About a week ago I noticed my battery light blink on and off a few times. I didn't think much of it, just been watching it ever since. Last night - a minute after starting it - I had a complete electrical failure, headlights dimmed to next to nothing, radio turned off, the engine was DEFINATELY not wanting to run. I could hardly raise the windows in case it rained where I left my car parked. Today I returned to my car to get it towed with my friends AAA( I know, I know... I'm horrible), and found that it ran with no noticable problems. I drove it to a mechanic who said while the tensioner and idle wheel were a little tight, there was absolutely nothing wrong with my car that would cause this. He gave me some facts about amperage coming off the alternater and such which I can't remember exactly. He recomended I do nothing and bring it back when the problem is continuous, or perhaps call a dealer. I called a dealer and he said from my description he wouldn't feel right charging me rediculous dealer rates to tell me nothing is wrong.

Personally, I don't like the idea of driving around a ticking time bomb. I was planning on driving to Pittsburg this weekend, and now I'm too paranoid to go. The thought of getting my car towed off the tunrpike is financially disasterous to say the least. Anyone have ideas I can suggest to the mechanic if I take it somewhere else?

*edit* And why does the forum software keep insertin extra apostophes no matter how many times I edit the out? lol

 

You have a Bad Alternator...Replace it....my daughter had the same problems as you have...I took the Alternator off had the Amps tested at Auto Zone, and replaced it.

 

I hope it's not the alternator, i just got a new one last year and I will be royally pissed off it is.

Well, here's an update. My battery light came on on the way home from work tonight. I downshifted and as long as I kept the rpms above 3k the light stayed off. I would like to think it's a near dead dead battery.... But I would think a good alternator should be able to run the car/lights/radio at an idle even if there is no charge at all in the battery. I'll take it to a different mechanic tomorrow. Is it possible that the charge coming off a bad alternator could fluctuate as it dies? Because the guy yesterday said it was charging with the lights on.

 

[:-]Trust me on this one....You can replace the Battery...But ask yourself this why has my battery getting weak or dead?? Your Alternator is the source to recharge it....Take your car to a local AutoZone or Advance Auto and have your Battery, and Alternator checked.

If your Alternator is bad your Lights, Radio,...etc will act like they are dying...good luck tho