'd check your ground and alternator strap for corrosion before anything as that is the simplest and cheapest. You can check it with a multimeter.

Based on your description of the inconsistent voltages, it sounds to either be a connection or failing alternator/solenoid.

How old is your battery?

 

I just checked the voltage on the battery and it was at 11.8v. When I tried to start the car to test how much voltage it was sending to the battery it wouldn't start and eventually just started "clicking" like it would if the battery were dead. I can't tell how old the battery is exactly, but here's a picture of it.

 

UPDATE... I did some digging and it looks like this battery was made in Nov of 2012. Since is it rated as a 6 year battery, my guess is that either the regulator or alternator are shot. I've found them at Autozone for a good price, but was wondering if anyone has any experience with the ones from them?

Thanks for the help!

 

So, judging by the photo, you shouldn't have had to "dig" very far... (Those 2 little black punch outs show Nov '12)... In any case, generally speaking, the Volt/Ammeter should read 13-14 volts while the engine is running (i.e.: charging the battery). Seeing as how the status seems to change depending on the size of bumps you hit, I'd say it's either A) a loose connection/hidden break, or (B) As Alpine said a bad/loose/corroded ground.
BTW, if by "6 year" battery they mean it's warranted for 6 yrs. Interstate will either replace it or recharge it for you.

 

IIRC the battery is dead at 11.7V. Replace the battery then check the voltage -- using a good volt meter -- with the engine running. Should be over 13.5V.

Check the voltage from a cold start and then later when everything hot. If the voltage regulator/alternator bad they generally go bad or fail when hot.

The odds are just the battery is bad. 6 years old is actually pretty good. The 6 year warranty doesn't necessarily mean the battery will last 6 years. What is more likely is it is there in hopes the battery fails in warranty so you return to get another battery, over and over again. You are locked in a customer by the warranty.

 

+1 Get a new battery.

 

Update... well I decided to roll the dice and replace the alternator/regulator and that seems to have fixed everything. The battery is holding a charge and the volt gauge is reading just below 14 most of the time. So far... so good. Thanks for the help.

 

Well, you rolled an expensive pair of dice but if the problem is solved it was worth it. Far more batteries, especially 6 year old batteries, fail than alternators/voltage regulators but it would appear your car is the exception.