What are the symptoms of an alternator gone bad?

Question

The car steers really hard, the battery light is on and the temperature gauge is going on hot. We turned it off and restarted it and it started but we shut it off and have not moved it since. What can this be?

Answer 1

I replaced mine in college (I had a 1980 Ford LTD-S police car). I remember my battery seemed to be dying; I got stranded a few times. A jump-start got me going, but the car would only start maybe three times after that.

I bought a new alternator and installed it, but it turned out the alternator was bad. I had to exchange it for another one that did work.

Anyway, I guess the point is that it will seem like your battery is at fault. If it's a newer car than mine was, you can likely diagnose it with certainty by taking it to AutoZone and asking them to check it out for you. They'll do it for free with a hand-held diagnostic tool (I like to tip them a few bucks for their efforts).

The other problems seem unrelated to the alternator.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Sounds to me like you broke your serpentine belt.  Your alternator failing has nothing to do with power steering.  If your cars steering hard I'd check the belts.

Answer 3

Get a new belt, sounds like yours flew off. Check to be sure all the pullies turn first.

Answer 4

dim lights

Answer 5

i dont think its the alternator. my moms alternator wasnt working on her car and it wouldnt even start. and the lights wouldnt work either.

Answer 6

Your symptons sound like a broken drive belt. The power steering pump and water pump are both belt driven. With a broken belt you'd have no power steering, making the car very hard to steer and no water pump to circulate the coolant therefore a hot running engine. Check the belts on the engine.

Answer 7

well from what I know of it the alternater is supposed to give energy along with your battery. Pretty much if the alternator is bad than your battery will be drained dry and all the electricial stuff like power windows, lights,  radio etc wont work for very long.  Your car will die and it will need to be jumped.  But the battery won't hold the charge for very long  because the alternator is draining it dry.   As for the car being hot, it could be a number of things - Your radiator could be broken, the temperature gauge or thermostat etc.  The steering could just mean you need power steering fluid.  It's hard to tell if they are all related or if it's just a coinincedince.  I just had to replace my alternator and my husbands in the last 2 weeks and each one cost us about 300.00

Answer 8

well does the battery start, cause if the battery is recharging it is not the alternator. buy a new battery, and start the car a few times, if it keeps starting it was the batter. as for the steering and heating when was the last time you got the oil changed. it might  need power steering fluid and engine coolant as well. check your oil dipstick

Answer 9

If the alternator is not charging the battery while the engine is running, the indicator will come on in your instrument console. If you see the 'battery' symbol coming on then its recommended you check the alternator.