Radio died/lights dim

[Euphoric]

Ok, so the radio sometimes acts up. every once in a while it flickered or the volume would automatically go up or down...i figured it was just old and cruddy...

thats been happening for about 6 months. everything else was fine and it rarely happend.


fast forward to tonight. driving home. radio dies.... or at least it tried to. sound cut out and the lights on it were flickering on and off a lot...weird. then it was completely dead....then i realize all the dash lights are really low and the headlight output is really low. (harder to notice that in the city) car was still driving fine.

i got home jsut fine shut er off and came inside. havent touched the car since.

whats going on? dont tell me the damn alt is going/gone. it got a brand new oem mitsu alt(no rebuilt crap) a couple years ago.......


any other ideas if its not the alt?
Ill see tomorrow if it starts up/behaves normally.

 

[SethA]

Some of the symptoms you mentioned sound like a weak battery. The first sign of my car needing a battery is radio issues. Remarkably starting in the morning is never an issue. A parts store can load test your battery.

Seth

 

[Dsmj89]

Like setha said, get your battery checked at your local parts store. Also take your radio off and check to see if there aren't any wires back there that are making any false contact.

 

[Euphoric]

thanks for the tips! Ill give it a shot to see whats up

 

[ClevelandDSM]

Some of the symptoms you mentioned sound like a weak battery. The first sign of my car needing a battery is radio issues. Remarkably starting in the morning is never an issue. A parts store can load test your battery.

Seth

Agree 100%

Check your batery, and the tention on the alt.

 

[Drift_SM]

Usually flickering lights and radio cutting out, is a sign of a failing alternator regulator.

Our Regulators are inside our alternator on the side facing the o2 housings. Its not rare that the regulator over time is burnt, melted, toasted, cooked. This is caused by heat from the o2 housing.

I go through an alternator every year to year and a half, because Im to lazy to fab up a heat shield.

Bring it to an Advance Autoparts or Autozone and have them test both the charging system and battery.

Hope that helps.