Yup, just joined the dead alternator club. Lost all charging capability, everything went dead on my way home in snow on Saturday. Most likely going to replace my failed stock alternator with a 185 or 270 depending on price. Where can one find a supplier that has them in stock at a good price
View 14 RepliesI have a 05 EB Excursion 6.0L and I am on my third alternator. Just bought the third and I have 113K miles on the Excursion. No extra electronic just a set of backup lights. What is making the alternators go out. The second on lasted about 4 years and the first one 5 years. I have added extra wire from the alternator to the batteries.
View 10 RepliesCar started losing electrical power on the way home from work last week. Dim lights, blower stopped, wipers stop, almost stalled out when getting off the interstate. Barely made it home. 30 minutes later went out to troubleshoot and it started right up. Ran for about 2 minutes and stalled out from lack of electricity. Put voltmeter to alternator and it seemed to only be putting out 8.5v. Took to store to have tested. Replaced alternator and it didn't work. Reman alternator still seemed to only be putting out 8.5v or so.
Checked fuses and cleaned battery terminal and verified good block ground and good body ground. Still having problem. 1996 Taurus. What next? Battery is exactly 2 yrs old and was putting out 11.6 when the problem first started last week. Due to cold and this existing issue, battery is only at 6.5v right now. Can jump the car, but then after removing jumper cables car dies in 30 seconds. Should I have the battery tested? What else could/should I be looking at?
I have a 98 Subaru Legacy wagon and have replaced alternator FIVE times in last 7 months or so -- originally my mechanic (who has been awesome & doing all the replacements for free) thought the parts were defective, but last one came from a different supplier and only a month or so after installing, my car just died at a light this morning. Battery not drained, and mechanic was able to start it after had it towed there. What can it be?
FYI, bought the car used two years ago, so don't know whole history, but was fine for first year or so. The first time I lost power, I think it really was the alternator (and snapped belt), so I don't know if something happened or something was not reconnected correctly. (First time it broke was on a Saturday and my regular mechanic was closed to went to someone not very good -- and if this is useful info beyond just complaining, when this guy put in the new alternator, he didn't connect it to the battery, so I stalled out within hours of the "repair.")
My mechanic is stumped and I am at a loss -- don't want to sink a bunch of money in if this is the beginning of the end of the car (mileage is just over 100k, though, so seems to young to die), but need a bit more reliability.
Yesterday my 2002 Ford Focus SE Zetec wagon (140k) died at a stoplight. Before that, the radio would turn off and on like it was possessed. The last five miles before it conked out, the fuel gauge and speedometer dropped to zero (ie same as with key-out). Waited two hours and was able to drive it two blocks home but the same symptoms w/instruments occurred. Battery measured 12.0v @ home. The alternator is the first suspect but what else should get replaced? Any guesses as for cost? DIY or take it to a shop?
View 17 RepliesIn January, I had the alternator replaced on my 2004 Focus after it died in the middle of the street. It's been fine since then, but yesterday I was driving it and it suddenly seemed to lose power - the dashboard battery light came on, there was the dinging noise that indicates that a seatbelt is unbuckled or the headlights have been left on when you open the door, and the fuel needle dropped to empty (even though the tank was 3/4 full.) Then everything kicked back on. Then it happened again. This cycle repeated three or four times. I parked the car, restarted it, and after that it was okay. BUT - I have two long trips coming up, to remote areas of the Rockies, and I want to make sure it's okay before setting off on these journeys.
It seemed like the alternator was bad, or maybe there was a loose connection, but I took it to the mechanic and he couldn't detect anything wrong. The alternator is under warranty, so he's suggesting that I just replace it, but also wants to run "other tests" to see what's going on.
Of possible relevance: it's been pretty cold out here for the past week (-5 F), I don't drive the car that much, and it was the first time I'd started it in several days. The heat and radio were both on when I started it. I left it running in neutral while I scraped off the windows, which I usually don't do. Generally I scrape off the windows first, then get in, start, and just drive. Sometimes it's sluggish in the cold when I do this, but usually it's fine.
Is it possible that this was just the cold? I'm wary of getting into a situation where the mechanic starts finding a bunch of stuff wrong with it that isn't actually wrong.
I was messing with the battery in my 200 Ford Ranger the other day and must of arc something. I know this because after plugging my battery back up my radio fuse was blown and my alternator was killed. I replaces the radio fuse, that works now, and got a new remanufacted alternator (tested mine at Advance it was dead). I installed it and nothing changed. The battery still wasn't charging. I know the battery is good because I tested it at Advance Auto. I took the alternator back and the shop replaced it with another remanufacted one. Same thing, installed it and the battery doesn't charge.
This time I took the alt back off and had it tested at Advance. The alt was dead. So I don't know if the part store gave me TWO bad alternators or if my truck is killing them. I find it hard to believe it could kill them immediately but my automotive knowledge is not that vast. I took the second (third counting my original) dead alternator back and they gave me a brand new one no extra charge. So I don't want to put a brand new alt in my truck and it kill this one too because I doubt they will give me a fourth one. What is going on? Could it just be as simple as I got two bad eggs?
This problem has been happening on and off to my a car for about a year. When I start my car I'll begin to hear this screeching sound coming from under the hood. When I go to drive it the sound get's worse, especially with acceleration. However, after I make a turn or hit the "sweet spot" it goes away. This usually happens at night, which makes me think it's some sort of water/condensation building up on the serpentine belts which are rubbing together creating friction of some kind. Today however was unusual because as I parked my car at school I accidentally left the head lamps on and the battery died. Got someone to jump start me and right as I started the engine...that horrible screeching sound started. I am guessing this is because the alternator had to work harder to get power to the battery? I am not sure. Wondering what I can do to fix this problem.
View 5 RepliesI have a 99 volkswagon passat. I've replaced the alternator once a month for the last three months. Other than the belt, what could cause me to go through alternators so quickly. Also, this may or may not be related but as the alternator deteriorates my drivers side window which is automatic becomes more difficult to roll down. Then works perfectly after the alternator is replaced.
View 12 RepliesI recently bought a 1969 chevy c10 pickup. I have been having problems with the electrical system, the battery consistently going dead despite a new battery and alternator installed by the previous owner. Is there a step-by-step for diagnosis of this problem?
View 3 RepliesI currently own a 2002 Hyundai sonata that was purchased brand new I have mostly kept up with the general maintenance spark plugs, air filters, oil changes, etc. but have been lenient on some of the less noticeable things such as belts background history: my car's alternator has tested fine at multiple places (Walmart and advance auto parts) but when I had tested it, it had only produced around 30 amps when it was built to producing about 90, i assume this is because of a bad diode.
I thought i could just use it until it completely died (despite the fact that it could harm my battery) because I'm still in school and cant afford a lot at the moment, but last night when I was driving home (it was wet out with deep puddles) and I drove through a rather deep puddle with a lot of water getting into the engine compartment. (i have driven this car through many puddles some making a much larger splash, with no problems what so ever.) shortly after I left for work and my batter light was on, I tried different things like turning the AC on high to see if they worked better at high revaluations to find out whether it was the battery or the alternator, as it turns out the fan maintained a constant speed and after work my car started.
I got about 20 feet and it died, my Friend came to charge my car but when he jumped me, the alternator started working again even though not 30 minutes ago it was not, the same thing happened to me today (same puddle same rout) the alternator didn't work going to work and it miraculously did when i went home my alternator is obviously bad and needs to be changed, but is it the alternator causing this problem, or something else?
So, the alternator in my 2000 Mitz Galant just went out and my dad and I changed it, now when I drive my car sometimes the brake and battery lights come on while I'm driving and come on and blink with my turn signals (both of them). It is an intermittent problem, and I took it to Advanced and they said everything looked fine. what's wrong with my car?
View 1 RepliesWhile jumping dead battery , there was horrible noise and smoke -- mechanic replaced alternator and the cooked battery. The 2000 Accord not used much, but after replacements , it was started and run regularly in driveway. But when driven light indicated battery not charging. Alternator replaced again. Car started fine several times, then was dead one morning after having been driven day before. Jumped again. No problem starting and running car for about a month. Drove car uneventfully about 20 miles. Next morning battery was dead again.
This time when car was jumped, it started fine, but after two minutes, same horrible noise and smoke as before. I do not wish to jump car again, but it seems unlikely that there would be two bad alternators in a row. Also it is curious that problem occurs after car has been driven but not when is run while sitting in driveway. What are likely causes for energy drain? Is a "specialist" on electrical circuitry called for? I have used this mechanic before with good results and AAA trusts him.
every few days, the battery stops charging and dies.... tested the alternator, and that provides a charge...tested the battery, and that takes a charge... the car runs off the battery or alternator...tested and replaced all wires between alternator and battery... cannot figure out what is wrong.
View 9 RepliesI bought my 2014 Corolla new a little over 3 years ago. Yesterday, when I was leaving work to head home I went to start my car and I was just met with my starter making a loud buzzing noise. My lights in my car, car fob, and etune radio were all working properly, but the car was just not able to start! My coworker told me that he heard of a trick where if you knock on the starter with something while trying to start it, it might give it enough of a kick to get going. Whether or not it was coincidence, it did work.
I was able to drive home, about 15 minutes (still daylight, did not need car lights), with no trouble. When I got home I turned my car off and waited for a few seconds and tried to start again. It worked, but it sounded like it struggled. I did it one more time and it failed with that same noise again. I resolved that I would just go get a new battery in the morning.
In the morning, my car was able to start, albeit with some struggle again. I made it all the way to work, and over lunch I was able to start it again and drive it to AutoZone to have them test the battery starter alternator. They told me the battery was too depleted to test it, so I went across the street to Walmart and bought a new battery. After replacing it, the car started like a champ as expected, and I drove back to Autozone to have them test my alternator and starter. The starter came back good, but they said that there was a fault in the test with the alternator. I gave them my old battery and asked them to trickle charge and test it just to see if it happened to still be a good battery that was just losing charge, or if it really was just a dying battery.
I have a '96 Honda Civic DX model, manual transmission. I replaced the battery, sparkplugs, distributor last summer. Yesterday, hottest day yet this spring, my car wouldn't start. When cranked, the lights came on the dash, the fuel line was running, the check engine light blinked, but then no ignition. Left it overnight, started up fine this morning. Took it to a shop,Mechanic said battery and alternator were good and a replaced starter later, I took it home. Driving home, the idle dropped way too low (no tach) and almost stalled the car (battery light came on) when I pushed in the clutch. Now when I turn it on, it starts, idles regular, then the idle drops again.
View 3 RepliesSo I have a very confusing problem. In my 92 Chevy Astro the battery occasionally stops charging runs down and dies while I am driving and will not restart via jump but must be fully charged. This first happened a couple months and several thousand miles ago but has occurred 3 times in the last two weeks. Both the battery and the alternator have checked out good, and the alternator belt is tight as a drum. What could this possibly be?
View 6 Repliestonight at 1am: I put the key in and turn the ignition, no start, no click, no dashboard warning lights, no nothing. headlights don't turn on at allearlier in the afternoon - didn't check headlights, but no start, no click, no dashboard warning lights. Sliding 1 key into the ignition gave me a somewhat steady buzzing sound from the car, the kind you get to indicate something electrical is happening (I guess that's what it's for.
I wish I were mechanically inclined.) Sliding the other key into the ignition gave me a much more sporadic buzzing sound. Like metal wasn't making contact, when it should. A few hours previous in the morning - car wasn't starting as described above. Someone pushes the car back from the front so we can make way for another car, to come in and give me a jump. I put the car in neutral, and notice that the dashboard lights and buzzer is on, so on a hunch, I try to start the car in neutral and it starts right up. I drive it to the home driveway, no problem.
2 days ago, I bought the car. A 97 nissan sentra. What it could be? Again, never a clicking sound when starting the car to indicate dead battery. I'm familiar with that.
My 2004 Honda Accord wouldn't start this morning. Immobilization indicator was blinking. After a bit, it started just fine, as the indicator stopped blinking. My thinking at this time was that it had rained torrentially the previous night, maybe some moisture had got into the circuitry and caused a little 'hiccup.' Then, as I drove, about 5 minutes later, the car started trying to stall. The check engine light came on, then the battery light came on and flashed. The engine ran erratically. Both check engine and battery lights started blinking erratically. At one point the dash beeped at me, like the warning sound it makes when the emergency brake is on while the car is moving. This got worse as I drove. I pulled over to the nearest shop. 2 hours of looking at the car, they said the camshaft sensor and the alternator needed to be replaced. .
View 9 RepliesI have an 04 Limited, 4x4, 6.0 PSD. Over the past couple of years I have had a issue with the AC control head inside the cab. Every so often there will be no power to the head but when you turn off the vehicle and restart it comes right back on. It happens about once every 6 months.
View 2 RepliesI bought a nice 2000 Excursion with the 6.8 V-10 a few weeks ago, and got it really cheap because it had a few things the previous owner just couldn't figure out.
One issue the PO couldn't resolve is the passenger side rear window--he recently spent money having all new lock actuators and window motors put in because a couple of them had quit working, but the right rear still won't go down and he didn't want to spend any more $$ figuring out why. All other windows function normally, and I believe the right rear would go UP if I could ever get it down because the problem is only with the lowering voltage, not the raising voltage.
First I checked at the right rear motor connection and toggled the right rear door switch--I had 12v to raise, but nothing to lower. I swapped switches with the left rear door, a known good motor and switch...same result. I checked voltage at the INPUT to the RR switch....same result--I get 12v to raise, nothing to lower. So I moved to the next logical place, the master control (drivers door switch). On the output side of the switch, voltage toggles between +12v and -12v as it should to raise and lower. Everything is good from the time it leaves the driver's door switch, so apparently I'm losing my lowering voltage somewhere between the output of the driver's window switch and the input of the rear passenger window switch. I checked for chafing/loose/corroded wiring all the way from the B-pillar to the right rear door switch, a common cause of this symptom, and everything looks fine for that stretch of wiring.