LS Died while driving - Possible Alternator?

G

gopaperless

LVC Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2014
Messages
20
Reaction score
0
Location
Tulsa
I was driving my LS home today when the radio shut off, ABS light came on, Airbag light came on and it message center said "check traction control". It stayed running but ran more sluggish the farther I drove it (trying to get home). Finally got to a parking lot and shut it off. Wouldn't start again It would click and needles on the speed and tach would go all the way up and back down. Tow truck driver (yeah AAA) said it was a bad alternator and it finally ran the battery down. I didn't get any voltage warnings or any prior indication that there was an issue. Does this sound correct? An alternator can go bad with no warning messages?

Thanks for the help. I saw a post on changing the alternator and not looking forward to doing it... :-/
 
gopaperless said:
I was driving my LS home today when the radio shut off, ABS light came on, Airbag light came on and it message center said "check traction control". It stayed running but ran more sluggish the farther I drove it (trying to get home). Finally got to a parking lot and shut it off. Wouldn't start again It would click and needles on the speed and tach would go all the way up and back down. Tow truck driver (yeah AAA) said it was a bad alternator and it finally ran the battery down. I didn't get any voltage warnings or any prior indication that there was an issue. Does this sound correct? An alternator can go bad with no warning messages?

Thanks for the help. I saw a post on changing the alternator and not looking forward to doing it... :-/
Click to expand...

EXACTLY what happened to me with my old 2000. The speedo showed about 130 an the tach about 5K while I was barely doing 20!!

Yes, the alternator took out the battery. The only warning I got was me radar detector telling me I had low voltage; which I didn't believe. Whoops!!!

I had the alternator replaced at my indie for an hour's labor plus the outrageous price for the part. I couldn't wait for RockAuto...
 
Since you have a 1st gen, it is very important that you get a Motorcraft alternator and not an aftermarket. Also, unless your battery was very new, it is probably toast now. (Your old damaged battery could kill the new/rebuilt alternator.) Be sure to get the correct battery with the vent tube connection and do be sure to connect the vent tube.
 
What year?

The LS seems particularly sensitive to noise on the power rails, so an alternator with a failing diode can cause interesting problems. One would hope the charging system warning would come up, but it's not perfect.
 
Thanks for the info. My LS is a 2002 V8 Base. I just put in a new Interstate (sealed - Didn't need a vent tube since it was sealed) battery less than 6 months ago. Joegr, you would still recommend a motorcraft Alternator? Is that a dealer only part or would one of the national chains happen to carry it.

Is it as big of a pain to change as it looks?? any advice? :)

Thank you all for your help.
 
gopaperless said:
.... I just put in a new Interstate (sealed - Didn't need a vent tube since it was sealed) ....
Click to expand...

Why, oh why does this baloney continue? There is no such thing as sealed when it come to a lead-acid 12V car battery. All such batteries have two choices under adverse circumstances (sudden short, faulty voltage regulator overcharging, ...). Those choices are: vent or explode. Everyone picks vent. Your "sealed" Interstate battery has an emergency vent that will pop out and vent hydrogen (and other stuff) if anything bad happens. Hydrogen under the hood (which vents to the outside) is not terrible. Hydrogen in the trunk (which vents to the cabin) is really, really bad. This is why you need the external vent connection on any battery that goes in the trunk or the cabin. It really is as simple as that.

Yes, the alternator is a very big pain to replace on the V8 LS.
 
gopaperless said:
Thanks for the info. My LS is a 2002 V8 Base. I just put in a new Interstate (sealed - Didn't need a vent tube since it was sealed) battery less than 6 months ago. Joegr, you would still recommend a motorcraft Alternator? Is that a dealer only part or would one of the national chains happen to carry it.

Is it as big of a pain to change as it looks?? any advice? :)

Thank you all for your help.
Click to expand...

Try and find one of those places that do alternator and starter rebuilds and then get a granny to get a senior discount. I had mine done for $302-15%. It was done in 1.5 days in 2013.
 
Guess that's want I get for trusting the battery place. Thanks for the information. I may hire a mobile guy to come help me change the alternator.
 
This is the correct/safe (according to Interstate) battery for your LS.
http://www.interstatebatteries.com/...2-4294492850-4294492286-4294493595-2147384906
Note that it has a vent tube connection. Also note that the suggested price is higher than what Ford dealers charge for the correct LS battery.

If the people working at "the battery place" knew what they were doing, they'd have a better job somewhere else.
 
joegr said:
Since you have a 1st gen, it is very important that you get a Motorcraft alternator and not an aftermarket. Also, unless your battery was very new, it is probably toast now. (Your old damaged battery could kill the new/rebuilt alternator.) Be sure to get the correct battery with the vent tube connection and do be sure to connect the vent tube.
Click to expand...

When I needed a battery 6 or so months ago the ONLY place I could get the correct battery was at the Ford dealer. All the auto parts stores had batteries they said were correct but they were not. And the dealer price was the best of all. I did not try interstate. IIRC I paid under $120 for the battery. Good luck.
 
When I needed to replace the alternator one Saturday afternoon, the only place with one available was Autozone. It lasted about three months and failed on the starting line of an ECTA event in Maxton NC. We replaced it (lifetime warranty) while lying in the dirt in the pits and using a flashlight. I went through three more---got pretty good at doing the change---before I got a 'good' one. It's worked just fine for more than four years now. I did put in a voltmeter to be able to keep check of things.

KS
 
The LS (at least first Gen, not sure of the second) makes the worst use of a warning light for a bad alternator. By the time the light comes on its way too late. It seems to be based on system voltage and has too low of a set point. Older cars would light the indicator when current started flowed out of the battery rather than into the battery giving you plenty of time to get to a safe place or home.

When my alternator failed I had started the car and driven 1 mile when the alternator light came on. I drove another 1 mile to find a place to turn around and then drove home. While driving the car shut off the radio the fan and then the headlights (at night). As I pulled into the driveway the car died.

While many will say you need Motorcraft I went with a new aftermarket purchased from an electrical shop that only handles (and rebuilds) starters and alternators. So far (6 year later) I'm still going. As to the battery I'm still on the one installed at the factory.
 
UPDATE:
Got the alternator installed (Motorcraft from the dealer... Thanks joegr for the recommendation). Mobile Mechanic helped me and it took us around 2 and a half hours. It would have taken me 4 hours. :) Jumped the car to get it started and everything has been fine for 10 days. Now it says "Check Charging System" I put a meter on it and its putting out 14.6 volts at the alternator and showing 14.3 at the battery. The number 15 fuse (alternator sense) was blown and I replaced it. several hours later it came back on again. Checked the fuse and its fine. Alternator seems to be sending out a current and it will keep the car running if I disconnect the neg battery cable. Car starts everytime and sometimes the CCS message will go off if I keep driving. What else could it be???

Thank you to everyone. This car is starting to frustrate me... :)
 
gopaperless said:
... it will keep the car running if I disconnect the neg battery cable. ...
Click to expand...

Please don't ever do this again. It was reasonable in the 70s, but it hasn't been wise since the 80s on up. You can damage a lot of expensive electronic modules doing that. I know people who have. My father did a lot of damage to an 85 Crown Vic trying that. The damage may not be immediate or obvious. It could cause things to be flaky some of the time...
 
Guess that's what I get for reading other forums. Thanks joegr.

Any idea on what the CCS issue is. I was getting that message before pulling the battery cable.
 
I'll check that. With is sending 14 volts out and 14volts to the battery, would it be bad to go ahead and drive it?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 153 (members: 0, guests: 153)
Back
Top