Jake91s

Im looking for answers here because i have a 2001 nissan maxima that i have just put a newer alternator in. the issue i'm having is that after getting that sucker shoe horned back in place and driving it around all day i stopped off at my brothers house turned it off and came back to a dead battery. no lights or accessories where on including the trunk light(i know because the seats had been folded down) i have full functionality out of my climate control fan speed switch so no short there. my brother jumped me off his truck and it started up bus as soon as we disconnected it from the cables it died. I learned how to work on cars from the old school, when i first installed the alternator i had the battery charging out of the car. it was reading 12.5V when that went back in the car as well. i tightened the terminals down started up the car and it ran beautifully. I was told told tho it might not always be the right way in order to test an alternator to disconnect the positive terminal from the battery and if the car is still running the alternator is okay. the damn car kept running when i did that. i didn't keep running with the alternator that caused me to think it needed replacing. i didn't stop there to, i took the "bad alternator" to advance auto to have them test it and it failed the test so i got the one thats in the car now. im so confused:b awling:

Fakie J Farkerton

iTrader: (51)

How old is the battery?
Have you charged it since it went dead?

It's very common to get several new bad alternators, some will even test ok, but fail on your car.

Try a different parts store if the current one keeps giving you junk.
Good luck.

The_Fixer

iTrader: (1)

Check that 100a fuse at the battery terminal

george__

iTrader: (1)

It might be a crap alternator... The one in the car I drive lasted about 3 months and had to get replaced under warranty

Jake91s

okay so that is a fuse, the last person to own this broke the plastic top off and pinched it together

mazda626es

iTrader: (1)

Ouch, because you should be getting, i believe 14.1 to 14.5 with the alternator. Did you buy a new alternator or a remanufactured one?

nh02max

Similar issue w my 02 maxima. Had a batter put in around 120K (original was still under warranty). last week at 216K alternator quit, had no choice and had to have an aftermarket put in... now can feel the draw from just putting the windows down. Sounds like aftermarket alternators aren't worth the risk... esp if you do long trips. OEM gives you parts & labor warranty

Also had replaced the original alternator 7 months ago... seems they should last longer than that... about 30K, doesn't come close to the original