CHARGING Issue
 

Hi all, new member here.
Just put a starter in a friend's 2008 Vue 4 cylinder, now it's not charging. 10 volts and dropping. I'm at wits end with this car
Help!

Did you check the battery connection at the alternator is clean and tight? Same thing at the battery end of that cable. Same thing for the negative terminal of the battery and where the negative cable grounds on the frame.

Corrosion free and tight connections are a must wind dealing with the charging system. Also, try to bend the cable at the battery about 2 in from the end. If it is all crunchy, acid has gotten to the cable and it will need to be replaced.

Once you clean up the connections, take it to AutoZone or similar and get a free load test on your charging system. It will tell you whether the alternator or the battery or something else is the issue.

For example, how do we know that you didn't have a marginally bad cell in your battery that was getting abused by trying to start the vehicle with the dying starter. Now that you have a new starter in there, that cell may still be deteriorating further

It's too expensive these days to play guessing games.

I found the issue. Was another cable I didn't see, sandwiched between the starter and engine block. All good.
thanks for replying