Got a problem with the alternator or something else. Can was involved in minor front collision, some sensor were broken. Everything has been replaced as far as I can tell but the battery and service engine lights come on. I have checked grounding and everything is good there. The battery is brand new. If I measure voltage from the battery I get around 14.5 volts so it appears to be charging, but after a while car will die because the battery runs out. How do I test the alternator to see if it supplies enough amps and if there is something else wrong with it?

Thanks, Juha

 

If your car have 14.5 volts at the battery while it is running then your alternator should be fine. I would find out which sensor was broken and fix it b/c that might be your problem. It seem rather strange that you have 14.5 volts charging but your car still dies. Are you sure it is dying b/c it doesn't have power? Do the lights and radio shut off when the car shuts off?

 

Everything shutoff, first AC started flickering on/off and the entire car started died including the radio. I had the car diagnosed yesterday and that time there was no voltage at the battery (~11.92V). Could all this be caused by malfuntioning charge regularing circuit in the alternator? Alternator only has 34k miles on it. This is car that was in front end collision and has been sitting 6 months over the winter NY weather with possibly having alternator exposed to the weather (rain, snow etc.. for six months).

Thanks

 

There is a voltage regulator inside the alternator and its job is to tell the alternator how much voltage to output. If it was broken and your alternator is putting out different voltages all the time then it could cause your battery to not get charged. Once your battery gets run down the car will die since hte alternator is not supplying any energy.

 

need to take the alternator off and take it into and autozone or whatever auto parts store is in your area and have them to check it.