Alternator question?

If you have a voltmeter, the alternator is easy to test by yourself. Check the battery voltage without the engine running.

Start the engine and check the battery voltage again. If it's higher the alternator is working, if the voltage is lower, the alternator is bad.

If the solenoid clicks, the solenoid itself is OK, you just don't have enough battery power to start the car.

<edit> Hmmm...looked to me like most responders were trying to be helpful...

My solenoid comment wasn't trying to tell you I thought the battery was bad, but that if you could hear it clicking that the solenoid was/is OK - the 'click' is the contactor moving inside the solenoid

Alternator Solenoid

Dear Accent-

My guess is that it is the alternator, but before we go there, lets do a little education here, since the other respondants did not really want to help you.

Automotive 101:

Lets start with the battery. A car battery only has a reliable lifespan of about 3 years. Though you may have charged the battery this does not still mean that it is a good battery. You can often charge the battery back up to 12 volts, but when you place a large load against it like your starter for example. The battery will fail, because it no longer has the ability to carry the load required to start the vehicle.

This is because one or more of the plates in the battery have become damaged. This damage often results from heat and time, but more likely the corrosion buildup that may have been on the cables before removal or replacement.

Alternators are directly effected by a battery's condition. The longer the battery is in a state of discharge or cannot maintain a charge, the harder the alternator has to work in order to maintian the system requirements. The alternator is merely there to supply supplimental voltage and amperage when the system needs it. This includes head and tail lights, air conditioner, radio/stereo, winshield wipers and the car's computer and associated equipment. The battery can handle this load for short periods of time, however the alternator has to periodically replentish the battery's charge needs.

Now when all of the vehicle's equipment is turned on, mainly head lights and the air conditioner, the alternator will be working with the battery in unison. Without the battery in the system to act as a buffer, the alternator assumes the load, and burns out due to the heat created buy the load on the system.

Ok, now back to your car.

Being that your car is a 2001, the battery has probably been there now for 7 years. Anything beyond 3 years is purely luck and on the battery's good graces, nothing more.

Because the battery has been so severly discharged, due to a possible alternator failure, I would strongly recommend that you replace both the battery and the alternator. This may seem like a rediculus recommendation, but what you are doing is adding cheap insurance that you have indeed solved the problem.

I would also warn you about picking up an alternator from places like Kragen, Chief, Auto-Zone, or Pepboys. Not that the stores are bad, but the subcontractors that often "rebuild" the alternators and starters for them do not replace all of the necessary parts in them. They often only replace the parts in them that were damaged or found to be faulty. Meaning the other parts in them could possibly, and often do harbor additional problems. If you want to get your battery here, that's OK, just not the hardparts.

This is one time, I will encourage you to head to the Dealership Parts Department and get the part there. Their parts are better quality, and if they offer a remanufactured alternator, I would purchase that one. Remanufactured parts that are obtained through the dealerships have to meet stricter standards than the Jobber Stores like Kragen's.

I know all of our remanufactured parts through AC Delco have to meet the tighter standards that GM dictates. For example, if you walked into my parts department, the alternator you would get is a remanufactured alternator. All of the internal parts have been replaced with new components, the only part that is being re-used is the aluminum housing that holds all of the parts.

The same will be said for the parts from Hyundai.

Just remember to clean the battery cables and the terminals before installation, and to purchase a corrosion inhibitor and use it after the installation of the battery.

The corrosion is just as bad for the alternator as it is for the battery. It creates additional resistance in the circuit that has to be overcome before the battery can get charged. This causes excessive heat, and can destroy the alternator or the battery, and often both.

I hope I was able to help you out! Good Luck

Both could be the problem. But the Alternator can cause these issues! Have the car towed to a mechanic and have them put it on the machine for a diagnostic test. This way they can pin point the issue if it is neither the Solenoid or Alternator not that it wouldn't be.

You definately have a bad alternator there are no questions about it. I wouldnt even have the alternator checked I can tell you from the symtoms that it is your alternator hands down.

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Well you said NEW and I think that would be cost prohibitive on the year vehicle your talking about. If you meant "rebuilt" that is going to be a much more manageable cost. Advice on rebuilt electrical parts- most rebuilders use used alternators and merely clean/paint and categorize them before sending them to the autoparts store. One advantage of a rebuilt unit is the warrantee is much better than a straight used one. The disadvantage of rebuilt units is very poor quality and reliability. I worked at a major autoparts chain and we began to test all our rebuilt electrical before giving to the customer. Customers repeatedly brought back bad units that came right off the shelf so we had to start testing them before we gave them to customers! (many "rebuilts" tested bad right off the shelf!) Save money- buy a used alternator (from an autowrecker) it saves money and the enviroment by recycling.

The solenoid is only responsible for starting the car. The alternator is responsible for keeping the battery charged. If the battery is going dead as you are driving, it is the alternator that is defective. Once the car is running, the solenoid is useless.

I Had that happen..the alt. stopped charging the battery..and it pretty much died after the battery was drained of power.

Pretty sucky when you are on the highway during rush hour.

But you also may want to check and macke sure any cables and wires are not corroded or broken...that can cause the alt. not to charge as well.

Both are possible; alternator is most probably

Alt for sure.