UrScott924

Hey UrS community, I've had my S4 for a little over 4 years now and just recently, (3 months or less?) I have noticed the battery doesn't hold a charge. Some back info;

-1992 S4
-189,xxx miles
-Battery is new, bought it because of these problems
-Replaced voltage regulator on the alternator when the new battery failed to fix the problem (On recommendation of tech friend, says it fixes Bosch alternator problems more than not)
-Only drive the car about 1/3 of a mile to work, park it for 8 hours and then drive it home, doesn't really get driven too much because I've been driving my 90Q around recently.

Is there any way to diagnose whether it is a failing alternator or another issue that needs to be addressed? Possible that 1/3 mile drive (4 minutes max at 30-35mph) isn't enough distance to keep the battery charged?

I've STFA for the issue but it doesn't seem to be there.

GoHeels

Definitely could be that you're just not driving it enough. 1/3 of a mile wont charge much at all.

My Grandmother lives in a retirement community and only drives to the dinning room each night, she had the same problem with her Catera.

Did you drive it more the first 4 years, when I assume this wasn't happening...You might want to make a point to drive it a bit more for a couple weeks and see if the problem goes away.

UrScott924

It was all I drove until recently when I bought my 90Q for winter. I suppose I'll try charging it and driving it around for a little bit every other day or so. I figured that turning the radio/blowers off during the short drive would help also, but it still ended up dying after a few trips to work.

TJT

Hey man, you should maybe consider leaving it running for a while if you only drive it a third of a mile a day... It's not good for your car especially in the winter. Maybe leave it running for like 10 or 15 minutes and rev it a little before you turn it off. Maybe you can ride your bike to work?

UrScott924

I think once I get this figured out, whether it's the alternator or just me not driving it far enough every time I turn it on, I'm probably garaging it for the winter and just driving my 90, I've got work I want to do on it anyway. (and the driver's side seat heater still works in my 90)

I've been riding to work a few days a week, but it's getting a little cold to do that, as I'm usually at work before the sun comes up these days. Thanks for the advice, I charged up my battery last night and I'll be getting the alternator and battery checked today. But I'm getting to be more suspicious that it's just not getting enough of a charge on my short drive.

On a different note, has anyone here attempted to replace a headliner in a UrS? Is it worth doing yourself or is it just better to get it done professionally? Just looking at it, it looks like a pain in the rear.

Thefeek

Have you checked the voltage at the Jump starting stud under the hood when it's running? You should have a reading of 13.4V or better. If it's low, check the ground cable that goes from the alternator to the frame. It runs inside a metal tube under the engine.

UrS4boy

Only drive the car about 1/3 of a mile to work? Not enough time to recharge the battery to recover the amps used to start the car, etc.

Best solution = walk. Save money, lose weight. And don't say its cold or wet. Buck up. Wear the right clothes and enjoy your ability to move under your own power. (The time will come when that might not be possible).

TJT

Yah i agree about the walking thing... maybe a 5-8 minute walk tops?

UrScott924

I have no qualms about getting to work via walking or biking, but I wanted to ensure that it isn't a more serious problem with the battery or alternator, rather than insufficient time for the battery to charge. I had tech friend bring a voltmeter over and the voltage at the starting stud was reading around 14V, which is good according to what Thefeek was saying. Thanks for the advice, folks.