hey guys. so I was driving around in my 2006 r53 mcs. as I stopped at a traffic light, when I rolled off, the red battery light came on, then all of the sudden all of the lights came on, cel, abs, even seatbelts lol. and the sat nav screen flickered and then went completely black, air con was on but the lights went off but the stereo was still working fine, and the power steering pump just turned off I guess? so I cut the ignition ( while rolling) and I started it again and it did the same thing. so I pulled over at a parking lot, tried turning it off completely for a minute then I turned it back on, everything is fine and the power steering seems like it went back on again, and I could still hear the steering whine. so I decided to see if the battery got disconnected or anything. and when I did that, I found that the sponge thingy-lid that's before the battery was completely soaked and actually dropping some water drops.. what should I do? I'm clueless at this point.. do I have to take it somewhere and check it or do I just keep driving it? thanks guys.

 

and FYI, I just got it a little over a month ago and it has almost 194k miles.

 

Sounds like the crank pulley failed and when you thought it was a battery issue you coincendently found a water leak in the back. The water leak is usually from the sunroof drain tube, the third brake light, or the hatch handle.

 

yeah that's what I thought but I couldn't find any leaks anywhere..? weird.
anyways, I took it to autozone and they checked the battery and stuff, the computer thingy said that the alternator *something* voltage wasn't going to the battery. so I guess the alternator failed?
what does the pulley have to do with it?

 

Crank pulley....it what transfers the motion of the engine to the belt...stock desgin has 2 metal parts, with a rubber middle....the rubber in the middle fails....kinda like dry rot...and it tears...
When it started to slip, the alternator stops, the ac stops, the sc stops, and the waterpump stops....
With no alternator running, the PS pump turns off as it is made too to extend driving time if the alternator fails....
By shutting off the car, the load on the pulley was reduced, and it "gripped"....and everything was ok, lights out...but in a higher load situation, like ac on, lights on and starting to have the sc make boost it will happen again....and worsen rapidly....usually the car needs to be towed to the repair shop.
Sometimes you get a day or two...but watch out...when it goes the car CANNOT BE DRIVEN. IT MUST BE TOWED, AND STOP DRIVING ASAP. trying to drive it might cause huge $$$ in extra items, like a headgasket, or worse once it fails.

 

oh well I guess I'm gonna have to take it to a garage tmw:( thanks for your help man.

any recommended garages in Ohio?

 

Here's a list of shops in the Akron area. Hope this helps.

http://www.minirepairshops.com/near/akron-oh/

 

yeah thanks man! that helps a lot!
gonna give crooked river a call this morning and see how it goes