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Sedans Toyota Camry Older Camry Maintenance and Repair
558 messages, Last post on Nov 20, 2009 at 11:36 AM
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what is the purpose of alternator in the car? I am asking this because my 1995 Toyota Camry stopped at the traffic light- after I had stopped at the red traffic light. And some one told me it could be the alternator. what do you think. Here: I was driving the car and when I had stopped at the red light the camry just stopped and would not start. Now one guy is telling me it could be the alternator. I have not yet taken the car to repair shop or dealer as it is stormy weather here. That is why I am asking this. Thank you. I don't want to get ripped off by dealer or car repairmen so I am trying to find out this as much as I can. thank you
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Replying to: chilon (May 06, 2009 3:29 pm) So your headlights, radio, starter, fans, electric windows, all use power from the battery. The alternator puts the power back into the battery to keep it charged. And to answer your question, YES, this 'could' be your problem. But as previously said, so could hundreds of other things be your problem. Just take your vehicle to a reputable shop, you're worrying about this way too much. They'll have one of the technicians look over your vehicle to figure out what appears to be working and what appears to not be working, and zero in on the problem area. It's not hard to do with someone who is knowledgeable.
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Replying to: kiawah (May 06, 2009 3:36 pm) Did you do the Battery test? The alternator keeps the battery charged if the battery is charged the Alternator works. I can't believe people tell you it might be this or might be that. If you desribe the problem correctly, then they should be asking you more question narrowing down the problem, not the other way around. How can you find out what is wrong if you can't answer the troubleshooters question. You shouldn't be asking what this does or that. They should know what it does and be sure it is this or that not it might be. I can tell you what is going on if you do the test I asked you to do. This is basic troubleshooting 101. I saw a 95 Camry at the junkyard today the fuses are right next to the battery did you see them?
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Replying to: rearwheeldrive (May 06, 2009 11:33 pm) The poster (he/she) is not technically proficient, and any even basic problem isolation techniques are difficult to do, particularly hard if there is no underlying understanding of why things work the way they do. He/she could spend hours and thousands of dollars chasing 'it could be this', or 'it could be that'. The absolute best direction in my opinion, is to get the vehicle to one of many competent shops who very quickly can isolate the problem down just by observing the vehicle with some very basic testing. And by the way, there are a number of fuse boxes in that vehicle, and the main one is by the drivers left knee, behind the ash tray.
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Replying to: kiawah (May 06, 2009 5:20 pm)
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Replying to: sbaker75 (May 07, 2009 12:16 pm) |
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Replying to: kiawah (May 07, 2009 3:25 am) I can't help them your right, they're all over the place. I think the battery is dead. I leaning to the fuses at the battery, the 80, 60, 40, amp fuses are there. These could be bad if she has no power at all to the ignition switch. This car could have been drivin without oil and the engine froze up for all we know!! I can't believe it only has 79K not 279K miles. No history to go on, and 20 years old. I have a 93 V6 Camry sitting in my drive way. I used to work on Toyota's in the late 90's and did service on these all the time. We never had to do troubleshooting because it was always the same things breaking over and over.Plug wires going bad, radiators fans failing, motor mounts, and some electric window cranks.
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Replying to: rearwheeldrive (May 07, 2009 2:15 pm) |
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Replying to: rearwheeldrive (May 07, 2009 2:15 pm) I don't know how to describe it better. True I don't even have basic understanding of car mechanics. Again first the background: I had service done on the 1995 Toyota Camry 2 years ago - cooolant flush, break fluid change, body throttle, spark plugs etc. Immediately as I drove the car after the service the steering froze up and the car stopped on the side road!!! As I waited after a couple of minutes it drove fine!!!! I immediately drove back to the mechanic who worked on the car. He told me it could be the fumes trapped where engine is!!! He said I would be okay. I did not know too well so I said okay. After this the car ran okay for a little while. But then one weird thing happened. I would start the car and it would start. Then after I drove it for 2-3 minutes, and I stopped at red light or stop sign the car would stop and would only start after 10 seconds or so!! It kept on happening like this. Now: I had oil change done. The dealer's mechanic told me my battery was at 425 ampheres and it should be at 725 ampheres or so but said I was okay and battery would recharge as I drive the car. And I drove the car for several hours after oil change. And I stopped the car at red light and it stopped and died on me! A good samaritan came behind me and stopped his car and gave me battery jump through his cables. But the car woould not start. When I turn the key it gives me 2 ghrr ghrr sounds the sound when you try to start the car and it would not start. Thank you. The weather is bad here now and has been like this for some days now! So I will take the car to mechanic on Monday. I take ride to work with a friend meanwhile. Would the dealer charge much more then the local mechanic?
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Replying to: chilon (May 07, 2009 7:41 pm) First: the shut off its a bad electric connection to the ignition. Second: the grr grr sound is a dead battery or a bad starter motor. A voltage check will determine which. A jump start should get the cars starter motor spinning, if the battery is not damaged, and the the wires are clean and tight.If the car is really 70k miles the battery is probably the original, and needs replaced. Third: the 425 amp hours is a reserve built into the battery by the manufacture It can never be changed by charging. Find another mechanic who isn't baffling you with B.S. Your dealer is the best bet Have the age of the battery ready so maybe you don't get charged for that too.Sears or Auto parts store can look up your battery amp hour rating for your car You can buy a big 700 amp hour battery, but why? The battery can start your car with the minimum required, whatever that is. 425 amp hours sounds right for a Toyota 4 cylinder engine. Its not the problem here.
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