My wife called me while I was at work and said the car was acting up. The airbag light was going on and off as well as the ABS light. Soon after, the engine started loosing power. She turned off the head lights and things returned to normal for a while. She parked the car and went shopping. (of course, spend more $$$) When she came out, the car was dead. She swears the battery light never came on. But it seems that the car was driving on the battery and not getting any juice from the alternator.
AAA towed the car back to our house as I suspected the alternator. I picked one up on the way home ($210 w/$90 core charge) and planned to work on it today. Today, I jump started it and tested the volts at the battery. 14.2 volts while the engine was running. WTF! I let it run for a while and the battery charged up to 12.4 volts and holds. (It's only 10 months old.)
I ran everything, high beams, heater, seat warmers, etc... all at the same time. And with the engine running, it went down to 13.0 volts.
So, this proves the alternator is working. And with a new battery... WTF?
I drove it for a few miles and nothing happened. I'm kinda thankful that I don't ahve to rip out my SC pipes and the unit to get to the damn thing. But I'm kind worried and wondering if any of you have seen or heard of this?

 

Get a new wife...
Let me know how it works out, I've got one that's acting up too!

 

could be a faulty voltage regulator in the alternator. Sometimes when the start to die they work intermittantly. Just a thought.

 

The wife or the car?

 

Beat me to it.

 

I bet it's internal, right?

Now she just said that sometimes the battery light would come on when she first starts the car... but after a few minutes or revs, it would go away. The true comes out.

 

your car hates your wife.... my .02...
The alterantor is going out...

 

I think he left that decision up to you.

 

Just the voltage regulator in the alternator. Changing the entire alternator will fix it.

 

Next time, I'm paying someone to do it. That sucked big time.

 

Thread title failure.

 

Time for a new wife j/k

 

What's up Smokedford, your wife is driving your car now? Have you hit up the track lately?

 

No, I haven't been out to Sac Raceway in a couple of years. Not since the new tranny and ACT clutch anyways. I should use it as an excuse to head out there on a Wednesday afternoon.
My wife and I swapped cars because we have a 14 month old now and she doens't work. So, I drive the Wrangler or the truck to work. We've been thinking about selling it and getting a 2007 Denali.

 

Hehehe was wondering the same thing! (had to chime in on this one.. i'm married as well)...

 

If trucks were girls, the denali to me would be like a Jessica Simpson, Eva Longoria, and Adriana Lima all rolled into one, it's one of my favorites including both cars and trucks

 

.......your wife drives your SC'd max????

 

Yes, I drive the SC'd Maxima. (this is the wife speaking)
I helped install the SC, and I know how to drive it just as well as hubby does if not better.

Also, I've never blown up the car before, and the alternator going out is definitely not my fault...

Anyway, that's my 2 cents, back to your regularly scheduled thread.

 

Actually thats a good thing.

Kudos to you, I'm impressed. smokedford looks like you hooked a good one

 

07 Denali FTL. Sold my 99 Denali for my Maxima. Depreciation is going to be huge. You will probably lose at least $30,000 in value in 3-4 years, and if fuel costs continue to rise it will be more like $35-40k. I bought mine used with 130,000 miles when gas was $2.00 a gallon so I got a fantastic deal on it, guy paid $55,000 for it new and sold it for less than $10,000 in 03) Unless your house is paid off, put that money towards your house. Not to mention the fuel costs alone will eat you alive. I spent $75 every week.

 

What? You mean your wife is acting up too? That's it I'm not getting married. hahahaha j/k

Man, never heard of this kind of problem before.