not sure if my alternator is bad
Asked by James Dec 20, 2015 at 07:30 AM about the 2003 Ford Explorer Limited V8 4WD
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
I think my alternator is bad not sure please help.ive
been having to get a jump to start car ,good
battery.and when it starts and I turn anything else
on such as heat or radio the lights go dim and the
heater starts to slow down and my check battery
light come on also my odometer and other gauge
stop working
4 Answers
All that is a very good indication of a bad alternator. If you have a volt meter you could check while it is running, at the battery, for 14.5 DC volts. If there is 12V or less, the alternator is not charging.
Sounds like a bad alternator...
Definitely sounds like the alternator. First make sure the connections to the battery are good and clean. You can remove the alternator and bring it to a place like autozone and they will check it for free. Before installing the new alternator, fully charge the battery if below 12.4 or so volts. Trying to charge a severely low battery by jump starting it then going for a nice long ride can damage the electronic components inside the new alternator. The alternator is designed to "maintain" your car battery at the proper charge, NOT charge a dead battery.
Guru9Z71M8 answered 4 years ago
2012 explorer... I attempt to start my car. As soon as I turn on the ignition, the car will not start, lights start to flicker, and loud ticking noises happen. I jump started it, drove it around the block, returned later, same issue. Does this sound like a battery or alternator problem?
