Guy's Im in doodoo, I think the alternator is toast.

[johnneh]

Okay, so car is a 08 Pontiac Wave Model, Problem: Battery light came one night before, it was around almost 1 AM so figured deal with it tomorrow. Next day car starts, nothing wrong pull out to do some grocery shopping, came home dropedp off grocery. Got in car to start it again.... Battery dead. Gets jump from neighboor, drives 2 blocks away in a spam of 5 minutes and car dies because battery is COMPLETELY DEAD.
Calls cab to go to Canadian Tire (a store in Canada for auto parts) to pick up a battery come back - swapped it, good to go. On the night of the exact SAME DAY the battery light came on again and my lights start literally dimming ... so i got scared and parked it at Girlfriends house... now im home and thinking if im screwed or not. LOL is it the alternator any guess?

PS: When i went to buy the battery the guy told me once the car started with the new battery take the positive plug side off to see if car still runs ... if it doesnt it means the alternator is shot.... thats what I did, and voila the car died when I took the positive side off, so im guessing the alternator is gone?

EDIT: Btw i was considering to deal with the situation but the thing is ..... today is my birthday so my schedule was pretty filled and yes this happened today LOLL

[ontarian_frog]

Yes the alternator is toast. 99% positive.

[petrified.rabbit]

Yes the alternator is toast. 99% positive.

agreed, unless you have a fuse-able link issue or wiring issue.

pulling the positive cable off the battery while running is a BAD idea.

pull your alternator and get it tested.. consider replacement since its out for the cost even if it passes.

[johnneh]

What's the fuse-able link issue Rabbit? cause the thing I'm scratching my head about is the fact that if it's the alternator, the alternator light SHOULD come on the dash, wouldn't it? BTW i thought that it was a bad idea as well but why may that be so?



P.S: Any ideas on where I can go pick up a 08 Pontiac Wave alternator?

[ontarian_frog]

There is no alternator light. The battery light comes on when the battery voltage drops below a certain limit. If the alternator is not charging, then the battery will discharge fairly rapidly.

[petrified.rabbit]

fuse-able link is basically the wire from the alternator to the battery. typically it will have a fuse in the circuit somewhere, or be a wire that "breaks" under amperage just like a fuse would. But What i was really saying is the the alternator is not charging the battery, so it is most likely the alternator, but could be the circuit preventing the charge from getting to the battery. (which will in turn burn out the alternator most likely).

but ontarian frog is dead on.

as far as find an alternator, call your local parts places. i dont know where you are to tell you more, other than you are in oh canada eh.

[brendan.melanson]

I'm not much help here, but if your looking for your best price in parts and your in Canada try Car Quest or NAPA. Canadian tire has outrageous prices.. I'm in PEI, Canada. If there's something my car needs done that there is NO WAY I could do it myself or at the school shop, it goes into Canadian tire - Just because if they mess up something else or what not, they'll handle it for free. However, I get all my parts regardless if I'm doing the work or they are from NAPA. Sometimes NAPA doesn't have a part I need in stock, I'll hit up Car Quest and there prices are the same with a dollar or two difference.