# Toyota Sienna 1998 slowly dies while driving **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [October 29, 2015, 7:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-sienna-1998-slowly-dies-while-driving/91577 "2015-10-29T07:51:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![johnletour](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9e8a1a/32.png) [@johnletour](https://community.cartalk.com/u/johnletour)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 7:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-sienna-1998-slowly-dies-while-driving/91577/1 "2015-10-29T07:51:59Z")
Hello guys, I had my minivan stop running while i was on the freeway. My electrical seemed a bit off, the speed decreased and it slowly died. I tested the battery and it was fine, tested the alternator and it failed. I changed the alternator and still wouldnt start. I changed the battery as well and it worked for about 2 days and then it did the same thing. Radio started to flicker, all the lights turned on and the car decreased until it didnt run anymore? What could this be? Bad gearing? A faulty brand new alternator? Please help me out. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![auto-owner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/50afbb/32.png) [@auto-owner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/auto-owner)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 10:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-sienna-1998-slowly-dies-while-driving/91577/2 "2015-10-29T22:02:41Z")
Is this an original equipment alternator or aftermarket? ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2015, 4:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-sienna-1998-slowly-dies-while-driving/91577/3 "2015-10-30T04:03:42Z")
When you tested the battery the first time, did you do a load test, or just a simple voltage check? Make sure the belt that drives the alternator is in good shape, not slipping, and doing its job. If that’s ok … It sounds like you still have a charging system problem of some kind. That’s actually good news, as it should be fairly inexpensive to repair. It might be somewhat complicated to diagnose though. Rather than listing out every possibility, what I’d do as a start is charge up the battery with a battery charger enough so you can start it, then measure the voltage at the battery with the engine running. It should be about 14-15 volts. Is it? ---
**Author:** ![knfenimore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9fc348/32.png) [@knfenimore](https://community.cartalk.com/u/knfenimore)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 2:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-sienna-1998-slowly-dies-while-driving/91577/4 "2015-11-01T02:21:46Z")
Are the battery cables clean? Is there corrosion on where the cable meets the connectors? ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 7:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-sienna-1998-slowly-dies-while-driving/91577/5 "2015-11-01T19:51:37Z")
My car is slowly dying too. I think it’s called old age