Ok so I'm wondering if my alternator is going dead. I start my car and roll away, roll down my window and it doesn't work after driving for abotu 5 min and I try again, it moves down maybe an inch and then I try to raise it and it goes half an inch. Then after like 20min of driving it rolls down in a stutter manner. And rolls up in the same manner, after 35 min. of driving everythign is fine. I took a reading from my battery when the car was off and it read 12.6v which is 100% Now is my alternator dying, oh nad same goes for the power locks. Sunroof works fine. It's a 98 Maxima SE. Thanks!

 

my alternator died last week, but i didnt have any of those problems

 

My ALT is dying right now and everything works, just the whine in the engine bay, and it has recently gotten louder. Doom is near. My new ALT is en route and should arrive Friday.

Edit, can I spell ALT (was LAT) or what?

DW

 

So do these symptons sound like my alt is dying, I get a whine noise when I start it sometimes, nothing too loud, but it's more almost like a hissing noise.

 

Not really a hiss. Definitely a whine, constant and rising with engine rpms.

DW

 

Sounds like you might have a problem with your electrical wiring or motors in your windows. Do a search, you'll find more info.

 

and is the install a DIY project? if not, how much will that run? thanks

 

i replaced mine 3 weeks ago.Paid $50 for a 95GLE alt(125 Amp)including shipping.

 

Isn't replacing the alt in the max a pain?

Could whine that rises/falls along with the RPMs of the motor be attributed to something like a bad ground, and not necessarily the alternator?

I don't know too much about alternators in general, just a generic concept of how one works. But I had a chat about alternators with a friend of mine's dad that owns a shop specializing on hondas, and rebuilds a lot of 'em....he claimed that you don't really get any sign that an alternator is going bad - when it goes, it just goes.
This is how it happened in my first car, an 85 accord se-i. I noticed symptoms about 5 minutes before the alt died completely.

Just curious, with me putting in my amp/sub soon and all.

 

Sure way to find out, dis-connect the ALT/AC belt and start the car. If the whine is gone, bingo it's the ALT.

DW