Quick answer. This 2011 Dodge Caliber was dead in a driveway in Beaumont with no power. Our tech tested the battery, the belts and the alternator, and all three checked out. By the end of the visit the car was working well. The job was one hour of diagnosis, $150. No parts were sold.
Key Points
- The car came in as a dead vehicle with no power, at 84,106 miles.
- Our tech tested the battery, the drive belts and the alternator. None of them was the problem.
- The tech's note says everything was working well when the visit ended.
- The customer paid for one hour of diagnosis, $150. No battery, no alternator.
- A dead car does not always mean a dead battery. Test it before you buy one.
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What the Owner Told Us
The call was short. The car was dead. No power.
That is one of the most common calls we get. Most people hear it and think battery. Some think alternator. Both are good guesses. A guess is not a test.
So the job went on the books as one thing only. One hour of diagnosis, $150. No parts were quoted, because nobody knew yet what was wrong.
What Our Tech Checked
Our tech drove out to the owner's home in Beaumont. The car read 84,106 miles on the odometer that day.
The tech started with the battery. It was ruled out. Then the belts. Ruled out. Then the alternator, the part that keeps the battery charged while the engine runs. Ruled out too.
Three parts that people often buy for a dead car. Three parts this car did not need.
How It Ended
The tech's note says it plainly. Everything was working well by the end of the visit.
We will be honest about what the record does not say. It does not name a cause. So we will not make one up here. What we can tell you is what got tested, what passed, and that the car was working when our tech left.
That still matters. The owner did not walk into a parts store and spend money on a battery or an alternator that tested fine.
2011 Dodge Caliber, Beaumont, September 13
Came in with: a dead car with no power, at 84,106 miles.
Our tech found: the battery, belts and alternator all checked out.
What was done: testing in the driveway. The car was working well at the end.
What it cost: $150 for one hour of diagnosis. No parts.
Why We Test First
A new battery is not cheap. An alternator costs more. Buying both to fix a car that needed neither is the most common way people waste money on a dead car.
An hour of testing tells you which parts are good. That is worth knowing even when the answer is all of them.
Every one of our jobs runs on Shop Desk, the software our San Jacinto shop built. The tech writes down what got ruled out, so the owner can read it later. Any mechanic can use Shop Desk free.
Supercanic tip. Car dead in the driveway? Do not buy a battery yet. We come to you, test it, and tell you what we found before any part is sold. Call (951) 904-2477.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why would my car have no power at all?
A weak battery is the most common reason. A loose or dirty cable clamp, a bad alternator, or a fault in the wiring can do it too. That is why a tech tests each one instead of guessing.
Can a battery test good and the car still be dead?
Yes. A good battery cannot help if the power does not reach the car. The cables, the clamps and the wiring all have to pass too.
How much does a mobile diagnosis cost?
On this job it was one hour of diagnosis, $150. That covered the testing in the owner's driveway. Parts and repairs are quoted only after the tech knows what is wrong.
Should I just replace the battery first?
Only if it tests bad. On this Caliber the battery was fine. A new one would have cost money and fixed nothing.
Do you come to Beaumont?
Yes. This job was in Beaumont. Call us and we will tell you when a tech can get out to you.
Car Dead in the Driveway?
We test the battery, cables and charging system where the car sits, and tell you what we found before any part is sold.
