Just bought a loaded 97 SE 5-speed with 126K miles from a reseller on Saturday. Car drove great when I test drove it, besides needing a slight alignment, new tires, and a fog light. Took it home yesterday and it drove great. Went to home depot this morning in it and about halfway there it started acting a little wierd. It was raining and the wipers were moving REALLY slowly, the "air bag" light started blinking, and the car started having trouble accelerating and bucked at slow speed...got stuck at a long stoplight and it started idling rough...the tach would jump around instead of moving smoothly and the clock and the radio lettering was getting really dim. Next thing I know...it dies...and won't restart...battery is drained.

My first thought is alternator...because after the car sits off for a while the battery recovers some charge. Anybody done an alternator recently...any tips?? I've got a FSM from a 2001 max so I'm assuming that changing the alternator should be VERY similiar.

Any input would be GREATLY appreciated.

same thing happened to me after i got my car....but that was after i put my 2 15's with a 1600 watt amp in there but yah the tach starts jumping around like crazy and all the lights start blinking ..yah same shyt happened to me it was the alternator in my case... get a multi meter and test the alternator..... a normal 1 shud be around 14.8 and when i tested mine it was around 11.27 so just test it and u shud know if tahts the problem

hey welcome back, yea check out the alternator, and updaet us when you find out! oh and check the midwest forums since your from il!

Welcome back Brian.

wb, alt seems to be the problem. Also, while you are in there, look for power steering leaks, PS fluid kills alternators ...

The car doesn't leak anything thank god...I checked all that out before I bought it.

my PS didn't look like it leaked when i bought the car. bah!
it sound like your alternator without a doubt. i'd bet 50 bucks on it.

since its a '97 the alternator should have a recall on it.

that all depends on the manufacturing date.


and welcome back to the 4th gen family. I think you were getting out as I was coming into the 4th gen community.

Just had my recall done today. Check the vin # if it falls into the recall range, and if it does, have the dealership replace it.

Welcome back Brian. It's definitely the alternator. Replace that bish.

step ahead of you guys...it DOESN'T fall in the range...

Welcome back, check alternator regardless.. sounds suspect. to alternator failure

Welcome back Bri - confused as to why you've got 2 cars now but anyway...

I'll go with the masses and say alt too. If you're comfortable pullin it just take to to Autozone for a check. Also try checking the fusible links by the battery. Have you had a chance to check any voltages at the battery yet?

got the max as a daily driver because I'm putting a TT kit on the Z...

pulled the alternator last night...took it to 4 different auto parts stores and NONE of them could test the damn thing. Murray's told me they didn't have the connector...and Autozone and carquest told me that it "can't be tested by their equipment"....anyway..the bearings were going on the old one anyway...so I bought a new one and I'm going to go put it in right now.

hey man glad you are back, you left the org about when i joined. 350z and a 4th gen maxima, sounds like a combo !

They're right. They don't have the equipment to test our alts(go figure) but they sell them.

Now taking bets on Brians beater vs my beater. We'll call me the champion and him the challenger. My car will be the white one with flaking paint, his will be the green car with no alternator. As soon as the tracks open, only on Pay Per View.

You're going down bish....