I feel like my mechanic does a great job but he only keeps band aid fixing it instead of diagnosing the issue.
2006 Nissan Murano eating batteries and alternators.
I have a 2006 Nissan Murano sl awd. I bought this car used and have had nothing but problems. My most recent of problems is the car destroying batteries and alternators. In the 2 years I have owned the car I have replaced 3 batteries and 3 alternators. 2 of both in the last 4 months.
This is what is happening.Right after I bought the car the battery died. I didn't think anything of it, Used car used battery, bought a new one. A couple months after I had the same issue where the car would no longer get power in gear. The car would start but as soon as you put it in gear, no power, back in park, Rev the engine, back in gear nothing( just coasts) what I have learned now is low voltage mode. Took it to my mechanic and he diagnosed the alternator replaced it and I didn't have anther issue with the battery or alternator tell 4 months ago.
4 months ago I came out and my car did low voltage mode again where it would start but no power. I took the battery out, got it tested at Walmart where I bought it. Walmart said the battery is fine and held a charge. Put it back in my car went for a test drive and low voltage mode again about 15 min from my house and have to get it towed. I take the battery to get tested at autozone and O'Reilly. They tell me I have a bad battery. Back to a different Walmart and they say it is bad and warranty replace it out. 2 days later on the drive home my starts jumping into low voltage mode while driving on the highway. I turned off the radio, my driving lights and seat warmer. Power came back and was able to limp it home. Called my mechanic. I was still just under a year from the first alternator repair so it was still under warranty. My mechanic tests the alternator, says it's bad and replaces it under warranty. I drove the car about 9,000 miles since the installation of the first replacement alternator. I don't drive alot or very far usually with work 15 min from home.
Drove my car for 3 months and then low voltage happens again when I'm in a different city away on a highway. Paid to get it towed to my mechanic 1hr and a half away. uhh!!! He tests the battery and alternator. Says the battery is bad. I take it again to Walmart. Same thing one Walmart said it's fine the other said it's a bad battery. They warranty the battery again. I go back to my car. Drive it home and all is well.
3 days later, I haven't drove the car at all due to my weekend and it's Christmas day. The family loads up to go to my parents house and again low voltage mode. That is a brand new battery that hasn't been driven( other then 15 min from mechanic to my home) how can this be happening?!?!?!?!? So after Christmas I get in touch with my mechanic, and tow the car to him again. He diagnosed the battery and alternator and says the alternator is showing bad when just days before it was fine. He has now replaced the alternator a 3rd time and I just got my car back today. It is Mon morning. He called me Fri afternoon to let me know it was done. When I got into the car to start it the car wouldn't start( like a battery issue wouldn't start) and he had to jump it to start the car.
So during all of this I took precautions to make sure nothing is draining the battery. I unplugged everything draining power from the car. I don't use anything that will draw power while driving. No radio, heat seater car chargers nothing!!!!!! Nothing is plugged into the car in any way. The only aftermarket piece I have in the car is a Kenwood radio but it is powered off. I don't know what else to do. My mechanic is tired of seeing me and working on this car. My only idea left is to start testing all the electrical connections to see what is drawing power but my mechanic is quite old and can't do that at his shop and I don't know how. I have no problem taking it somewhere else but has anyone ever experienced this or anything like this? Anything would be very helpful please!!!!!
I have spent so much money and I'm even getting this warranty work for free but the towing bills are killing me.
This is what is happening.Right after I bought the car the battery died. I didn't think anything of it, Used car used battery, bought a new one. A couple months after I had the same issue where the car would no longer get power in gear. The car would start but as soon as you put it in gear, no power, back in park, Rev the engine, back in gear nothing( just coasts) what I have learned now is low voltage mode. Took it to my mechanic and he diagnosed the alternator replaced it and I didn't have anther issue with the battery or alternator tell 4 months ago.
4 months ago I came out and my car did low voltage mode again where it would start but no power. I took the battery out, got it tested at Walmart where I bought it. Walmart said the battery is fine and held a charge. Put it back in my car went for a test drive and low voltage mode again about 15 min from my house and have to get it towed. I take the battery to get tested at autozone and O'Reilly. They tell me I have a bad battery. Back to a different Walmart and they say it is bad and warranty replace it out. 2 days later on the drive home my starts jumping into low voltage mode while driving on the highway. I turned off the radio, my driving lights and seat warmer. Power came back and was able to limp it home. Called my mechanic. I was still just under a year from the first alternator repair so it was still under warranty. My mechanic tests the alternator, says it's bad and replaces it under warranty. I drove the car about 9,000 miles since the installation of the first replacement alternator. I don't drive alot or very far usually with work 15 min from home.
Drove my car for 3 months and then low voltage happens again when I'm in a different city away on a highway. Paid to get it towed to my mechanic 1hr and a half away. uhh!!! He tests the battery and alternator. Says the battery is bad. I take it again to Walmart. Same thing one Walmart said it's fine the other said it's a bad battery. They warranty the battery again. I go back to my car. Drive it home and all is well.
3 days later, I haven't drove the car at all due to my weekend and it's Christmas day. The family loads up to go to my parents house and again low voltage mode. That is a brand new battery that hasn't been driven( other then 15 min from mechanic to my home) how can this be happening?!?!?!?!? So after Christmas I get in touch with my mechanic, and tow the car to him again. He diagnosed the battery and alternator and says the alternator is showing bad when just days before it was fine. He has now replaced the alternator a 3rd time and I just got my car back today. It is Mon morning. He called me Fri afternoon to let me know it was done. When I got into the car to start it the car wouldn't start( like a battery issue wouldn't start) and he had to jump it to start the car.
So during all of this I took precautions to make sure nothing is draining the battery. I unplugged everything draining power from the car. I don't use anything that will draw power while driving. No radio, heat seater car chargers nothing!!!!!! Nothing is plugged into the car in any way. The only aftermarket piece I have in the car is a Kenwood radio but it is powered off. I don't know what else to do. My mechanic is tired of seeing me and working on this car. My only idea left is to start testing all the electrical connections to see what is drawing power but my mechanic is quite old and can't do that at his shop and I don't know how. I have no problem taking it somewhere else but has anyone ever experienced this or anything like this? Anything would be very helpful please!!!!!
I have spent so much money and I'm even getting this warranty work for free but the towing bills are killing me.
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I would start by doing a parasitic draw test. It could be that parasitic draw is draining the battery, which is straining the alternator, and they both eventually go bad. I know you only have the aftermarket radio, and that would be a possible source, but it could also be a shorted circuit somewhere else.I feel like my mechanic does a great job but he only keeps band aid fixing it instead of diagnosing the issue.
You can do your own troubleshooting by getting a inexpensive multimeter. Checking the battery and alternator output daily. Before leaving car, after the days drive, check batt charge. Check again before driving in the morning. This should show you if it’s draining. If not, it’s a bad batch of alternator. Return and get a different brand.
Are any of your switches, locks, lights not functioning? Check everything is working. That would be a start to look for possible drain. But as mentioned above, aftermarket radio improperly wired could drain even when off.
Are any of your switches, locks, lights not functioning? Check everything is working. That would be a start to look for possible drain. But as mentioned above, aftermarket radio improperly wired could drain even when off.
Thanks for the help I'll be testing it to see if there is any drain from the radio for sure.You can do your own troubleshooting by getting a inexpensive multimeter. Checking the battery and alternator output daily. Before leaving car, after the days drive, check batt charge. Check again before driving in the morning. This should show you if it’s draining. If not, it’s a bad batch of alternator. Return and get a different brand.
Are any of your switches, locks, lights not functioning? Check everything is working. That would be a start to look for possible drain. But as mentioned above, aftermarket radio improperly wired could drain even when off.
I'll check the radio. Hopefully it's not a short circuit finding that would be a painI would start by doing a parasitic draw test. It could be that parasitic draw is draining the battery, which is straining the alternator, and they both eventually go bad. I know you only have the aftermarket radio, and that would be a possible source, but it could also be a shorted circuit somewhere else.
Update!!!! Alright the alternator was replaced again. Waited for the car to die like it has several times. I took it to a different mechanic in town that works on nissan subaru imports. They tested it for 2 days and told me my car is pulling 55 amps for about an hr after the car turns off which is on normal spec. They tested my fuses battery and alternator and nothing. My car doesn't get driven everyday so they suggested a solar trickle charge for 2000 dollars or go out and start the car every 2 days. My father agreed and said older cars have this issue and a trickle charge would help but that doesn't explain the killing off of multiple batteries and alternators. The mechanics said they didn't have a answer for that. I asked would it continue to pull if the battery was dead and that's what's has killed the alternator?
They didn't have any answer. They said they checked everything they could on the car and can't find anything wrong.
I feel like this is a band aid fix for a bigger issue.....or a cross wire or something shorting it out and it just didn't happen their. I'll call and ask them to jostle the car tomorrow while it still there.
Do you guys have any other tips, tricks, or anything?
They didn't have any answer. They said they checked everything they could on the car and can't find anything wrong.
I feel like this is a band aid fix for a bigger issue.....or a cross wire or something shorting it out and it just didn't happen their. I'll call and ask them to jostle the car tomorrow while it still there.
Do you guys have any other tips, tricks, or anything?
The cheapest thing that you can do is replace the Negative battery cable.
At the age of the car, an internally corroded negative cable will cause the alternator to be in a constant state of high charging to get the battery up to a normal level. If you're not driving steadily, this will also cause the battery to be in a constant state of low charge.
If you've had any type of corrosion issue in the past with the battery, you more then likely have a bad Negative cable.
Check for corrosion where the Negative cable ties to the frame. If it's there, just replace the cable and thoroughly clean and wire brush the area and treat.
At the same time, check the Positive cable for signs of corrosion where the fuses are.
Good luck.
Have a good day.
At the age of the car, an internally corroded negative cable will cause the alternator to be in a constant state of high charging to get the battery up to a normal level. If you're not driving steadily, this will also cause the battery to be in a constant state of low charge.
If you've had any type of corrosion issue in the past with the battery, you more then likely have a bad Negative cable.
Check for corrosion where the Negative cable ties to the frame. If it's there, just replace the cable and thoroughly clean and wire brush the area and treat.
At the same time, check the Positive cable for signs of corrosion where the fuses are.
Good luck.
Have a good day.
With the new alternator (different brand I assume), hopefully will fix all this issue. Battery going bad when alternator dies is consequential---If you keep putting a bad batch of alternator. But if you have draining when not in use then that is a different issue. If you can always start the car before the alternator leave you stranded, you don't have a drain. If you do, I would remove/disconnect the aftermarket radio and observe for a few weeks. If the battery drain disappears then you know the problem.
My 04 MO has been parked for at least 4 months now because the alternator is dead. My battery however is good. I will plug my trickle charger days before I tackle the alternator removal and rebuild I plan to do in a month or so. This will enable me to drive the car from the outside to the inside of my garage with just the battery power. I will then go to Costco and get a free replacement of the battery after I install the rebuilt alternator.
My 04 MO has been parked for at least 4 months now because the alternator is dead. My battery however is good. I will plug my trickle charger days before I tackle the alternator removal and rebuild I plan to do in a month or so. This will enable me to drive the car from the outside to the inside of my garage with just the battery power. I will then go to Costco and get a free replacement of the battery after I install the rebuilt alternator.
Thank you I will check that tomorrow when I get the car back
Definitely check the NEG battery cable that goes to the chasis, like PaulDay said. I thought my NEG cable looked fine, but I did have to clean it every couple of years with baking soda and a toothbrush because green crud would form around the battery terminal. After having some random electrical glitches, I decided to pull the battery and battery tray (takes about 15 minutes) and piggybacked a cheap, new ground cable which solved MO's electrical problems.Thank you I will check that tomorrow when I get the car back
Check out the following post to see my old neg battery cable - Car won't start - ignition issue - immobilizer sensor
Went thru all this too. Found out Bluetooth was continually searching for hook up.Thank you I will check that tomorrow when I get the car back
Doesn't the ecm control the output of the alternator on the Murano? Not trying to diagnose anything just something I think i ran across. The alternator is not easy to change.
1st generation, no. 2nd and 3rd generations, yes. 1st generation uses only the voltage regulator in the alternator to control output. Later generations have a battery current sensor attached to either the negative (2nd generation) or positive (3rd generation) cable that allows the ECM to monitor recharge current and control alternator output by sending a signal to the IPDM, which translates that to a command that's then sent to the alternator. If you look at the alternators for 1s generation vs. 2nd/3rd generation you'll see the extra pin on the connector for the latter which is the wire that goes to the IPDM. On the later generations, the voltage regulator in the alternator serves only as a back-up to the ECM in case something goes wrong with that control circuit.Doesn't the ecm control the output of the alternator on the Murano? Not trying to diagnose anything just something I think i ran across. The alternator is not easy to change.
55 amps? Thats a hell of a parasitic draw! I honestly can't stand the idea that a parasitic draw is considered normal in any case. I hear that excuse a lot nowadays, "there's modules that stay on after the car is off". Try disconnecting the negative battery terminal and placing one lead of a multimeter on that negative wire. Then, place the other lead from the multi meter on the negative battery terminal. This puts the meter in series so that you can set it to test the amps. Then, pull fuses and relays one at a time and replacing them back in their slot after pulling. Do this until you find the amps being consumed goes way down or reaches zero. Trouble shoot the circuit that the fuse /relay serves with electrical diagrams for reference.
well, in my searches for an answer I have come across some pretty interesting things about this subject. One person says; that a lot of the problem is how ppl take care of their Battery And the terminal they're in. Numerous ppl have said; that the Best way to Combat this problem of corrosion is to have (good maintenance habits) concerning the Vehicles Battery and Alternator as well.
Most of which state the same thing: keeping Battery Corrosion FREE By Periodically checking on the Battery 🔋 & Wiring For Corrosion and Addressing it Promptly.
Ppl also have said that,
Corrosion causes;
Battery Drainage,
Crank - No Start,
Alternator Failure and the problems that comes with not checking it periodically...
Most of which state the same thing: keeping Battery Corrosion FREE By Periodically checking on the Battery 🔋 & Wiring For Corrosion and Addressing it Promptly.
Ppl also have said that,
Corrosion causes;
Battery Drainage,
Crank - No Start,
Alternator Failure and the problems that comes with not checking it periodically...
"They tested it for 2 days and told me my car is pulling 55 amps for about an hr after the car turns off which is on normal spec. "
No it's not. A car drawing 55 amps from the battery for a whole hour after you turn off the car will kill any battery, anywhere, any time. Are you sure you got this statement right?
--
This entire story really sounds to me like a string of bad alternators. The dead batteries sound like casualties of the alternator problem. Did you get the same exact brand and model number of alternator put in there every time it failed? Rebuilt alternators are notorious for being dodgy. My own just quit yesterday. It lasted 5 years, which isn't "terrible", but I consider pretty darn bad since an alternator should last a lot longer than that. And you'll find numerous accounts in this forum by people who replaced an alternator only to have it die in a month, or a week, and even have to replace it more than once before they got a good one. So yeah, with all the aggravation you've been through, if it were my car, I'd replace both battery cables regardless, because it certainly can't hurt and the car is 16 years old. But I still think the root cause is one bad alternator after another.
No it's not. A car drawing 55 amps from the battery for a whole hour after you turn off the car will kill any battery, anywhere, any time. Are you sure you got this statement right?
--
This entire story really sounds to me like a string of bad alternators. The dead batteries sound like casualties of the alternator problem. Did you get the same exact brand and model number of alternator put in there every time it failed? Rebuilt alternators are notorious for being dodgy. My own just quit yesterday. It lasted 5 years, which isn't "terrible", but I consider pretty darn bad since an alternator should last a lot longer than that. And you'll find numerous accounts in this forum by people who replaced an alternator only to have it die in a month, or a week, and even have to replace it more than once before they got a good one. So yeah, with all the aggravation you've been through, if it were my car, I'd replace both battery cables regardless, because it certainly can't hurt and the car is 16 years old. But I still think the root cause is one bad alternator after another.
I have 2006 Nissan Murano have gone through 3 alternators in one year fixing to by 4th all from AutoZone new. Each lasted 3 to four months.Thanks for the help I'll be testing it to see if there is any drain from the radio for sure.
You need to bite the bullet and buy an OEM alternator. AZ/AA/Oreily's has the worse rebuilt record for Nissan alternators. You can find OEM by shopping the different dealer's pricing for the lowest price on the internet.
Another issue could be high resistance in one of the battery cables. Excessive corrosion in the negative cable is a common issue with older Murano's, especially if driven during salty road conditions. Inspect the entire negative cable, even under the battery holder box, which needs to be removed to check where the cable is bolted to the car frame. If there's any corrosion, replace the cable with an OEM one.
High resistance anywhere in the alternator/battery circuit will cause the alternator to always be in a state of high output, causing premature alternator failure. The alternator should only be outputting 14.2 - 14.8 Volts for a short while after first starting the car. Alternator output should drop to around 13.5 Volts after several minutes of driving if there isn't an issue with the battery.
There are other posts here that go into it full depth if you need more info.
Good luck.
Have a good day.
Another issue could be high resistance in one of the battery cables. Excessive corrosion in the negative cable is a common issue with older Murano's, especially if driven during salty road conditions. Inspect the entire negative cable, even under the battery holder box, which needs to be removed to check where the cable is bolted to the car frame. If there's any corrosion, replace the cable with an OEM one.
High resistance anywhere in the alternator/battery circuit will cause the alternator to always be in a state of high output, causing premature alternator failure. The alternator should only be outputting 14.2 - 14.8 Volts for a short while after first starting the car. Alternator output should drop to around 13.5 Volts after several minutes of driving if there isn't an issue with the battery.
There are other posts here that go into it full depth if you need more info.
Good luck.
Have a good day.
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