Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting loss of power due to low battery?

I had just gotten my car back from the upholstery shop where it sat for 2 months practically. I noticed all the tell tale signs of a low battery. Dim lights, windows barely moving etc..I drove it down the highway to my house and it just had no power at all really. The zetec just wouldn't kick in. I barely made it up my hill then it just shut off. I had the car jump started and had the windows roll up while hooked up to my gf's car. My car ran fine before i took it to the shop. Is it possible that the very low battery would cause my car to have next to no pwr at all.

p.s. i will post pictures of my interior soon. Got the whole thing done...seats front and rear, dash, center console, ps2 in the passenger airbag slot, new carpet,vinyled sub box w/ 4 speakers and nitrous bottle cut to fit, headliner, and door panels.
thanks for the feedback folks

If its a bad battey, and not accepting the charge

Charge battery overnight with 12V charger, see how it is, Sounds like your battey is dead though, I've taken many cars with pure dead battery, jumped it, and the alternator had it in good shape after 20 minutes. I dont recommend relying off Alternator charge, id do that in event my battery died for leavin a light on or something, then id charge it at home immeadatly.

Think it is possible it could result in a lack of power on a highway or barely makin it up a hill? That is what i am tryin to figure out. I know for sure my battery is now dead but wasn't sure if a next to dead battery could make you lose considerable power?

when your battery is charged your alt barley has to work to keep it charged. but right now your alternator is working overtime trying to charg it. your alt is probley puting more restance to the belt then normal so that might cause a little bit of your loss of power

good call. I will find out tomorrow after a full charge.

thanks

Also I was with my friend when his Chevy Lumina battey died, symptoms sound similar, only the GM Sounded like it was misfiring, heavier the acceleration, more power the components used, the less power to keep fuel pump, Fuel injectors, and ignition coil alive, and the more it kinda stalled out. Engine just cant do it.

I want to say the battery is just crapping out. Normally an alternator would keep enough juice flowing, but if the battery isnt holding that charge, its kinda pointless.

If his battery completely died out or got really low, isn't it possible that the computer reset itself and that he has to not only get a charged up battery, but drive it for a bit to reset it? Also, maybe it just feels different because you have been driving something else for 2 months?

The battery was dead as can be from sittin at the shop for that long. I have been drivin my gf's eclipse gsx turbo. Its hard to go back to a non turbo after drivin it every day.