Is my 03 alternator going to die? - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

ynwia · 10-12-2005, 19:50

Hi, guys. I have a 03 Taurus SES with 50k. There is a noticeable humming noise suddenly coming under the hood last saturday. It seems to be from my alternator, which becomes louder when I gave more gas. (I havent got a chance to let the professional check yet, but I am 80% sure about this.)

Could the alternator or battery suddenly go dead? Is this a sign of death of the alternator or could it be other problems?

Before I could fix it this weekend, I have to drive this car

on highway for 600 miles, is it safe to do so?

Thanks a lot,

taurus guy · 10-12-2005, 22:07

You can have the alternator tested for free and quickly at a local auto parts store such as auto zone, although if it's an intermittant problem, it might test good. That's pretty low mileage for an alternator to to go bad. If it's going bad , you should see the headlights/dash lights getting dimmer or flickering at night or other electrical problems. Take a cell phone with you on your trip incase you break down. I would avoid the trip, if possible, if I didn't trust the car. Breaking down is never fun!

ynwia · 10-13-2005, 08:30

Thank you, taurus guy. I will bring it to AZ before the trip.

Quote:

Originally Posted by taurus guy

You can have the alternator tested for free and quickly at a local auto parts store such as auto zone, although if it's an intermittant problem, it might test good. That's pretty low mileage for an alternator to to go bad. If it's going bad , you should see the headlights/dash lights getting dimmer or flickering at night or other electrical problems. Take a cell phone with you on your trip incase you break down. I would avoid the trip, if possible, if I didn't trust the car. Breaking down is never fun!