Alternator Issues
Thread Starter
Newbie - Just Registered
Joined: Nov 2024
Posts: 2
Alternator Issues
Hey All,
New to the forum, new to owning a maxima.
Been having an issue with my 2016 Maxima SV.
Backstory:
Bought the car used in July, then 7 days later the alternator **** the bed on me and put the car into limp mode, then completely died and wouldn’t turn back on.
Took it to Nissan, $200+ later, they said nothing is wrong with it.
Took it to another shop, they replaced the alternator and I didn’t have any issues for 3 months or so.
Then one night, it happened again. Car went into limp mode, then died and wouldn’t turn back on.
Brought it back to the shop that changed the alternator last time, they looked at it and the alternator was ruined again. The entire inside of it was melted apparently.
After running a bunch of tests on it, they couldn’t replicate the issue, but they believe that the fuse box was sending too much of a current back to the alternator, causing it to fry.
The mechanic told me that for some reason Nissan has the computer control the alternator in order to control fuel efficiency or something, while alternators already have a sort of system inside of them already that is used to control them.
So what he has done is replace the alternator, and he unhooked the connector between the fuse box and the alternator so the alternator can manage itself without intervention from the cars computer.
Whether this can be considered a fix or not, remains to be seen.
I want to take it to Nissan for further diagnostics, but as I said before, when I did that last time, they told me nothing was wrong, took my money, and sent me on my way.
Has anyone else had this issue? There has to be something in the car that’s frying my alternators. I’ve read online an alternator should last 8 years or so. I just burned through one in 3 months. And yes, the alternator I burned through was OEM.
Does anyone have any insight here?
Thanks in advance.
New to the forum, new to owning a maxima.
Been having an issue with my 2016 Maxima SV.
Backstory:
Bought the car used in July, then 7 days later the alternator **** the bed on me and put the car into limp mode, then completely died and wouldn’t turn back on.
Took it to Nissan, $200+ later, they said nothing is wrong with it.
Took it to another shop, they replaced the alternator and I didn’t have any issues for 3 months or so.
Then one night, it happened again. Car went into limp mode, then died and wouldn’t turn back on.
Brought it back to the shop that changed the alternator last time, they looked at it and the alternator was ruined again. The entire inside of it was melted apparently.
After running a bunch of tests on it, they couldn’t replicate the issue, but they believe that the fuse box was sending too much of a current back to the alternator, causing it to fry.
The mechanic told me that for some reason Nissan has the computer control the alternator in order to control fuel efficiency or something, while alternators already have a sort of system inside of them already that is used to control them.
So what he has done is replace the alternator, and he unhooked the connector between the fuse box and the alternator so the alternator can manage itself without intervention from the cars computer.
Whether this can be considered a fix or not, remains to be seen.
I want to take it to Nissan for further diagnostics, but as I said before, when I did that last time, they told me nothing was wrong, took my money, and sent me on my way.
Has anyone else had this issue? There has to be something in the car that’s frying my alternators. I’ve read online an alternator should last 8 years or so. I just burned through one in 3 months. And yes, the alternator I burned through was OEM.
Does anyone have any insight here?
Thanks in advance.
Newbie - Just Registered
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 2
Alternator Issues
Yes! I have had my alternator changed 3 times in a year. The second and third time was only a week apart. I am still having issues with it hesitating at times and after 2 shop bills and a dealership shop bill all of them totaling $2400, my maxima still doesn’t work as it should.
Nissan knows there are issues with the car losing power and hesitating but won’t do anything about it.
QUOTE=youngdenzel;9261159]Hey All,
New to the forum, new to owning a maxima.
Been having an issue with my 2016 Maxima SV.
Backstory:
Bought the car used in July, then 7 days later the alternator **** the bed on me and put the car into limp mode, then completely died and wouldn’t turn back on.
Took it to Nissan, $200+ later, they said nothing is wrong with it.
Took it to another shop, they replaced the alternator and I didn’t have any issues for 3 months or so.
Then one night, it happened again. Car went into limp mode, then died and wouldn’t turn back on.
Brought it back to the shop that changed the alternator last time, they looked at it and the alternator was ruined again. The entire inside of it was melted apparently.
After running a bunch of tests on it, they couldn’t replicate the issue, but they believe that the fuse box was sending too much of a current back to the alternator, causing it to fry.
The mechanic told me that for some reason Nissan has the computer control the alternator in order to control fuel efficiency or something, while alternators already have a sort of system inside of them already that is used to control them.
So what he has done is replace the alternator, and he unhooked the connector between the fuse box and the alternator so the alternator can manage itself without intervention from the cars computer.
Whether this can be considered a fix or not, remains to be seen.
I want to take it to Nissan for further diagnostics, but as I said before, when I did that last time, they told me nothing was wrong, took my money, and sent me on my way.
Has anyone else had this issue? There has to be something in the car that’s frying my alternators. I’ve read online an alternator should last 8 years or so. I just burned through one in 3 months. And yes, the alternator I burned through was OEM.
Does anyone have any insight here?
Thanks in advance.[/QUOTE]
Nissan knows there are issues with the car losing power and hesitating but won’t do anything about it.
QUOTE=youngdenzel;9261159]Hey All,
New to the forum, new to owning a maxima.
Been having an issue with my 2016 Maxima SV.
Backstory:
Bought the car used in July, then 7 days later the alternator **** the bed on me and put the car into limp mode, then completely died and wouldn’t turn back on.
Took it to Nissan, $200+ later, they said nothing is wrong with it.
Took it to another shop, they replaced the alternator and I didn’t have any issues for 3 months or so.
Then one night, it happened again. Car went into limp mode, then died and wouldn’t turn back on.
Brought it back to the shop that changed the alternator last time, they looked at it and the alternator was ruined again. The entire inside of it was melted apparently.
After running a bunch of tests on it, they couldn’t replicate the issue, but they believe that the fuse box was sending too much of a current back to the alternator, causing it to fry.
The mechanic told me that for some reason Nissan has the computer control the alternator in order to control fuel efficiency or something, while alternators already have a sort of system inside of them already that is used to control them.
So what he has done is replace the alternator, and he unhooked the connector between the fuse box and the alternator so the alternator can manage itself without intervention from the cars computer.
Whether this can be considered a fix or not, remains to be seen.
I want to take it to Nissan for further diagnostics, but as I said before, when I did that last time, they told me nothing was wrong, took my money, and sent me on my way.
Has anyone else had this issue? There has to be something in the car that’s frying my alternators. I’ve read online an alternator should last 8 years or so. I just burned through one in 3 months. And yes, the alternator I burned through was OEM.
Does anyone have any insight here?
Thanks in advance.[/QUOTE]
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 22
Ipdm
Yes! I have had my alternator changed 3 times in a year. The second and third time was only a week apart. I am still having issues with it hesitating at times and after 2 shop bills and a dealership shop bill all of them totaling $2400, my maxima still doesn’t work as it should.
Nissan knows there are issues with the car losing power and hesitating but won’t do anything about it.
QUOTE=youngdenzel;9261159]Hey All,
New to the forum, new to owning a maxima.
Been having an issue with my 2016 Maxima SV.
Backstory:
Bought the car used in July, then 7 days later the alternator **** the bed on me and put the car into limp mode, then completely died and wouldn’t turn back on.
Took it to Nissan, $200+ later, they said nothing is wrong with it.
Took it to another shop, they replaced the alternator and I didn’t have any issues for 3 months or so.
Then one night, it happened again. Car went into limp mode, then died and wouldn’t turn back on.
Brought it back to the shop that changed the alternator last time, they looked at it and the alternator was ruined again. The entire inside of it was melted apparently.
After running a bunch of tests on it, they couldn’t replicate the issue, but they believe that the fuse box was sending too much of a current back to the alternator, causing it to fry.
The mechanic told me that for some reason Nissan has the computer control the alternator in order to control fuel efficiency or something, while alternators already have a sort of system inside of them already that is used to control them.
So what he has done is replace the alternator, and he unhooked the connector between the fuse box and the alternator so the alternator can manage itself without intervention from the cars computer.
Whether this can be considered a fix or not, remains to be seen.
I want to take it to Nissan for further diagnostics, but as I said before, when I did that last time, they told me nothing was wrong, took my money, and sent me on my way.
Has anyone else had this issue? There has to be something in the car that’s frying my alternators. I’ve read online an alternator should last 8 years or so. I just burned through one in 3 months. And yes, the alternator I burned through was OEM.
Does anyone have any insight here?
Thanks in advance.
Nissan knows there are issues with the car losing power and hesitating but won’t do anything about it.
QUOTE=youngdenzel;9261159]Hey All,
New to the forum, new to owning a maxima.
Been having an issue with my 2016 Maxima SV.
Backstory:
Bought the car used in July, then 7 days later the alternator **** the bed on me and put the car into limp mode, then completely died and wouldn’t turn back on.
Took it to Nissan, $200+ later, they said nothing is wrong with it.
Took it to another shop, they replaced the alternator and I didn’t have any issues for 3 months or so.
Then one night, it happened again. Car went into limp mode, then died and wouldn’t turn back on.
Brought it back to the shop that changed the alternator last time, they looked at it and the alternator was ruined again. The entire inside of it was melted apparently.
After running a bunch of tests on it, they couldn’t replicate the issue, but they believe that the fuse box was sending too much of a current back to the alternator, causing it to fry.
The mechanic told me that for some reason Nissan has the computer control the alternator in order to control fuel efficiency or something, while alternators already have a sort of system inside of them already that is used to control them.
So what he has done is replace the alternator, and he unhooked the connector between the fuse box and the alternator so the alternator can manage itself without intervention from the cars computer.
Whether this can be considered a fix or not, remains to be seen.
I want to take it to Nissan for further diagnostics, but as I said before, when I did that last time, they told me nothing was wrong, took my money, and sent me on my way.
Has anyone else had this issue? There has to be something in the car that’s frying my alternators. I’ve read online an alternator should last 8 years or so. I just burned through one in 3 months. And yes, the alternator I burned through was OEM.
Does anyone have any insight here?
Thanks in advance.
I had the same issues. Changed the negative battery cable/post, changed the battery, and then after 3 melted alternators (bought from O'Reilly's) my mechanic isolated the problem to the IPDM. Once replaced, the problem went away.
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