No Start (sometimes) w/ wiggle voltmeter

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Oct 5, 2003 | 09:26 PM

DOUG5G

Thread Starter

Mountain Pass

Joined: Jun 2003

Posts: 208

Likes: 3

From: Norfolk VA

No Start (sometimes) w/ wiggle voltmeter

I have a strange problem that occours when I attempt to start my 93 Aerostar. Sometimes the panel lights are dim when I turn the key and it doesn't turn over or even click. Then if I turn it off and try it again it starts just fine with the lights looking normal. Also I noticed that the dash voltmeter is at the "A" in normal and wiggles just a little. If I turn on the head lights or anything else with a electrical draw the voltmeter jumps dramatically. My wife said she thinks these were the same symptoms she had seen previously with a battery that was about to die.

Thanks
Doug

Oct 5, 2003 | 11:32 PM

macguyver

Posting Guru

Joined: Aug 2002

Posts: 1,214

Likes: 2

From: Minneapolis, MN

While it could be the battery beginning to fail, it could also be a poor connection. Besides providing the current to start the vehicle, the battery also evens out the voltage spikes and pulses when it's running. With a bad connection you get the symptoms you describe.