Electrical issues, please help!

[MrGatsby]

Yesterday I got an alignment done and on my drive home, (about 20 minutes in) the iDrive and dash lit up showing all sorts of errors including the ABS, DSC, FTM (tire monitor) and Start Assistance (I think that's hill hold assist). I shut the car off, attempted to re-start and the car wouldn't start. It just clicked and clicked. Eventually the lights started flickering, windshield wipers went crazy, and no buttons would respond.

I hooked up my battery jumper and she did start and stayed running. Yet when I shut it off and turned it on again, it wouldn't budge. I am thinking it may be an alternator issue, but I am concerned there's a connection to the shop and the work they did as I haven't had a single sign of an issue prior.

If anyone has advice here, that would be much appreciated!

[FASTTOYS]

How old is the battery? I bet its the Battery.

[MrGatsby]

Originally Posted by FASTTOYS

How old is the battery? I bet its the Battery.

Battery is pretty old, about 4 or 5 years. If it's just the battery, I would be very happy. Might have AAA come out and test it for me.

I was leaning towards alternator since I drove it for about 20 min prior to it stalling out.

[radiognome]

Check error codes, see if you get P0562 code. Sounds like a failing alternator to me. If you could start the car and drive it before it happened - to me it means that battery had enough charge to start, but then car's equipment ate all the battery juice (and alternator did not provide recharge). It's possible of course that battery just died on the run, and 4-6 years is an average battery life time, but my thinking is that you would not be able to start the car to begin with if the battery was going to be dead 10+ min later.

[MrGatsby]

Originally Posted by radiognome

Check error codes, see if you get P0562 code. Sounds like a failing alternator to me. If you could start the car and drive it before it happened - to me it means that battery had enough charge to start, but then car's equipment ate all the battery juice (and alternator did not provide recharge). It's possible of course that battery just died on the run, and 4-6 years is an average battery life time, but my thinking is that you would not be able to start the car to begin with if the battery was going to be dead 10+ min later.

Perhaps wishful thinking, but the car was in the shop for 1 hour prior to my drive, and im certain the techs did not lock the car while working, meaning Idrive, lights and accessories were on during that hour. The 20 minute drive after I was stuck in traffic at very low RPM's. Maybe I didnt drive the car long enough to allow the battery to recharge.

After I got a tow home, I let the car sit overnight, and today, she started right up and ran for 30 min with no issue except the error codes still showing from last night. SES light is on as well.