Help [with sudden no-run condition, alternator?]

[96contoursemtx]

Okay I have a few questions/problems for u guys.. First off, about a month ago my oil light came on, but nothing is out of the ordinary.. no knocking, no hesitation, and still had great oil pressure(almost 3/4 gauge going about 65 on the highway, in the middle at idle.) So I didn't think anything about that, as long as i watch the oil pressure gauge i should be alright. Now comes the real problem. I was leaving my work the other day getting onto the highway and it hesitated, sort of stuttered in first gear, went to second, slightly stuttered, but it was alright. So Im drivin down the highway wonderin what was going on, looking at all of my gauges, and i noticed that my temp. gauge needle would not go any higher than about a quarter of the way up.. when it usually goes in the middle. Another thing it was doing was idling lower than usual, my car usually idles pretty high(1200-1400 RPM) and it was idling at about 900 when this ordeal was going on Anyways, i turn my car off and wait in line for a pump, my turn comes up, I go to start the beast and it will not start! So I push it into a parking spot, pop the hood, made sure my battery terminals weren't welded together or anything, checked the water in the battery, that was fine, so then I got the car rolling, popped the clutch and got to my friends house were I could park it for a while. So I got the good old jumper cables out, charged the battery, started the car, left the cables on the battery, and it seemed to run fine, took the cables off and started sputtering again... so I start to drive it home and it is stuttering/hesitating HORRIBLY.. on my street I also noticed that it was so dead that my car would actually shut itself off if I didn't give it any gas and come back to life when I gave it gas, my S-afc was going crazy! I'm almost positive that it is the alternator, but I didnt think my car would stutter and hesitate like it did if the alternator went bad.. Somebody please tell me this is how alternators go out! Thanks in advance...

Brendan

Edit: Car is a 90 Talon Tsi AWD

 

[UrMyStlkAl]

Sounds like a bad alternator to me. If it won't keep your batter charged its your alternator. It happened to my old Saturn, the alt. just went bad all of a sudden and the car wouldn't start.

I think the way to test it is start the car and unhook the battery while it is running. If the car dies the its the alternator, it it runs, its the battery. You'll might have to get a new battery and alternator, the battery might be completly drained and charging wouldn't help. I'm no pro tho, just giving advice.

 

[96contoursemtx]

**UPDATE**

I went to auto zone, got my battery tested, turns out it was bad, so I bought a new one, put it in, and drove my car to auto zone to check the alternator, and the alternator is bad also.
I drive it home with the bad alternator still in the car, and planned on taking the alternator out, and buying a new one and putting it in.
So i get home, shut my car off, and go to start it back up and it wont start again, with a brand new battery..
I try again, this time i hear my computer making a sort of buzzing sound.
Then, I unhook the negative terminal for a minute, put it back on, and start the car up this time it starts, but idles EXTREMELY rough at around 700 RPM's and from then on it will not start.. no matter what i do.. any advice is extremely appreciated...
Brendan

 

[UrMyStlkAl]

You're going to need a new alternator, like autozone told you. Replace it, then try

 

[96contoursemtx]

That doesnt exactly explain why my ECU is making a buzzing sound when I try to start the car though.. and their are a couple other things also. About every 3rd-4th time i try to start the car,their is a clicking sound in the rear of the car, underneath the carpet in the hatch area.
And my window will only roll up or down if my key is in an exact spot in my ignition.

Brendan