I need some help here...

I'm at the end of my rope with this one.

First I replaced the starter and connected the wiring backwards (oops).

When I started the car after that the battery light on the dash was illuminated.

I replaced the alternator.

I still have the batt light and the battery is not being charged.

So i have to assume that I blew something up but I just don't know where to look at this point or how to figure out whats bad.

This is my only car and I cant really afford to take it to a mechanic and pay $95/hr.

If anyone has an idea I would be eternally greatful.

Aaron

'99 A4Q 1.8t

 

You could have killed your battery having the wires on the starter backwards. The starter solenoid sort of charges up all the energy it takes to turn the starter hard enough to crank the engine. If that energy got misguided, maybe back into your batter, that would be bad. This is sort of a wild theory, though... Take the battery to autozone or whoever can attempt to charge and load test it.

 

Ok. That sounds like a possibility. While I have your attention, is there any type of fusible link between alternator and battery? I'm pretty sure not but a second opinion never hurts.

Could this be a problem with the CPU?

If a battery is all it is then I'm on easy street...

 

Just had battery tested and it passed. Shucks!

was really hoping that was the problem.

So we're back to new starter, new alternator and the battery is not charging when the car is running.

 

I know there isn't a fuse for the alt. and am 99% sure that there is not one for the batt. The ecu should be alright.

How did they test the battery? Did they just check for 12 volts or did they put load on it?

 

Not sure...

They hooked it up to a handheld device and it showed it to be "good"

I may just break down and buy a new battery but would like not to incur the expense unless absolutely necessary.

I have been looking at the wiring schematics of the car and you are right there are no fuses.

Now that I am thinking about wiring it makes me think back to the starter installation. On every other car I have ever owned, there is only a positive connection to the battery and then its grounded directly to the engine block. I have noticed that there is a separate ground wire on this car-or should I say, i have an extra cable down there that looks like it is a ground wire. (I am not talking about the starter interlock relay (50 wire))

I wonder if its possible that this is where the problem lies.

 

Are you saying that even with a fully charged battery hooked up to your car that you get a battery light on the dash? How do you know that the alternator is charging the batt? Is the alternator used or new?

 

Ok i have the car running. You were right onepoint8tee, the battery was indeed bad. I replaced it and now have the alternator charging properly.

Thank you again for your help!

Aaron

 

says the guy whose sn is "Tan Rich Guy" lol.

Glad to hear its all figured out. I'm curious as to what autozone did? Was the battery in the car or did you bring it inside? Usually to test a battery they would hook it up to a tester inside the store that lays a charge onto it for awhile and then tests it.
It sounds like they were testing your alt to me.

 

for the record I'm not really tan either...

Anyway, I removed the battery from the car and walked it down the street to an indie parts place. Like I said, they hooked it up to a handheld device and told me the batt was good.

I honestly didnt really believe it so I changed it anyway and voila!