Well about a month ago I started getting some minor alternator whine while the radio was on. I noticed it gets worse when the air conditioner is running.

In the past week I started noticing that my V1 radar/laser detector would randomly turn off then on in a matter of a split second. I thought maybe a ground had come loose where I hardwired it but everything was still intact.

Today I was driving and the same thing happened with the V1 but this time for a split second all my gauges lost power too (tach, speedo, fuel, water temp) and then quickly regained power. Then just a minute later it happened again but this time I noticed my radio shut off and then came back on.

I'm leaning towards a faulty alternator. My car starts right away on the first time every time. I'm hoping it's just a loose ground wire in the engine compartment but with my luck it can't be that simple. I'm assuming since the alternator whine gets worse when the air conditioner is turned on that the alternator is on it's last leg.

I'm at 62,000 miles... didn't think the alternator would be the first problem I'd have with this car. Although maybe ~45,000 miles with the supercharger alternator pulley had a detrimental effect?

 

I would check your grounding wires.

Is the car hard to start? If the alternator is dying I'd imagine your battery isn't getting a good charge.

 

No it usually starts right away. Maybe like 2 seconds of cranking. I notice no difference in starting.

 

I did just have the supercharger alternator pulley removed about 6 weeks ago and the OEM pulley put back on. I wonder if they screwed something up at the dealership. hrrrmmm

 

The way it comes and goes it sounds more like a loose wire somewhere. An alternator is usually either good or bad, they don't die slowly.

Might also be a loose battery cable. Check 'em and see if they are tight.

 

That could explain it. If they didn't make sure the wires were in right it could very well cause a problem.

 

Sounds like your alternator. Had the same problems (similar symptoms) when my alternator just ate it.

 

agree. Chris clear your PM box...

 

My car reacted the same as yours when I had a bad battery. My V1 cycled when I came to a stop because the battery didn't have sufficient voltage to supply the electrical system. The battery is supposed to be the buffer when the alternator cannot supply sufficient voltage.

I would check your battery cables and do a load test on your battery. It still could be a bad alternator not fully charging your battery but in either case, sounds like your battery is discharged or not capable of accepting a full charge.

Have you thrown a volt meter across your battery to see what voltage it's showing?

 

Made room for a pm. Hit me up...

 

you most likely have loose battery terminal connections dude, check your battery ground connection.

 

Not to hijack but you usually have good luck with dealerships, where are you going now?

 

I know everyone says that the alternator is either good or bad, but I had a lot of electrical problems with my Maxima when it went past 100K and everytime I had the alternator checked out, the mechanics (I went to more than one place) would say that the alternator was working great.

I finally took it some place and the guy said that my alternator was charging intermittantly. He changed it and it worked fine after that. He also earned my business after that.