Hey guys, got a bit of a problem here. Yesterday I drove my car into town to get a haircut, came home, it was doing fine. Then a few hours later, as I was about to leave to go to my girlfriend'* homecoming, it wouldn't start. I about STROKED. Turning the key on got no gauge activity whatsoever, no sounds from the engine or starter, nothing. The whole time the interior lights were flickering getting lower and lower, til they finally went out.

I pushed it out into the drive and tried to jump it with my mom'* suburban. The gauges came on like normal and everything seemed fine, but when I tried to turn it over, all I got was a repeated clicking sound and no activity from my engine. The battery may be bad, but if it was, wouldn't the car still start when I jump it? I haven't had a chance to look at it closely yet, but I've had no problems at all out of it so far.

Except for a loss of power when braking..battery power would go down into the red and lights would dim occasionally. A year ago it would do the same thing during cold weather, except a couple times it DIED while i was turning and braking at the same time. Help!

You mention the power going into the red. I assume you mean the gauge was reading super low. This would point to a bad alternator, corroded cables/cable ends and now a dead battery.

You should take your battery and alternator to a local parts store that will test them for free like Advance or Autozone. While they are out check and clean the battery cables and connections at every connection to the battery, engine and maxifuse center.

Most likely you need a new battery and alternator.

yes if you get the car started you can have the parts place Load test test both the Alt and the Battery....i would also recommend if one is bad to make sure that you replace them both in pairs, if not you will be doing circles because one will be stressing the other too much....and when you replace the alt go to Advance and ask for the AC Delco 140 Amp Alt....its about the same price of the 105 and ite WELL worth it

My local Advance and Autozone parts places can test battery and alternator out of the car, I believe most of their chain stores can as well.

Eh, nevermind guys, just me bein stupid again. It ended up bein that the post on the positive terminal backed out. Just had to tighten it..blech. Thanks for everything.

Glad to hear it was quick and simple. You might want to check for corrosion if it loosened up on it'* own.

Just happened to me on the SLE new year'* eve. Drove the 93 instead, found the loose cable the next day.

Same thing happened to me Tuesday night. I had finished patchin up another hole in my transmission cooler lines, and I went to work. When I came out it was raining and snowing and i get in my car and it wouldnt start. It would click a lot, and the interior lights would come on if the key was in the off position and only the parking lights would come on. It was very weird but it turned out to be a loose battery terminal.

this happened to me over thanksgiving. also my car woudl ALMOST die in turns on the expressway. all the gauges and radio would reset themselves like i just started the car. and the engine would studder. i was so glad to find it to be only a loose possi connection

What are you guys doing to the connections for them to loosen up like this?