My battery is very weak?

Tiny
ANGELLJAXN
  • MEMBER
  • 2002 PONTIAC SUNFIRE
  • 116,000 MILES
My car is making a weird dinging sound when I start it, like my battery is very weak and the other day it died out completely. The other day I noticed every time I get in the car my radio is reset, then my trunk started popping open by itself while I was driving and then my car died out completely while it was parked and when I went to restart it all the lights were out, no radio, it wouldn't even see n turn over so I went to use y remote to pop the trunk and as soon as I hit the trunk button and the unlock, the car started back up. Then, this morning when I turned the car on, it made that same "dinging" noise w/customer sounds like the battery is very weak and then all my brake lights went on in the dash and my clock was reset again.

Then I turned the car off at the gas station and it wouldn't restart or turn over again and after a few minutes it started.

I know we enough that it sounds like my battery or alternator issue but what confuses me is the trunk popping open and the fact after I hit the remote button the car started again. If it was my alternator or battery, I would think it wouldn't just die and then start again. I am soooo confused! Could it be my electrical system or a short somewhere? How do I even go about fixing this or finding out what's wrong without going broke in the process? I have very little funds available to me..
Tuesday, January 17th, 2012 AT 1:20 PM

1 Reply

Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
It could be something is loose. Check the battery terminal connections and if they are dirty, clean them and reinstall.

Electrical power interruption can cause many different types of malfunctions.

First, have it scanned for ALL codes, not just those that cause the CEL to light.

Then check the grounds for the computer and remote entry system.

Also check the battery state of charge and capacity. Then test the alternator output.
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Tuesday, January 17th, 2012 AT 3:44 PM

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