Questions and Answers

Dodge Neon Loses Electrical Power Q. I have a 2001 Dodge Neon SE, 2.0 liter, automatic transmission, 49,000 miles, fuel injected, and it has power steering. My problem is my car completely shuts off at any time it likes. It has a mind of its own. It shuts off like it's the battery because there is no power at all. Sometimes I'll be driving and it shuts of and comes back on real quick.

Then other times it will shut off completely when I'm driving and it's kind of scary cause when I'm on the freeway or even at night when it shuts off I can't turn on my hazards and my steering wheel locks up. When it does this I open the hood and wiggle all the wires starting with the battery cables and then it's fine for a while.

I have a friend that's a mechanic and he told me that when the car starts it doesn't run off the battery, it runs on the alternator so he told me I could test the alternator by shutting off the car and unhook the positive side of the battery turn on the car and if it starts its not the alternator. I did it and it's not the alternator.

I cleaned the cables on the battery still does it!!!! I'm lost can you please help me? The car dealership wants $75.00 just to look at it and I don't have $75.00 to have them look at it. Any information you can give me would really help.

Thanks,
Nathan

A. I don't know what kind of mechanic your friend is, but if you disconnect the positive cable of the battery, your car is NOT going to start. I don't care what kind of alternator you have, it's not going to start. The car runs off the battery and the alternator charges the battery. According to what your friends says, a car doesn't even need a battery.

And never, ever run the engine with the battery disconected! The alternator can run wild and burn out every computer, control module and light bulb in the car.

I suspect the problem is with your battery. The internal connections from the battery plates to the battery posts sometimes break, causing the car to go completely dead. So I would try a new battery. I think that will fix the problem.

And I hope your friend is a better friend then he is a mechanic.