We had a car with a bad battery cell and it acted strange too. Replaced it with a Walmart battery and all our problems went away. It almost sounds like your alternator is not generating the correct voltage to charge the battery. I would have the alternator or belts checked out.Hello! First post and I couldn't find anything addressing this particular issue in the threads. I have a manual transmission 2007 Versa hatchback that in the past 9 months I have replaced both the starter and the fuel pump.
Three days ago the lights for the battery and my hand brake started flashing on when I would get over 2500rpms and would stay on if I went over 3000rpms. I figured it was some kind of short, but didn't have time to look for it (beyond a cursory check of the engine compartment and underbody).
On Friday (8/9/13) I drove about 200 miles up north. The lights were on, but other than that I had no problem. On my drive back yesterday it was doing the same thing, but after I went about 100 miles, the engine just cut out. I was on the freeway going about 70mph. I down-shifted as I moved to the right shoulder, and when I got into 3rd it started up again. Went a few more miles and it happened again. I was 7 miles from the nearest exit, so I drove about 12mph on the shoulder while the car continued to hiccup on and off. After a few minutes of this, the lights on the dash started to flicker on and off when the car would die. I never had to actually re-start it though, it would just go again. I made it to the turn off, but stopped my car before getting on it because I new that I wouldn't make it up the ramp. Got towed to a BP station that did repairs and when they looked at it they told me that one of the cells in the battery had a short. They replaced the battery ($190!!! Highway robbery!), but as soon as I got in to drive away, the car wouldn't start again. It cranked, but wouldn't catch. We pushed it back into the bay, and as soon as the mechanic tried to start it, it worked just fine. So I got back in and started driving home. About 50 miles in the lights on the dash lights came on again. I made it home, thank goodness. This afternoon when I was heading out, I had to try 4 times before the engine would actually start. During the 10 miles I drove however, the dash lights never came on. Any ideas what I should even begin looking at??
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There was slight corrosion on the battery terminals, but not an excessive amount. The problem is, it's still happening - even with clean terminals and a new battery. I'm stumped and really don't want to or have the know-how to chase an electrical problem around. Thanks for your insights 
That was my first thought, but the mechanics said they tested the alternator and it was working fine. I'll probably get that checked out tomorrow to make sure. I checked the belts while I was waiting for the tow truck and they seem ok. Thanks
Maybe the Mass Air Flow Sensor ( MAF)That was my first thought, but the mechanics said they tested the alternator and it was working fine. I'll probably get that checked out tomorrow to make sure. I checked the belts while I was waiting for the tow truck and they seem ok. Thanks
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