i have a 1996 honda civic ex with the veck 1.6l about two month ago my alternator went in my car went to auto zone bought a alternator then that didnt fix it so i thought it was my battery but bought a new battery and still messed up so i took it back to auto zone the alternator was bad so they gave me another one about two weeks in to it the new alternator went so took it back to auto zone they rested it it was bad also so they gave me another one again about weeks in to it it **** the bed again. i check all the wires they are all good what could be the problem? could it be junk auto zone alternator or could it be something else i have not done any thing else to it beside takeing on and off the alternater? thank you for all the help

 

I'm no expert, but it sure sounds like you have a different underlying problem that is causing your alternators to burn out. It is highly unlikely to have 3 bad alternators in a row like that. I'd say there is a power/electrical problem in your circuit that is causing it to burn out.

 

thats what i think too but what i never touched any thing else in the car. just dont know what it could be

 

1. Alternators from autozone are junk. What good is a lifetime warranty on junk parts? That's like a guy who keeps writing you bad checks and replacing them with another check just like it.

2. The 1996 is prone to the "Fuse 15 problem". The wires behind the engine short out and blow the fuse. Then the car doesn't power up the alternator properly and it won't charge fully. This does not cause the alternator to burn out, it is a case where a good alternator still won't work when installed in the car.

 

are u talking about the positive wire on the alternator? if i replace this wire with a new one would that fix the problem but i looked at the wires they all look fine i have checked the 15amp fuse also it was fine. and if the wire has a short it would blow the fuse right? some one told me that auto zone alternators were junk but it was the cheapest i will not go with the cheapest again

 

George, take a look at this, mk referred to this common problem:
http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/tsb/civic/x99-029e.pdf

it could be part of the problem.

 

The big output wire at the alternator should have battery voltage all the time. If not, the main alternator fuse in the underhood fuse box is blown. Always disconnect the battery before R&R alternator to avoid blowing the fuse.

 

The big output wire at the alternator should have battery voltage all the time. If not, the main alternator fuse in the underhood fuse box is blown. Always disconnect the battery before starting to R&R alternator to avoid blowing the fuse.

 

i checked the wire harness everything was fine but for good keeping i re raped every thing with tape before i put the other alternator in three days later i have a diagonal voltage reader the volt go down to 11.5 volt and goes back up to 14 volts it this right for it to do this go down that far? it did this also when the other alternator took a **** so i am thinking that there is something wrong with this one also. i took the car to a couple of honda mechanic to see if the car was killing the alternators and every time they said that the alternators are junk and there is nothing wrong with my car. i dont know why the volt would go up and down like it dose no fuse was blown all the wire are fine,

 

and if the alternator gets hot enough would it make the volt go up and down cause my job is about 10 minus away and i dont drive it again until the next morning