# alternator problems maybe????



## Collegegirl01 (Jun 8, 2004)

So, about a month ago I had a new alternator put in my 95 Nissan Altima. Well a couple of days ago, my car died on me while I was driving. It seemed like it would be an alternator problem again. First my radio went out, then my lights began to dim, then my car lost power completely and there I was broke down on the side of the road. I tried to crank the car, it didn't turn over. So the next day I went to go get my car and I started it right back up and drove it about 30 miles where I got my car worked on the first time. So I tell them everything that went wrong, and they checked everything out and said I had a bad battery. All I am wondering is, why would my car die on me while I am driving it if it was a bad battery. And how did it make it 30 miles on a bad battery? This is also the same battery that was replaced just a month ago with my new alternator. So being a girl, I don't know what to say and I just say okay, give me a new one and they did. Well I am back home safe and sound but I am worried this might happend again. Does anyone know if this could be something different than a battery or alternator?


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

I would check out the alternator output in a charging system test. Take it back to the shop that installed it to have them run the test to verify the condition of the alternator. Under a high load condition (i.e. at night with the lights, radio, heater or A/C) a battery which is going bad could cause more draw on the alternator than its rated output because it is not storing the energy as it should. When you came back the next day the battery only had to start the car which it sufficient capacity for at that time but eventually it wouldn't have done anything at all. The reason I think you should get the charging system output checked is because many times a bad battery can cause the premature failure of the alternator because it is working hard all the time to try to charge the battery and burns up internally. Which may have been the reason your alternator went out before.
I hope this helps...

Troy


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## stanzarox (Jun 8, 2004)

On a similair note, for some reason my clock is extremely bright sometimes. . .like it should be. But other times it is hardly noticeable if not there at all. I'm thinking it may be a loose connection, but heres where the problem comes in. When I turn my lights on if the clock is present at all it dims. It had a battery put in about 2 months ago so it shouldn't be that. Any ideas guys?


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

Actually your problem with the clock is typical with older cars. The LCD just gets old and sometimes it can be a simple resoldering of the joints inside but most of the time it is much easier just to get a new one and replace it.

Troy


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