Q: Car dies while idling in neutral and wont turn over without jumpbox even though battery reads 12.4 volts when parked
My girlfriends car is a 99 Subaru outback legacy. The other day on way home from work kept stalling out and wanting to die. Then next day it did die. It wont turn over or crank unless i hook up jump box. Without jump box just clicks. Even tho the battery reads 12.4 volts on battery meter. Once key is turned to start, meter displays nothing and car just clicks. Once key is turned back the battery shows 12.4 volts again. Car will sometimes stay running just fine in park after being jumped, but when idling in neutral at a light it dies. There is a annoying whining noise coming from under the coil pack and a weird electrical burning type smell that's coming through vents. I removed the cables from the battery and hooked em directly to jump box and it starts. But don't know why even with the battery showing over 12 volts won't start. And I'm trying to figure out cause of the car dying while idling in neutral and sometimes in park and feeling like it wants to die other times.
My car has 130000 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.
Even though the battery shows 12 volts does not mean it can have enough power to turn the motor on and will need to be load tested to see if it can. Once the battery is replaced and the cables are cleaned you will need to have the charging system checked to see if alternator needs replaced also. This may be the noise and smell you are getting.
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