Volvoholic
03-26-2012, 01:58 AM
Hey guys,
I've been trying to determine if my cars alternator is on its way out. I'm 99% sure it's gone bad but I just don't want to accept it's the alternator.
Here are my symptoms; slow crank on cold start, sometimes there's a long crank after the cars been warmed up and you go to restart it, interior lights flicker when the car is idling with any door open, today it had a bit of a lumpy idle - not something you could see on the tach but something you could hear from the exhaust note, there's a buzzing noise coming from around the alternator when you give it gas or turn on a light or hit the brakes or turn the steering wheel etc..., and the headlights will get brighter if you rev it.
This can and can't be a symptom but the fog lights will dim everything when you turn them on for a second and keep it all slightly dimmer but if you turn them off everything will get brighter and stay brighter.
I can't tell if the dash lights are flickering quite yet and the car isn't throwing any codes yet so everything checks out on its systems. I'm also not sure how old the battery is or what the voltage it puts out is these days is anymore.
Small history: bought last July 4th weekend @ 55000mi off a 4yr lease, currently has 63500mi and the stock Pirelli ST-R's are bald. I've gotten almost everything that should be replaced, replaced through CPO but nothing has been touched under the hood. Engine, trans, and AWD system work as they should. Pretty sure the last owner took it to the snow a numerous amount of times but I can never be certain of anything. That could give the alternator a bit of excessive wear. It has had a version of the slow "old Volvo crank" since we bought it, just not as extensive.
Any thoughts would be appreciated. Volvo said it'd be $140 to diagnose it and if something is wrong, they'll waive all fees and it'll be covered under CPO. I just want to be sure I'm right and not waste $140.
A friend told me to disconnect the positive terminal of the battery while it's running and if it dies, there's an alternator issue. That sounds a little sketchy to me and what if it doesn't die but there is something wrong?
Thoughts and advice appreciated,
Jeff
I've been trying to determine if my cars alternator is on its way out. I'm 99% sure it's gone bad but I just don't want to accept it's the alternator.
Here are my symptoms; slow crank on cold start, sometimes there's a long crank after the cars been warmed up and you go to restart it, interior lights flicker when the car is idling with any door open, today it had a bit of a lumpy idle - not something you could see on the tach but something you could hear from the exhaust note, there's a buzzing noise coming from around the alternator when you give it gas or turn on a light or hit the brakes or turn the steering wheel etc..., and the headlights will get brighter if you rev it.
This can and can't be a symptom but the fog lights will dim everything when you turn them on for a second and keep it all slightly dimmer but if you turn them off everything will get brighter and stay brighter.
I can't tell if the dash lights are flickering quite yet and the car isn't throwing any codes yet so everything checks out on its systems. I'm also not sure how old the battery is or what the voltage it puts out is these days is anymore.
Small history: bought last July 4th weekend @ 55000mi off a 4yr lease, currently has 63500mi and the stock Pirelli ST-R's are bald. I've gotten almost everything that should be replaced, replaced through CPO but nothing has been touched under the hood. Engine, trans, and AWD system work as they should. Pretty sure the last owner took it to the snow a numerous amount of times but I can never be certain of anything. That could give the alternator a bit of excessive wear. It has had a version of the slow "old Volvo crank" since we bought it, just not as extensive.
Any thoughts would be appreciated. Volvo said it'd be $140 to diagnose it and if something is wrong, they'll waive all fees and it'll be covered under CPO. I just want to be sure I'm right and not waste $140.
A friend told me to disconnect the positive terminal of the battery while it's running and if it dies, there's an alternator issue. That sounds a little sketchy to me and what if it doesn't die but there is something wrong?
Thoughts and advice appreciated,
Jeff