Well I was driving down the road and I saw the head lights flicker. Just then the a/c started to slow down the brake light came on & the abs light has been for awhile. I then turned the headlights on to see if it effects the idle. It did the car almost died so I quickly turned off the lights and the idle was fine. Then a minute later the car died and won't start. The lights horn and everything else doesn't even work/ turn on. Does this sound like the alternator because I am going to go out and buy one if this is what it sounds like. And I was just wondering if this is a hard job. It looks straight but thought I'd ask. Thanks for the help.

 

not to hard, about an hour. have the alternator checked when u go in. although it looks very much like your problem it may not be.

 

Thanks for the input. Forgot to mention that the speedo and the rpm needle were going crazy just before the car shut off. Can they check the alternator if it's out of the car? And if the battery is good is there another likely fault with the car. Thanks again

 

yes they can check the alt off the car. auto zone. what yr car? what motor? could be vats. did the security light come on?

 

rIt is a 1995 and the security light never came on, just the ses brake light abs. What is vatts? Sorry it's a 5.7 v8 thanks.

 

scann it for trouble codes. go to faq and tech on the lt page i think it will tell u how to read/scann for the trouble codes, let us know what they are and we can go from there. vats is the security system, it will be there in the faq and tech to. it works off the key. the little bump on the key is a resistor with a certain ohm resistance that matches the setting in the reciever inside the colum. if one or the other goes out the car will not let u start it. wont turn over or anything. the thing is they dont always just go out. sometimes its somewhere in between.

 

This car is a headache... I've been researching how to read codes because it is. 1995 it is more difficult. I now see the resistor on the key. I hope it's just the alternator because my air pump is out and my abs light was on. In my other cars the abs light was the first sign of a failing alternator. The speedo needle was an indicator and my battery gauge has been slightly in the red lately. I'll get the volt meter out and check the battery 1st. The car lights don't even turn on with the key is so I can't check the see light. Thanks for all the help. Tommy

 

yah everything so far points to the alternator being bad. i thing thats what it will be.

 

yeah, you have a bad alternator...

 

yeah I just checked the battery and I have just under 1 volt or amp...whatever. Thanks guys for the quick responses. Going to checkers tomorrow for a new battery and alternator. Hope that solves the ABS light.....I think SES is due to bad air pump but we'll see... Thanks again for all the help.