Unknown electrical issue

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Nov 20, 2018

Jmissey27

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Unknown electrical issue

Okay so I have a 2003 civic ex and sometime around 1 week ago I launched the car in the snow because why not and my abs light came on so i just figured oh probably messed up the sensor or something like that no big deal. But then everytime I went above 3k rpm the abs light came on. Now the car is running on just the battery and everytime it starts to die the gauges die headlights turn into a strobe light show and the abs light will come on so I figured the alternator. On my 3rd one now hasn't fixed a thing. Changed the terminals that wasn't it. Checked the 3 visible grounds in the engine bay and they look fine to me. I tested the battery and everything is good 12v when off and starter gets 10v but the charging system is only getting 12 when on when it should be getting around 14 and if the lights or heat/ac is on it jumps from 8-9v so now I'm out of ideas and I need help any thoughts?

Nov 21, 2018

Slumpertcivic

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Re: Unknown electrical issue

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Originally Posted by Jmissey27

I tested the battery and everything is good 12v when off and starter gets 10v but the charging system is only getting 12 when on when it should be getting around 14 and if the lights or heat/ac is on it jumps from 8-9v so now I'm out of ideas and I need help any thoughts?

Saying you tested the battery and it’s “good” at 12v is wrong. Good batteries should be 13v+.

Losing 2volts from the battery to the starter is a issue.
That cable should lose no more than a 1/100 volt as it’s less than 5 feet run and 10 gauge wire.

For all practical purposes you should be seeing almost exactly battery voltage at the starter hot connection and the alternator hot connection.

Key in off position, extend your multimeter test lead so it stays on battery negative and test positive battery, hot connection on starter, and hot on alternator. If all three do not read the same voltage within .01 volt you likely have a issue with your power harness or at the connections on the underhood fuse box.