Electrical issues

[avatar28]

On the way home yesterday my airbag light started flashing a 2-2 code that finally went off on its own a few minutes later. A bit later i left to pick the kids up from school and the charging light came on. I got to the school and popped the hood and the battery was really hot (almost hot enough to burn) with steam coming from the vents. Let it cool a bit and moved the car. Didn't seem to have any issues with starting up. Charge light came on very dimly but not full brightness. I left it there overnight.

Picked it up today. Charge light didn't come on initially but the airbag light was flashing again and my ABS light was on. A couple of miles down the road, the charge malfunction light came on very dimly and brightened over the course of a minute or so to full brightness. By the time I got home a few minutes later the charge light had gone back to really dim, almost off. The battery was not hot at all this time around.

I'm going to go have the charging system tested in a bit but anyone know what sort of gremlins I'm hunting down here?

 

[avatar28]

Okay, went to Auto Zone, looks like yet another alternator. Battery tested fine but it was reading something like 18v with the engine running. Not sure if that accounts for the ABS and airbag lights but I wouldn't be surprised given the timing.

This will be something like the 4th or 5th alt on the car, going off the maintenance receipts. Is that normal for these? It's like it's going through one every 30-40k.

 

[rubydist]

rebuilt alternators are a crap shoot. the only ones I have found to last are the NAPA lifetime guaranty ones. all the others seem to die not long after the warranty expires.

 

[avatar28]

rebuilt alternators are a crap shoot. the only ones I have found to last are the NAPA lifetime guaranty ones. all the others seem to die not long after the warranty expires.

Well three of the alts were OEM installed by the dealer. One was a Pep Boys when he broke down a couple hundred miles from home. I got one from O'Reilly. NAPA is closed and would have to order it. Same with Auto Zone and most others. O'Reilly only had it because someone had ordered it and then hadn't picked it up. It was scheduled to go back tomorrow and the guy had no history and wasn't answering the phone so I got lucky. The one I got has a lifetime warranty though so, based on your experience, it should last forever (or 6 months, could go either way).

 

[rubydist]

6 months will be closer, based on my experience with the lifetime warranty ones from anywhere except NAPA. I cannot tell you why, I can only tell you what I have experienced with about 8 alternators and 10 starters over the years...

 

[FamilySHO]

I'd never get an alternator or starter from any of the auto part chains. A lifetime warranty does you no good when you're stranded in the middle of nowhere. You'd be best to get a rebuilt unit from a local rebuilder if you can. Last time my starter went I was sold a new unit for about the cost of a re-built unit from a parts chain. Absolutely no problem. I'm convinced the auto parts rebuilds are done abroad by people who could less.