Is it the Alternator?

CAMMED

MEMBER
FORD F-150

2001 Ford F150, 102000 miles, 4wd, 5.4 L V8

I first had a problem with the ignition solenoid. When it would get too hot, I could not start my truck. I replaced it. Simultaneously with the replacement, my truck started having electrical problems. While driving, my systems started cutting out one by one, first the radio, then the gauge cluster, then power windows, then more vital parts, like the fuel pump and/or O2 sensors, etc. I paid a guy 460 dollars to replace my starter, battery, and tell me a fuse was missing (which I didn't believe). After the new battery, my truck drove 35 miles to work this morning, then half way back, it was deja vu. One by one my electrical systems cut out, and eventually the truck stalled out. The battery was dead when I tried to restart. After a while, the battery did have some charge to it, but within 3 hours, not enough to start the truck. The radio and other functions came back with the key turned in the reverse direction. While at the shop last week, the mechanic said a 0.2 volt draw on the battery initiated when the driver side door closed. The alternator idea seems possible, but what is your opinion? I am near wit's end! Thanks for your help!

1 Reply

TDOUGAN0611

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Hey Cameron, don't know if you've already fixed the problem w/ your truck or not, but I would definately say the alternator, and if you told that mechanic the same thing that you just described in this - he knew it too. Anytime that your car starts loosing power while your driving down the street it's almost always the alternator. If it was the starter your car wouldn't have started, or you would have heard it making clicking noises before it finally caught and then started. Same thing w/ the battery. The main function of both the starter and the battery is to start the car. For a starter, that's it's only function, once the car is started, it does nothing else. The alternator however will drain the battery if it's bad, which is why the battery was dead when the car finally died, the alternator sucked the juice out of it. However, a battery will not drain your alternator. Hope this helps, even if your truck is now fixed, you can use this information for future use, as it applies to all cars.