# Ford Escort Alternator problems **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** escort, ford\ **Created:** [July 25, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-escort-alternator-problems/52460 "2010-07-25T21:15:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![shotupdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@shotupdave](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shotupdave)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-escort-alternator-problems/52460/1 "2010-07-25T21:15:16Z")
My mother has 97 ford escort that has a problem that has been giving me fits. It has only 41K on it and not the alternator seems to have gone out or that is what I think is the problem. About two weeks ago she called me to come and get her since the battery was dead, a quick jump and we were back up and running. Seeing that the battery was ove five years old, I decided to replace it thinking that was the problem, since once we had her running the alternator was working fine. About a week later the same problem comes up again after she had driven it for a week and the battery was rained again. I gave the battery an overnight slow charge and everythign seems to be working and when I have the battery disconnected the car keeps on running. Can an alternator work while it is cold and then stop working? I rather know this before I pull out the alternator and replace it. What else could it be? ---
**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 9:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-escort-alternator-problems/52460/2 "2010-07-25T21:52:17Z")
There’s no real need to wonder much about it. Drive it in to any of the major auto parts chains (e.g. Autozone or like). They will test the battery & charging system for free. Obviously they do this b/c they figure next you’ll buy a battery and/or alternator from them.