2005 Nissan Altima Bad Alternator

2005 NISSAN ALTIMA
31,000 MILES • 6 CYL • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
Avatar
LINA1984
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
I've this car for 5 mth, and its only 4 years old. When I bought it, the owner had just put in a new battery. Well five mth later, the battery went dead and I put in a new battery and the battery light was still on. So I found out that it was the alternator. My question is that can an alternator in a car that is four years old, with no accidents, and has less than 32000? Also, what are some possibilities that might have broken the alternator? And is it bad to drive on it, will it go dead again soon?
Jul 1, 2009 at 12:12 PM
Advertisement
Avatar
BLUELIGHTNIN6
  • CERTIFIED EXPERT
  • 16,542 POSTS
Alternators fail due to wear and tear. Some last only 3 or 4 years, some last longer. It just depends on how often and hard it is used. If you haven't had it rebuilt or replaced than I wouldn't recommend driving until it has been, if it fails then the vehicle will use your car battery as a reserve until it is drained (which won't take long). Then you would have to recharge your new battery AND get the alt. replaced .
Jul 1, 2009 at 12:16 PM