Bucking and Lights Flashing

[Moby]

1992 Honda Accord EX Automatic

I drove a lot of miles today and from my last stop to my house (10 miles) my car was bucking the entire time and not able to go over 40 miles per hour. The clock and seatbelt lights (I always were my seatbelt but too it off to see how the seatbelt light would react to condition) were flickering the entire time and the radio was going in and out. All this flickering of lights and radio cutting in and out the entire 10 mile trip home was coordinating with the car bucking. I think that's the best term to describe it. Imagine a hose that's clogged with something and the water comes out in spurts, that's how the car accelerated--in consistent spurts and it felt like I was aboard a bucking bronco the entire time. When I pulled into the driveway and shut the car off, it wouldn't start. Nothing. Dead as a doornail. No lights, nothing. Couldn't even use the power door locks. 15 minutes later, the car starts up again. I drive it around the block, no issues. Pull back into the driveway, turn the car off, then restart it and nothing. Dead as a doornail again.

The battery is 5 months old, so I'm suspecting it might be the alternator that's draining the battery. I got no warning signs except this. The alternator is 5 1/2 years old. If I go to Sam's Club where I bought the battery and have them test it, would they be able to tell me if it's the alternator or battery that's the problem? If it's the alternator, do I have to replace the battery too?

Has anyone else experienced this problem and what do you all think is causing the bucking and lights going haywire?

[IAmTheNight]

First, make a few simple checks. Check the battery terminals for looseness or corrosion and check the alternator belt to make sure it has proper tension. Second, get the battery and charging system tested (although I wouldn't allow Walmart or Sam's Club "technicians" to touch my car ever). Service centers will carry electronic battery testers than can pinpoint any problems with the primary electrical system. If you do need to install a new alternator, make sure you recharge the battery. Newer alternators are more likely to fail prematurely if they have to take on the burden of providing electricity for the rest of the vehicle and charging a discharged battery.

[kelton]

if you can get it started with it running test and see how many volts your battery is running. If its around 14 your alternator should be good. If way below I would suspect that. Maybe find a buddy who has an accord and see if you can swap their alternator on and see what it does.

[Otto]

Sound like a bad electrical connection.
Though I thought the alternator could power things even with the battery disconnected. Might be a couple bad connections or something common to the two.

[darkfusion42]

as said earlier, test. With the car off, the battery should read 12.6 volts. If not, bad battery. With the car running, should read around 14. If not then it's the alternator. One thing I would check in particular is the connector plug on the alternator. It has a tendancy to wiggle loose. This exact thing happened to me with the very same symptoms. Turns out the plug was loose. If this is the case I'd still keep an eye on the alternator cause about two weeks later mine went bad and I had to replace it. Good luck.

[kelton]

as said earlier, test. With the car off, the battery should read 12.6 volts. If not, bad battery. With the car running, should read around 14. If not then it's the alternator. One thing I would check in particular is the connector plug on the alternator. It has a tendancy to wiggle loose. This exact thing happened to me with the very same symptoms. Turns out the plug was loose. If this is the case I'd still keep an eye on the alternator cause about two weeks later mine went bad and I had to replace it. Good luck.

not necessarily, if the alternator did go bad the car would be running off the battery causing it to die and read less volts. Until its charged.

[IAmTheNight]

A bad alternator can still read 14.4 volts. A burnt-out diode or voltage regulator can cause a parasitic draw on the battery or dangerous electrical surges. This is why an electronic tester needs to be used. They can test the battery and alternator through several trouble-prone conditions.

[C91BLX7]

Bad ground?

[Fake Thug]

as said earlier, test. With the car off, the battery should read 12.6 volts. If not, bad battery. With the car running, should read around 14. If not then it's the alternator. One thing I would check in particular is the connector plug on the alternator. It has a tendancy to wiggle loose. This exact thing happened to me with the very same symptoms. Turns out the plug was loose. If this is the case I'd still keep an eye on the alternator cause about two weeks later mine went bad and I had to replace it. Good luck.

Yup. The green plug. That happened to me. killed my battery completely.