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2001 Dodge Intrepid Power steering went out, then battery l

Tiny
IZNOACH
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 DODGE INTREPID
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 10,500 MILES
I had a light coolant leak coming from the hard plastic peice above the gooseneck at the top of the radiator, but my car wasn't overheating. That was a week ago. Today, about 5 minutes after I started driving, my power-steering inexplicably went out. A few minutes later, my battery light came on. Is this connected, or is it just that my alternator went out and the power steering doesn't work on battery?

Thanks in advance,
Marc
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Thursday, October 9th, 2008 AT 3:11 PM

5 Replies

Tiny
RACEFAN966
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,029 POSTS
I know this is going to sould simple but did you check to see if the belt broke. This cars have two belts and thats it. I can't remember which belt runs what but that is what I would check first. Let me know what you find.
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Thursday, October 9th, 2008 AT 10:21 PM
Tiny
IZNOACH
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
I just now got your response, I'll have to check the belts in the morning b/c it's really dark and I don't have a flashlight. However, after I left work the other night, my battery almost completely died on the way home. I stopped at a gas station about 7 blocks from the house, and was going to leave the car there. When I came out, I tried to start it again on a whim, and it started and actually took me all the way home. So I don't think the battery is the problem (yet).
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Friday, October 10th, 2008 AT 10:54 PM
Tiny
RACEFAN966
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Ok that will work great let me know what you find on the belt ok. We will take it from there.
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Saturday, October 11th, 2008 AT 8:37 AM
Tiny
IZNOACH
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Man, you're good! The belt isn't cut, it was simply off! I don't know how such a thing came to pass, but it was just hanging from one of the pullies. There's a diagram under the hood showing how the two belts are supposed to be arranged, but it seems to me one of the pullies in the diagram isn't there. On the right side, there should be a large pully, one in the middle below that, and another one directly below that. I only see two.
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Sunday, October 12th, 2008 AT 1:23 AM
Tiny
RACEFAN966
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,029 POSTS
Ok great the belt is a simple thing. As for the missing pulley it may be that the diagram shows like A/C or a smog pump and you don't have that. So don't be to worried about that if you have a belt left it should have a number on it that the parts store can cross and get an exact match for you. I was going to send you a pic but I can't find my belt routing book sorry. Anyway you should be back on the road in no time. Anything else just let me know.
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Sunday, October 12th, 2008 AT 9:17 AM

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