Diagnose my car problem

[JonDuke]

2012 Caravan.
Battery light came on almost a week ago.
Today, while driving, the RPMs shot up into the red.
All warning lights came on. Air con turned off.
Popped it in park for a few minutes, and tried again. Still revs high.
Turned van off, and now she won't start.

I'm not a car person at all. Hoping someone can give me an idea if this is a simple battery change needed, a blown alternator or something else.

[Erick Estrada]

Could be a variety of things in the electrical system like charging system, ecu, battery, etc. There is likely an OBD code triggered that may pinpoint the issue. Much easier to simply pull the code and go from there.

Will the car turn over or is it completely dead? Check all your fuses.

[Bill Bumface]

With crazy electrical stuff, I usually start with the battery/alternator. If you boost the car and it will run, might be your battery.

If you charge the battery and it starts but dies soon after, probably alternator.

[rotten42]

[QUOTE=JonDuke;4910610]2012 Caravan.
QUOTE]



There is your problem.

[BlackArcher101]

One word.

Dodge.


Seriously though.... when you say rev's are high, is the engine actually revving or is it just the gauge?

[Northendzone]

have you tried boosting it?

[chummer]

2012,shouldn't it be under warranty still?

[surferguy]

it is your alternator

[-TC-]

Originally Posted by JonDuke

2012 Caravan.

I found your problem

edit: beaten soundly...

[burn_this_city]

Van shouldnt run off battery for a week. If it was the alternator it would have died within half hour.

[JonDuke]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

have you tried boosting it?

Haven't tried boosting it, cause it did start up again. And all the warning lights came on again, with no air. Getting towed to a mechanic to see what's up.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Van shouldnt run off battery for a week. If it was the alternator it would have died within half hour.

Alternators don't always die catastrophically. Sometimes they put out low voltage before crapping out.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

Alternators don't always die catastrophically. Sometimes they put out low voltage before crapping out.

Ive been there before. Had to keep the revs up so it would put out enough to stay running. His problem sounds like something else.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by JonDuke

2012 Caravan.
Battery light came on almost a week ago.
Today, while driving, the RPMs shot up into the red.
All warning lights came on. Air con turned off.
Popped it in park for a few minutes, and tried again. Still revs high.
Turned van off, and now she won't start.

I'm not a car person at all. Hoping someone can give me an idea if this is a simple battery change needed, a blown alternator or something else.

My car did something similar too once. Alternator was the culprit and the battery was in need of replacement too. My car lasted about 4 days after the initial warning lights, not quite a week though.

That's my first guess: Alternator +/- battery. But tbh, I have no idea.

[chalms04]

Originally Posted by JonDuke

RPMs shot up into the red.
All warning lights came on. Air con turned off.
Popped it in park for a few minutes, and tried again. Still revs high.
Turned van off, and now she won't start.
.

Sounds like the serpentine belt and tensioner.

[DoubleF]

Does it click and make a "bvvvvvt" sound when you turn the key?

[Hockeyguy15]

Obviously the problem is with your flux capacitor.

[JonDuke]

The CAA fella hooked up a voltage meter to the alternator. It read 7-8, and should have been 13, apparently.

And of course we were over the KM allowance, so even though it's a 2012, it wasn't under warranty.

$295 and 24 hours later, we have a rebuilt alternator and she runs again.

[surferguy]

Originally Posted by surferguy

it is your alternator

Nailed it