Alternator failed NEED HELP

[hondaciviceg]

Hi guys,

2 days ago my 05 mazda 3's battery light came on, and last night while driving the lights inside the car went crazy, radio turn on and off, and steering wheel went very hard as the power steering stopped working.


As it turns out the alternator is dead. car did turn on with a push but wont make it far.

so i called a place and they have rebuild alternators that he wants $ 150 for!
Is that a good price? i was checking the internet and seeing alternators for our cars brand new aftermarkets for around $100, but their in US and i need the car fixed by the end of the day.


Please let me know if u have a better idea or place that has them for cheaper!


Thanks:bang

[Pokey]

I think crappy tire sells rebuilt units have you called them?

[Default User]

there's a place at Midland and Ellesmere in Scarborough. IIRC it was $120 + core deposit
Arrarat's or something like that. They sell rebuilt alternators and starters.

There's also Greenlane Auto Recyclers in Markham

[hondaciviceg]

OK i got the guy to deliver the part to my house and he took 150 and his gona come take the old part when i pull it out. I tried doing it myself but unfortunately the bolts were too hard and i was afraid to snap them. then that would have been a real hassle. so i took it to my mechanic.

[stock3]

$150 is not too bad, and don't fall for US prices, these alternators are not brand new, they're remanufactured as well.

Also, few things to consider:

1) Alternators don't just fail out of the blue, especially on fairly new cars as ours. Find out what happened. Get your battery load tested, this is usually the most common cause for alternator failures. Battery doesn't keep the charge and the alternator has to work overtime to charge it, and it overheats. If your battery is almost gone, your new alternator may fail prematurely as well.

2) If the battery is ok and it's just drained, put it on a charger and charge it fully. You don't want the alternator to charge a drained battery, as it puts too much load on the alternator and will shorten its life.

[Default User]

$150 is not too bad, and don't fall for US prices, these alternators are not brand new, they're remanufactured as well.

Also, few things to consider:

1) Alternators don't just fail out of the blue, especially on fairly new cars as ours. Find out what happened. Get your battery load tested, this is usually the most common cause for alternator failures. Battery doesn't keep the charge and the alternator has to work overtime to charge it, and it overheats. If your battery is almost gone, your new alternator may fail prematurely as well.

2) If the battery is ok and it's just drained, put it on a charger and charge it fully. You don't want the alternator to charge a drained battery, as it puts too much load on the alternator and will shorten its life.


+1
However, our 3's are considered economy cars.
That being said, Mazda (like all manufacturers) had to cheap out on some parts to make it affordable and profitable (shocks, brakes, battery, etc.)
OP also has an 05, which is around the right time to start replaceing parts (LOL)

[stock3]

+1
However, our 3's are considered economy cars.
That being said, Mazda (like all manufacturers) had to cheap out on some parts to make it affordable and profitable (shocks, brakes, battery, etc.)
OP also has an 05, which is around the right time to start replaceing parts (LOL)

Economy car or luxury car has absoluely nothing to do with it, I seriously have no idea where you got that from.

5 year old car should not need an alternator or any other part for that matter that is not a maintenance item. This failure was caused by something, dead battery or extra load for aftermarket steareo or something, sure sometimes these things fail on their own, but it is not normal.

If you consider parts falling off after 5 years normal, then man, auto companies and dealers will love you, not your wallet though.

[Default User]

Economy car or luxury car has absoluely nothing to do with it, I seriously have no idea where you got that from.

I was talking about this statement, that there may be a root cause to the failing alternator...something that was cheped out on.



1) Alternators don't just fail out of the blue, especially on fairly new cars as ours. Find out what happened. Get your battery load tested, this is usually the most common cause for alternator failures. Battery doesn't keep the charge and the alternator has to work overtime to charge it, and it overheats. If your battery is almost gone, your new alternator may fail prematurely as well.

I dont know about falling off, but I've seen maintenance parts being replaced far earlier on our mazda's than on other vehicles.

[TheMAN]

the only thing they "cheaped out" on is the lack of regulator in the alternator itself... it is done via the ECU, this actually increases the longevity of the alternator because no longer is there a component running inside a hot metal case
like stock3 said, the leading cause of alternator and starter failures are bad/weak batteries... either the battery is bad, or the (good) battery had a low charge and the alternator had to work hard to try to recharge it (which it can't, ever)... this is why as the battery gets older than 3 years, they need to be inspected and reconditioned... if bad, replace them

I've said many times the stock panasonic battery is NOT a maintenance free battery... the electrolyte level must be checked and be topped off (with distilled or rain water), or acid stratification will result and cause premature battery failure... a topped off battery must be recharged with a battery charger before driven, or you will fry things in your car such as light bulbs and electronics as the alternator will work overtime charging at very high voltages

[icybluemetallic]

the only thing they "cheaped out" on is the lack of regulator in the alternator itself... it is done via the ECU, this actually increases the longevity of the alternator because no longer is there a component running inside a hot metal case
like stock3 said, the leading cause of alternator and starter failures are bad/weak batteries... either the battery is bad, or the (good) battery had a low charge and the alternator had to work hard to try to recharge it (which it can't, ever)... this is why as the battery gets older than 3 years, they need to be inspected and reconditioned... if bad, replace them

I've said many times the stock panasonic battery is NOT a maintenance free battery... the electrolyte level must be checked and be topped off (with distilled or rain water), or acid stratification will result and cause premature battery failure... a topped off battery must be recharged with a battery charger before driven, or you will fry things in your car such as light bulbs and electronics as the alternator will work overtime charging at very high voltages
I am in Texas and bought a new mazda 3 in 2007 and one night driving home the battery light came on and the car died. bought a new battery, started right up drove home and the next morning the light came on. need a new alt with 67000 miles and 3 years old. the dealer wants 552 for a new one and autozone wants 190 for a rebuilt. this is my second and last mazda.:flaming