Battery/alternator Trouble, Please Help....

[Hamlesh]

I've got an mr2 mrk2, the other day it broke down in London, I called out the RAC, it sounded like and they said that the Battery was flat (starter motor wasn't turning properly).

So they tried to jump start it and after a while it cut out again. They then checked the Battery with a multimeter while the car was on and it was only registering 12 ish volts, suggesting the alternator is borked.

I bought a new Battery to get me home. Today I just checked and the battery terminals register 14v across them when the car is running, suggesting the alternator is working.

My question, what the heck is going on? Was it just a dead battery that couldn't hold charge?

[boundsw]

My car did exactly the same the other day.

All the ignition lights came on when i was driving then the car cut out.

I thought my fan belt had snapped, so the Battery stopped charging.

but when i got it home, it hadnt, so i guessed my altrnator was knakered, but then i jump started it the next day and its been fine since ?

The Battery should be 12V ish when the car is off, and read 14V ish when running.

[houston]

could have been a loose connection on your old Battery, or a big drain on the alternator, try puttin stereo, lights, heaters, rear window heaters, everything that drains Battery then check to see if the alternators coping