Hi all, well been awhile, but I am still having the problem. I have been driving my other vehicle and decided to get back to the LXi since it is warming up now. Well, again been through several batteries and been tested by two other auto parts stores. First one, when the battery light was not one it checked out fine. Then last week when I was out grocery shopping, it started again. This time though I was prepared with another battery in the back in case. So, I did my shopping and right when I was about to get home, I noticed that certain things started to shut down, eg radio, dash lights. The ABS light came on though, which I thought was strange. Also, the instrument panel started flickering, then the vehicle started to hesitate. I pulled in a gas station, turned off the vehicle and tried to start it, no go. I swapped out the batteries, it started, but the battery light was still present. On my way home, I pulled into an AutoZone and had then check it real quick. The guy said I had a bad alternator, saying that the tool could not even register the alternator.
I went ahead and replaced the alternator and belt (it needed it bad). But what do you know, problem still continues. Since my battery was drained, I took it back to Wal-Mart to have them check it out if there was any damage. It checked out good and was fully charged for me. I swapped out the batteries again , still same thing. I left it still for a couple of hours today while I went shopping. My father-in-law called me while I was out and told me he started it and there was no battery light this time.....So after shopping I get home and check on it, it was no longer there. I turned it off, went inside for an hour came back to give it a test drive and then it came back. I did do a check with a voltmeter and there is no parasitic drain on it. I did notice when I was changing the alternator, the wiring on it kinda looked bad, but I didn't know how much to judge it.
So it appears the problem is with a fully charged battery, I can start it and sometimes it will run fine. But once the battery light comes on, it starts to run on the battery and will eventually drain dead. Is there something between the alternator and battery that I should check to see if there is short somewhere? This is seriously getting annoying and need it function properly.