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Voltage drop. Help! Please!

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Old 07-16-2011, 09:55 AM
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Voltage drop. Help! Please!

Having major issues with the electronics in my car. 3 instances now. Car is an 06 sport. Has no mods other than BHR ignition. The car has a metra double din with a jvc-nt3 radio. 44k on the odom.

Occurrence 1
Driving on the highway. My radio reboots back to the Jvc loading image as if I just turned the car on. I blow it off as a fluke or a 1 time glitch. This was 2 weeks ago

Instance 2 was yesterday
Getting off the highway. Driving on a normal street. I come to a stop at a red. The radio starts to cut in and out (sounds almost as if im just loosing signal). After coming to a complete stop the radio reboots itself again. I start to drive and pull into a parking lot. The radio starts to break up again. Nothing else happens until I end up turning the car off.

Instance 3.
I'm driving today no issues or pre cursors. Until I'm on the highway and I flash my highs to let someone over. Everything cuts off. My radio reboots. My instrument panel goes almost completely off. I let the highs off and it goes back to norm. I drive another 30 seconds and flash my highs to make sure it wasn't a coincidence. Everything drops. Radio goes off and so does the instrument panel.

Put a meter on the batery.
At idle voltage is about 13.80 - 13-90. Revving it's between 13.90 - 14.00.

I went to advance they say battery is fine and the alternator is fine (take that with a grain of salt).

Maybe it's the voltage regulator?

All ideas are welcome.

Battery is a year old optima yellow top.
Old 07-16-2011, 11:25 AM
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Check the belt tension.
Old 07-16-2011, 11:34 AM
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sounds like something went wrong with the metra install?
voltage looks about right, I know some will say that Optima's quality has gone down since the company was sold a few years ago but I run an Optima and haven't had any issues. (my first one lasted about 5 years)

If the voltage truly were dropping down low, the battery light on your car would most likely illuminate indicating an issue with the charging system.
since you're not seeing that...
Old 07-16-2011, 11:37 AM
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Just went out and looked. It has minimal give to it. Seems fine. Any other ideas guys? I really don't feel like paying $100 to have a stealership run a diagnostic
Old 07-16-2011, 11:39 AM
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Jedi. You think that the metra kit could effect my instrument panel? This last time I happened it's like my cluster lost almost all power. That's why I was thinking it's not related to the radio / metra.
Old 07-16-2011, 11:43 AM
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I had my alternator go out a few years back and the instrument cluster will start to go out but after the vehicle has turned off power to other 'non-essential' items (dsc, tc, PS, etc)
no battery light on your dash? odd.

this might sound silly but have you checked the battery terminals to make sure they're on there completely? If one came loose, it could give you issues.
Old 07-16-2011, 11:46 AM
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No I have no lights on my dash at all. Yeah the Terminal to the batter / ground to BHR coils were among the first things I looked at. And it's a very intermittent issue. I havnt been able to read the voltage when the radio / dash are lossin power. The voltage check was done after the car had sat in the Parking lot for 30 min or so. I wish I could measure when it's having issues. But it's just so intermittent.
Old 07-16-2011, 11:49 AM
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where are you located?
there's units that can measure voltage; canscan, scanalyzer, Cobb AP, etc
Old 07-16-2011, 11:51 AM
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Hampton roads area. Virginia beach is where I live. I work in Norfolk. I'd be more than welcome to meet someone from the forum whereever they are if it meant not having to deal with the dealership.
Old 07-17-2011, 08:54 AM
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So any ideas other than the alternator? It's just weird that the car works perfect some times but then looses power all of a sudden for a second or two
Old 07-21-2011, 08:56 AM
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Another extremely weird issue this morning. I go to leave for work this morning. I get in my car and all seems normal. I put my key in the ignition and it still seems like any other day. I turn the key and i get half a crank before it cuts off. My instrument cluster goes black and turning the key does nothing. I though my battery might have died. I go to get out of my car to get a jump and as soon as I open my door the interior lights kick on. I put my key back in the ignition and my car starts up like nothing was wrong.
Old 07-21-2011, 08:58 AM
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I need ideas here guys I can't stand worrying if my car is going to get me where I need to go. Or if I need to get a diagnostic are they even going to able to tell me anything because it's so intermitent? I might kill someone if I pay $100 for them to shrug their shoulders.
Old 07-21-2011, 02:47 PM
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It sounds like it could be a relay, or perhaps a dirty or loose ground somewhere. I assume the radio and ignition have been installed and working fine for a while, it didn't start happening after one was put in?
Old 07-21-2011, 07:56 PM
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Ignition for a year. Radio for 6-7 months. Been working great since day one up until ~2weeks ago
Old 07-21-2011, 11:16 PM
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It's the radio install. Positive or negative connection.
Old 07-22-2011, 10:23 AM
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Then why would it only arise 6 months later
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