So, last Thursday I took the 914 out for the first time in a couple months. Everything was good, the battery has been on a trickle charger, topped off all the fluids and drove it to work. The drive to work is roughly 13miles surface streets. Then took it to the gym after work (4 miles) then the batt was dead and would not start.

I figured this might happen, so I had a jump box with me. I start to drive it home and I could tell the alternator was not charging. The headlights and gauge lights were dimming as I got on it, and they were getting dimmer and dimmer as I drove along. So, the plan then was to go as far as possible home and have my wife come to bring the truck to wherever I ended up so I could flat tow it home.

Sure enough, the car died as I went into the turn lane about a 1/2 mile from my house, it was just enough of a hill that I was able to coast it all the way to my neighborhood, turn into my neighborhood and make it to my driveway! Soapbox Style Win! haha

The car is dead dead, push it into my garage pull the keys out and just leave it, it was late and I figured I would just deal with it on the weekend. I did not hook the charger up or anything, I just left it for dead...

24 hours later, I'm gone and my wife calls me and asked if there was a reason I had the 914 lights on in the garage. I tell her that is not possible, the car is so dead it turned off while driving...she sends me the below pic...

Click to view attachment

I have never seen this... could the battery have regrouped and mustered some power on its own? haha, I shut the lights off, and for the hell of it turned the key to start and just got a "click" as if its dead again...

Not sure if I should take the battery to get checked by auto zone or an exorcist


I had charging issues before, and it was just the ground wire that came off, I checked that again and its still attached so now I have to check the alternator or any other suggestions to check would greatly appreciate.

Wow Al...that's spooky for sure.

Just in time for Halloween...

Oscar

Was the GEN light on when this happened?

What voltage did you measure on the battery when you drifted home?

What voltage did you measure on the battery when you turned the lights off?

If the car was hard to start, it could be oxidation on the battery terminals but the vehicle lighting shouldn't be affected.

Maybe get the car running and check voltages at the battery and the VR.

BTW, you have a headlight burned out.

Or a fuse out.

Yea I have to go through and check all the voltages, which is inconvenient since I have been loading and prepping my camper for RENNSPORT!!!

Anyway, The headlights and foglights worked when I was driving, when the car turned its own lights on, it only decided to do that one headlight, parking lights, and tail lights. haha. I'm hoping that it is not a wiring gremlin somewhere.

When I had the charging issue before a few months ago, I took the batt to get checked and it passed, I cleaned and scuffed the terminals as well. I did not, however, test the output of the alternator because I discovered the loose ground and it seemed to solve it.

What I am hoping is that the alt was going bad and the wire got loose, so it's a simple alternator fix, I really hate hunting down bad wires!!!

Lose battery cable? Check the alternator harness is plugged in securely?
Check wiring to the starter?