# Aletrnator on an Altima? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** nissan, altima\ **Created:** [September 5, 2012, 4:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/aletrnator-on-an-altima/74459 "2012-09-05T16:37:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Minnie\_HaHa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7993a0/32.png) [@Minnie\_HaHa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Minnie_HaHa)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2012, 4:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/aletrnator-on-an-altima/74459/1 "2012-09-05T16:37:53Z")
I have a 1997 Nissan Altima that I got when I traded my Subaru to the Tow truck guy for parts. The odometer/speedometer has worked when it feels like it since i got her 13 months ago. I lost the radio/ speakers a few months ago, but now the dash is going nuts & she’s losing power to the headlights. I was doing errands yesterday, & the car was fine when I left. As the afternoon wore on, the brake light came on suddenly. It didn’t respond to resetting or restarting. Then the battery light came on after a few stops, & it began to drag in turning over. Then on the way home, the airbag light started to blink randomly & go off & the headlights got very dim. Do you think I need a new alternator? ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Marc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@Big\_Marc](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Big_Marc)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2012, 5:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/aletrnator-on-an-altima/74459/2 "2012-09-05T17:35:52Z")
check the belt first but yes i think you need an altenator ---
**Author:** ![RemcoW](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/remcow/32/2471_2.png) [@RemcoW](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RemcoW)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/aletrnator-on-an-altima/74459/3 "2012-09-05T17:43:06Z")
+1 with Marc Also check the battery connections. Make sure they aren’t corroded and tight. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2012, 5:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/aletrnator-on-an-altima/74459/4 "2012-09-05T17:47:19Z")
Could be alternator, but first cleam the battery connections, then have the battery charged and checked. How old is the battery? ---
**Author:** ![Minnie\_HaHa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7993a0/32.png) [@Minnie\_HaHa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Minnie_HaHa)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2012, 5:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/aletrnator-on-an-altima/74459/5 "2012-09-05T17:52:39Z")
Will that effect the fans? We jumped it this a.m.& it ran for a bit, but it was running hot. it was running below normal temp yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2012, 5:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/aletrnator-on-an-altima/74459/6 "2012-09-05T17:54:18Z")
Yes it will, anything electric will have problems. And the car may, at some point soon, just stop running. You need to get this checked out. ---
**Author:** ![Minnie\_HaHa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7993a0/32.png) [@Minnie\_HaHa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Minnie_HaHa)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2012, 6:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/aletrnator-on-an-altima/74459/7 "2012-09-05T18:01:40Z")
Yeah, cleaned terminals and doing the quick test for the alt. by removing pos & see if it keeps running. Battery is questionable, as well as the mileage (odo works Sometimes…)Got a NAPA 1mi away & a good mechanic 2 mi the other, so Im on it, thanks ---
**Author:** ![RemcoW](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/remcow/32/2471_2.png) [@RemcoW](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RemcoW)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/aletrnator-on-an-altima/74459/8 "2012-09-05T18:06:40Z")
You may want to unlearn that trick of removing the cable to the battery to see if the alternator is good. That worked well on cars without gwobs of electronics but on modern cars it can actually cause issues. ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 12:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/aletrnator-on-an-altima/74459/9 "2012-09-06T00:37:16Z")
Disconnecting the battery cable with the engine running can OFTEN cause SERIOUS issues on late model cars.