Car shorts out while driving

[Beans]

Hello,

I have noticed a problem with my 97 MK8 in the last two months. It has only happened a few time until today. My car shorts out while I am driving. The radio blacks out, the console blacks out, HVAC screan blacks out, etc. This only lasts a fraction of a second.

The car acts like I have disconnected the battery as it forgets all of my settings.

Today it did it about about two dozen times during just a few minutes. My abs light comes on and the console says to check the traction control, the OD , seat belt, airbag lights come on.

I stopped by an autozone to get a code check and they didn't identify anything. It acts like it is running normal again. I have 184k on it and I'm hoping this doesn't get worse.

Can anyone suggest what might be happening? Thank you.

 

[AndyT]

These cars tend to do weird things when they have low voltage. Possible alternator on the way out? That's a long shot though, as what your describing isn't a common symptom, but it wouldn't hurt to check, just to be sure when ruling things out. But to me anyway, it sounds more computer related....

 

[kaha]

Sounds like a bad ground.

 

[NoLimit95]

When the alternator is going bad or has gone bad, the battery will obviously get weak. Once this happens and the voltage is so low, everything on the dash will provide you with a light show. Everything will blink off and on and the next thing that will happen once the battery is dead is that the car will completely die where you sit.

Check the voltage at the battery terminals while the car is running and if you're not seeing at least 13.7 to 14.3, most likely your alternator is trying to die out on you.

Also, the pigtail could be bad that's connected to the alternator. It might be cracked, have a bad connection. I had to change my pigtail because mine was cracked and the alternator was going bad. Finally it did completely fail and then the car was running off the battery alone. These cars are voltage hungry and when they don't have it, the dash lights will blink off and on just like mine done. I turned a corner and the whole car shut off. I put a new battery in and it ran fine until I made it to the parts store to buy a new alternator. No problems since, except the alternator I bought went bad within 2 weeks. Took it back and got another one for free and now I have been going over a year on this one and just read it last night and I am getting a 14.1 reading while running.

 

[mistermaclincoln]

I had some thing happen to me the other day. Chris said I should change to a 4 gauge wire and change all three and the altenator would last longer. Since my 95 LSC has a 120amp alternator I am sure that this wouldn't be a bad idea making the pipe bigger and not the crack pipe. ha ha.

 

[Lownslowlsc]

nm

 

[Beans]

When the alternator is going bad or has gone bad, the battery will obviously get weak. Once this happens and the voltage is so low, everything on the dash will provide you with a light show. Everything will blink off and on and the next thing that will happen once the battery is dead is that the car will completely die where you sit.

Check the voltage at the battery terminals while the car is running and if you're not seeing at least 13.7 to 14.3, most likely your alternator is trying to die out on you.

Also, the pigtail could be bad that's connected to the alternator. It might be cracked, have a bad connection. I had to change my pigtail because mine was cracked and the alternator was going bad. Finally it did completely fail and then the car was running off the battery alone. These cars are voltage hungry and when they don't have it, the dash lights will blink off and on just like mine done. I turned a corner and the whole car shut off. I put a new battery in and it ran fine until I made it to the parts store to buy a new alternator. No problems since, except the alternator I bought went bad within 2 weeks. Took it back and got another one for free and now I have been going over a year on this one and just read it last night and I am getting a 14.1 reading while running.

I picked up a Multimeter(man I'm having to learn this quick) and the battery gave me 12.9. Running it gave 13.9 and with: AC, Radio, Headlights going I got 13.7.

I did find a wire to the negative terminal had the insulation worn and was making contact with the hood. I wrapped it and everything is running fine(except my 0171 and 0174 code).

I took off the cover to the alternator and did not notice any cracking of the wire?

Hopefully the exposed wire to the negative terminal was the culprit, otherwise all I can do is wait to see if the problem returns.

Any thoughts? Thanks.