xknowonex

iTrader: (2)

Ok last night, on my way home from a party, after gettin off the freeway, I noticed that the battery warning light was on while I was driving home. I made it home without anythin unusual. Next day, I went to work, and nothin unusual occured. My mechanic buddy told me to bring it to the dealership that friend works at to get it looked at on Monday. We thought that its most likely the alternator not chargin enough. I have a Optima Yellowtop battery so battery isnt the culprit.

On my way home at night from work. The ABS light went off then the cluster dimmed. I realized that I was couple miles away from home and I was scared that it would die on the street. Afterwards, the engine acted erratically and the speedometer and tachmeter starts bottomin out to 0 rpm 0 mph even though the engines still runnin. I was havin a nervous breakdown for the last mile or two because I dont know if the engine have died out or not.

At certain times before hittin my house the powersteering was goin out because the revs got wayyy to low. Luckily I made a shortcut thru a gas station, made a unprotected left at the light, then rolled it up my driveway all crooked.

So does this sound like an alternator problem to you guys? The battery is totally drained right now n it just clicks when u try to start it.

Ok, after shiftin the car in park, I tried to straigten out the steering wheel while the motors off and now the shifter is locked to park. I cant shift it from park anymore when I put in the key.

I checked the service records and it indicated that the alternator was replaced 40k miles ago with a rebuilt one.

RaynArt

yep, sounds like an alternator. had to replace mine last week and glad i still had that part under warrenty. same thing happened to me but i never saw the ABS light go on though?

xknowonex

iTrader: (2)

Yea, its freakin panicky. Its like tryin to land a plane with the engine or hydraulics out. Luckily she died made it home. So is it normal for the tranny shifter to lock up if u turn the wheel when its off?

Cloud9

iTrader: (2)

sounds like the alternator to me. check it to see if it's covered in grease/oil. I wonder if you have a leak in the engine. Check also right under the distributer cap there is a metal shield....see if it has some oil leaks.

bruce van

Sounds like the alternator to me too. My battery light went on a couple days before mine died. I wasn't lucky like you. My car died on my on the freeway and I had to have ot towed home.

My powersteering pump was leaking so that was the culprit. You should probably check if you have the same problem and get that taken care of also while your replacing your alternator.

Good luck.

xknowonex

iTrader: (2)

the alternator is nowhere near the power steering up on the SC300 right, just the 400?

TMaxxTim

Right. You can get an oil leak from the distributor or a water pump leak (on mine at least) into the laternator though. Its on the left side of the engine. LEt me know if you need some help getting it off.

/Aerostar\

iTrader: (2)

Yea its some scary stuff, mine going out was caused by a combination of leaks: the valve cover gaskets AND the distributor o-ring. I fixed em both and brought the alternator in for a rebuild ($140). Everythings good as new now

Kilo

the SAME EXACT thing happened to me and my SC3 but I was on the highway when my car decided to call it quits. Like everyone is saying, I would check for fluids/leaks onto the alternator itself. Another thing I would check is the crank pulley thats driving the belt connected to the Alternator. My crank pulley was F'ed up, so the Alternator wasnt being driven correctly - leading to battery drainage. Good luck.

xknowonex

iTrader: (2)

Speakin of valve cover gaskets, should that be easily replaced when u do a full-tune up?

SCV8

I had an alternator in my Corolla go bad at midnight recently with my wife and sleeping 2 yr. old in the car WAY across town; we drove with the headlights off through a bad neighborhood, over an elevated freeway bridge for over a mile, pulled up next to a cop at an intersection, but finally managed to get it into the driveway when it actually died putting it into reverse, had to push it out of the way of the garage door to get the SC out later that morning.

xknowonex

iTrader: (2)

OK guys. I just bought a remanufactured alternator from kragens with a lifetime warranty for 188 bucks. If I have a choice and time, I'd go to local electric shop and have them rebuild my old one for more power AND cheaper. Unfortunately, since I need my car asap for work and its blocking my moms car in the garage, I need it ASAP.

I called a local shop 3 miles away and theyre willing to do install it for 90 dollars. It sounds kind of high but this guy pretty much only fixes Toyotas and Lexuses. What do u guys think?

Ok, now I have two options to get my car to the shop. Option 1 is to get it towed then re-imbursed by my insurance. Option 2 is to use my spare Interstate battery laying in the garage and make a quick run with it to the shop n hopefully it wont die before hittin the shop. What do u guys think?

xknowonex

iTrader: (2)

Update.... Ok this afternoon I towed the car too my friend's friend's shop to get it fixed. This guy specializes in Toyota and Lexus, and he fixes my friend's brother Twin Turbo Supra. Needless to say, this guy knows what hes working on. I brought to him my alternator (purchased from Kragens for 188 w lifetime warranty) and a serpentine belt. He did it in less than an hour.

Unfortunately, when we tried to fire it up, it wouldnt start, and we traced it back to a blown alternator fuse. He's suspecting that the fuse is blown because I somehow jumpstart it wrong or the fuse blew while I was driving days ago. We ordered the part and half an hour later the parts delivery guy brought the wrong fuse. So the cars sitting at the shop over night waiting for a replacement fuse.

SUPRMSC

iTrader: (7)

Dang, all that work and in the end it might just have been a simple fuse?

aswang

iTrader: (4)

You're right, exact thing happened to me. When I pulled out the alternator it was soaked w/oil

xknowonex- i know how you feel, i was on the freeway when my sc went crazy, and fortunately i have roadside assistance w/my insurance so they towed it to my house. good luck w/that hopefully that fuse does the trick now.