Hello, I had a dead battery. The alternator was replaced and now the voltage gauge is dropping down to under 12 volts intermittently. The mechanic I took it to is getting nasty. 6-year-old GM vehicle with 52 thousand miles, enough said...
probably a faulty gauge. Verify with a multimeter.
Thanks, but the battery was dead, so there has to be something wrong with the charging system.
what troubleshooting was done? Was the battery + alternator load tested?
Yes, they were load tested. The mechanic could not duplicate the problem which is the worst kind of problem in my humble opinion. He jumped the gun and replaced the alternator. I told him I could have done that myself, but I needed someone to actually diagnose what was actually going on.
intermittent problems are a pain the rear to diagnose. Try jiggling your cables around. Make sure all the connections are tight and free of corrosion. Check the engine and battery ground straps. But at the end of the day, the car starts and runs, right?
Will do, thank you! It starts, but the gauge shows it's charging intermittently. I hear it's bad to be running around with a bad charging system as it can cause other problems, like the computer. I'm a die-hard buy American, but this might be the last straw.
I had a Camaro that was 600 miles out of warranty and the computer went bad. GM wouldn't even give me a break on a new brain. For as many times as the car was in for repair, I probably could have hired an attorney to argue that the 600 miles was bringing it back and forth to the dealership. I can't count the number of lemons I've owned, and you probably wouldn't believe me either. I was hoping to buy a used C-8 before I croak, but the wife will want to have me committed. {black}:razz:
unfortunately I believe you
Yeah, a Toyota maybe in my future. Any recommendations?
For a new car? It depends on what you want it for.
Mid-engine, Ferrari fast... but seriously, mid to large size Toyota SUV, truck or similar quality manufacturer. I'm at the point where I'm done buying junk that doesn't last.
maybe a Highlander
I had a Camaro that was 600 miles out of warranty and the computer went bad. GM wouldn't even give me a break
voltage gauge is dropping down to under 12 volts intermittently (...) 6-year-old GM vehicle with 52 thousand miles
Why did you buy another GM then?
As far as your current issue,
You want to do to a good shop that will be able to give an in-depth diagnosis of the charging system using wiring diagrams available on AllData instead of just throwing parts at it - hopefully you didn't throw out your old alternator.
I can't count the number of lemons I've owned, and you probably wouldn't believe me either.
I would love to know.
mid to large size Toyota SUV, truck or similar quality manufacturer
The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is solid - it just works, it did have an issue with the main battery cable corroding in the past but Toyota seems to have resolved it on new model years.
The Toyota RAV4 Petrol is also decent, but the 8 speed automatic gearbox is less than ideal as some of those have began failing already.
The Highlander is also a decent car, but I'd argue that it only makes sense to buy as a hybrid - the petrol variants all have new turbos and the same 8 speed as the RAV4, while the hybrid has a proven powertrain (with the exception of the Grand Highlander having a 2.4T "Hybrid Max" that's very new and odd)
If you're looking for something that's smaller, the Corolla Cross is decent on all fronts.
