Stone408

I have a 2013 Honda Civic Si manual transmission. About a year ago I had excessive corrosion on my positive terminal to the point where I needed to install a temporary positive terminal clamp. I'm not saying this is a factor I'm just giving some back ground. I'm not sure about the time table, but some time after this my battery would drain to the point where I would need to jump start my vehicle. Once it was jumped it would be several weeks before I would need to do this again. I bought a volt meter that plugs into the power point (cigarette lighter). Once I turned on my vehicle it would settle at around 14.1 V. After several days of monitoring this, it dropped down to 12.8 V for no apparent reason. Within a couple days of this happening I had to jump start my vehicle, one time it had only dropped to 11.3 V. Again the meter would read around 14.1 V for several days and then randomly drop to 12.8 V. Now I started to experiment. I found that if I turn on my headlights it rises to around 14.1 V and stays there (slight fluctuations). I have also found that when I engine brake it will also rise to 14.1 V without the lights being on. This only happens when I am moving with the transmission in gear and foot off the accelerator. I recently bought a new battery. The old one was 5 years old so I figured it was time. I have not allowed the battery to drain to the point of needing to jump start it, but the without my headlights on the voltage still reads around 12.8 V. There is no longer any corrosion on the terminal clamps. Today I scuffed up the terminal clamps in hopes that the connection was bad, this also didn't help. Tomorrow I'm planning on soldering on a new terminal clamp because I currently only have the temporary bolt on type. Everything on my vehicle is stock no modifications of any kind. Do these symptoms sound like a bad voltage regulator?

ezone

Much of this sounds normal. Regarding voltages, read/study on how Hondas ELD controlled charging system works.

Are you saying you caused the battery to go dead? That's hard on the battery.

Stone408

My bad, typo. I corrected it. I have not allowed my new battery to drop to that level.

ezone

And you have not had to jump start the car since the new battery was installed? Sounds like it's fixed to me LOL

Stone408

Time will tell. I installed the new battery yesterday. I'm going to continue to monitor the voltage. I'd rather not have my new battery drop too low. Thanks for your input. Everyone I know just kept telling me it should always read around 14V, but it makes sense that unless the system had more of a load the alternator would drop down.

xRiCeBoYx

iTrader: (22)

I can only speak for my 2002, but my understanding is Honda ELDs all work about the same. Had a voltmeter gauge on my EM2, and depending on engine load, electrical load, etc., voltage would vary from high 11's to low 14s

ezone

About the same for my 2012 Civic






OP, you could have a random intermittent drain like something got stuck on after the car was shut off

Stone408

Thanks for all the input. A week later everything appears to be working.

Cody Pickler

I am having the same problem as stated above the only difference is I have already replaced the alternator with a new battery and every time I turn on the AC compressor it seems to kill everything even replace the ELD module any help is to what else it could be AutoZone tells me the voltage regulator on alternator is bad but there again I replaced what gives

ezone

When you say "kill everything", what exactly happens?
Does that mean electrical system goes dead? Does that mean the engine dies--- but electrical items still function?

Is the compressor simply locked up?

Cody Pickler

I mean the gauges and lights flicker or gauges stays on 0 ....like it kills the battery to the point of dead...I'm getting no more than 13.1 when car is at idle...on way down rd.. voltage seems to drop....compressor seems to be functioning normal...kicks on and off and seems to cycle correctly...1