Weird problem has started lately. Mostly when the engine is cold (but will so it warm), the dashboard lights will start to come on all at once, sometimes dim, sometimes flicker. Recently it has stalled: a few times at idle at a traffic light, once with the cruise on at 75mph. Just died, no warning... Would the belt have anything to do with this???

 

If the alternator has not been replaced in the last 100,000 miles or 10 years, I would replace it with a rebuilt Bosch with lifetime warranty (I got mine at Pep-Boys for about $230 with core charge). A failing alternator is one cause that can do this. However, other causes are also known to cause this symptom so see what others have to say.

Should you decide to replace the alternator, make sure that the battery is fully charged.


JPN

 

I would definitely suspect the alternator as well.

 

Ugh. Just what I need a week before Christmas... Would you say alternator even if I say that it's very intermittent??

 

Check Alt output at the Alt. Then check the output at the battery and see what the difference is.

 

I can do that - I assume you mean voltage across them?

 

Yes what I am leading to is sometimes the solder in the terminals go bad and you will loose about 1/2 or more between the cable before the terminal and the battery.

 

It's interesting that you say that.. I was having an intermittent starting problem not too long ago and often for me to get it started, I would grab hold of the cable that goes to the starter and "shake" it... Think it could be related?

 

I would check it is very possible.

 

Too cold to do all that stuff so I brought it to my mechanic. Alternator is dead. Kapoot. Ugh... Oh well... Uh, just to verify, do you think that this would have ANYTHING to do with stalling???

 

If it ran out of battery power yes it would die!!!

 

LOL! Well, yea, I know that! The car would start right after so it wasn't always dead

 

I doubt it then.

 

Well, it's been a week. I've put probably 1000 miles on it in that time and it's run like a friggin top since I replaced the alternator, until about 30 minutes ago. It stalled. No warning, just stalled. PCV maybe?

 

Cam sensor?

 

- Fuel pump?
- Fuel pump relay?
- Fuel System Main Relay (on the radiator shroud)?
- MAF sensor?
- ECT sensor?
- ECU codes (is CEL bulb still alive)?
- Engine on strike, asking for a tune-up/TLC?
- Ref to the attachment?


JPN

[IMG]local://upfiles/6892/854CE4126DE34A638D7A78F3E2DD4657.jpg[/IMG]

 

Well nuts. Wish it wasn't so dang cold here (7ºf this morning) so I could tear into it... Is there a way to test any of those easily? If not, I may have to just live with it until it gets warmer out. The fuel pump was replaced with a new one last spring, the MAF was replaced at the same time... Does it help that when it stalled, I was pulling into a parking spot and my foot was not on the accelerator? I was essentially coasting into the spot.