EddyG

in my 98GT when i turn the ignition on without starting the car my battery charge is only a little over 1/4 of the way. and when i start the car it drops down to about 1/4 of the way. is it my alternator or my battery. my car also has trouble starting. i think it ay be because of this. what do you think.

stevednmc

Sounds like a bad battery. Get it started and disconnect the battery, if it keeps running your alternator is ok. Have a friend crank the engine while you put a voltmeter across the battery terminals and if the voltage drops below about 10.5 then the battery is most likely dead and needs to be replaced. Or pull the batter and have it checked out at a parts store, they'll do it for free. To get more complicated you could have voltage drop in the starter circuit, a bad ground to the engine block.....but do these tests first to give you a better idea.