With winter weather coming, vehicles tend to suffer, the most general scenario is to have troubles starting your Nissan Xterra in the morning with very low temperatures. Generally speaking this is related to problems recharging the battery of your Nissan Xterra . There are several factors that can show you why your battery does not recharge properly anymore, and in this article we will try to help you to solve this problem that can prevent you from using your car. To get this done, first we will show you how recharging your car battery functions, then the different problems of recharging a Nissan Xterra, and finally how to recharge an empty car battery.

charging-problem-battery-nissan-xterra

How does recharging the battery of a Nissan Xterra function?

Before we summarize the different problems of recharging the battery on a Nissan Xterra , we will show you to you how its recharging system works so that you can figure out the problems you are facing. A car battery functions like a phone battery, it will store energy to start your Nissan Xterra , turn on your headlights, play music, lower your power windows… However all these actions will consume energy and it may deplete the energy reserve that your battery can store. To overcome this problem, the engineers have developed a component called the alternator , this component will use the energy produced by the engine of your Nissan Xterra to create energy thanks to a copper coil and a magnet. This energy will recharge the battery of your car . However, bear in mind that this process can just work when your car is running, using electrical elements of your car when it is stopped will drain the energy reserve of your car. It is considered that a battery of a xxx has a life span of 3 to 5 years.

Problems recharging a Nissan Xterra’s battery

We will now describe the different battery charging problems on a Nissan Xterra you might be victim of. If your battery is not recharging because there is actually a problem in your electrical set up, we will now see the different cases.

Battery charging problem on Nissan Xterra: My battery is discharging regardless if I am recharging it with a specific charger

In this first case, it is quite possible that your alternator is dead , indeed, if you control to recharge your battery with a charger and your Nissan Xterra to start, the problem most certainly comes from your alternator which should not be able to create any more current.

Battery charging problem on Nissan Xterra: My car shuts off and does not start regardless if I have charged the battery

If you have recharged your battery and you have been able to start your Nissan Xterra but it switches off although you are driving and then does not start, the issue with recharging the battery of your Nissan Xterra is that your battery no longer holds the charge .

Battery charging problem on Nissan Xterra: My battery is discharged nevertheless it is new

.
If you’ve just bought a battery and it discharges although you’re driving, the problem most likely comes from your alternator. It cannot result from your battery, which is new and therefore holds the charge. The second opportunity is that you have a ground somewhere in your electrical system.

How to solve the problem of battery charging on Nissan Xterra?

We will now give you the solutions according to the problem you are facing. Here are the different problems and their solutions:

  • Faulty alternator: You can try with basic mechanics to check it with a pressure gauge to see if it’s producing power. If it doesn’t, changing it is the best solution, based on your motor you will pay a few hundred euros. This repair is feasible in the event that your alternator is accessible.
  • Battery that no longer holds the charge: In this case, the purchase of a new battery is the just realistic solution. Obviously, if you have already recharged it but it is still empty because it is good to be changed, count between 60 and 100 euros based on your engine.
  • Ground in the electrical circuit: If you cannot start your Nissan Xterra but your alternator and battery are in good condition, it is possible that you have a ground on your wiring harness and that you lose energy, a check by a car electrician is in such a case necessary.

How to recharge an empty battery of a Nissan Xterra

Finally, to recharge the empty battery of a Nissan Xterra there are just few solutions, using a battery charger is the most efficient solution, you can locate some for 50 to 100 euros at vendors like Oscaro. Otherwise you can use cables that will just provide the energy needed to begin.

If you want more guides on the Nissan Xterra, go to our Nissan Xterra category.