Had an alternator die on me in a strip mall parking lot last Tuesday

I was finishing up a grocery run at the Food Lion on Broad Street when my dash lights started flickering... then the radio cut out, then the engine just died. No warning, no weird noises beforehand. I popped the hood and checked the battery terminals first, but they were clean. Ended up having to get a jump start from a guy in a pickup, drove straight to my shop, and found the alternator was only putting out 11 volts. Has anyone else had one fail that suddenly with zero squealing or warning signs beforehand?

2 comments

2 Comments

evaperez13d ago

...and honestly, I feel like people blow these things way out of proportion sometimes. A dead alternator in a strip mall lot is annoying, but it's not the end of the world. You got a jump, drove to your shop, and it's getting fixed. I've had alternators go out slowly, and I've had them just give up all at once with no noise at all... it's not that unusual. Modern cars are so sensitive to voltage that a small drop can kill everything in a second, no belt squeal needed. So yeah, it happens, but it's just a part of owning a car, not some big mystery.

fionaf1913d ago

You actually just totally changed my mind on this. I used to be one of those people who thought any car trouble was a huge deal, like signs of some bigger problem or something. But hearing you say it's just a normal part of owning a car makes a lot of sense, especially with modern cars being so sensitive. I guess I was blowing it up in my head way more than I needed to. Thanks for the reality check.