Steph

This is my first post..I posted on a different forum at a different site and no one replied..hopefully I'll have better luck here.

I drive a 1995 SL2 Automatic. There's about 120,000 miles on it. I live about 350 miles from the Bay Area (I'm up in Humboldt County for school) and I've made the trek home there 2-3 times in my car.

Full tune-up before I left for school in August 2004.

Anyway, so about a week ago, my battery light came on. I didn't think too much of it, but I asked my boyfriend if it was always on. He wasn't sure. So I get it home, it's fine. No problems..yet.

The next morning, I take him to class (less than a mile away). No problems.

An hour later, I'm leaving to pick him up, and I notice it's very sluggish. My foot on the gas doesn't seem to do much, and my pedal is usually pretty touchy, so I knew this wasn't right. The car just wasn't moving like it usually did.

It seemed a little better while driving, but after stopping at the stop sign, it was pretty bad.

I picked him up, asked him if he noticed anything, he said not really, so I thought I was going crazy.

Later that day, we're driving back from class and while sitting in maybe..5 cars of stop and go traffic, the car starts sputtering.

We're halfway home when my spedometer stops working, the clock on my stereo is gone, the lights are dimming, and then as we're pulling into the parking spot, it dies.

Any ideas?

It won't start up now.

I was told battery or alternator. I know that seems to be a lot of people's problems, but as a college student, I'm pretty much broke and I can't afford to tow it anywhere and have someone check it out.

Thanks for all your help!

Ssicarman

Welcome to the board.

99% of the time the battery light coming on is a sure sign of the alternator no longer working. The rest of your symptoms pretty much confirm it. Solution is to replace the alternator. Make sure that you get the battery charged up before you start the car with the new alt, it will work to hard to charge the near dead battery.

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my99sl1

same thing happened to my car. Alternator was shot. I got one at a junkyard for $45

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mariner33

I agree, it's the alternator. A bad battery wouldn't cause those symptoms. I had the same problem a year ago. First one guage stopped working, followed by another, then the clock LED's faded out, the lights dimmed, and then the car went dead. Once the engine is started, the alternator runs the vehicle's electronics, not the battery. I bought a new (rebuilt) replacement on Ebay. It's much less expensive than what the auto parts store charges, but you have to wait a while to get the part. Unless, you can find a seller who lives near you. It's pretty easy to replace. Good luck.

i8piglet

Similar thing happened to me with my first saturn. It was the alternator, replacing it was pretty easy. I wouldnt stress.

Steph

Thanks for all your replies.

A local shop quoted me 273 out the door.

I don't have that kind of money.

I'd attempt to do it myself, but I am so car-clueless it's pathetic. There's no way I could change something like that.

My boyfriend is a little better, but he doesn't feel comfortable changing it himself.

Not to mention, on Friday i'm supposed to drive down 350 miles back home for Thanksgiving.

Ssicarman

That is likely a fairly good price providing it is parts and labour. While changing the alt is not rocket science it is not neccesarily the best first thing to do on a car if you don't feel comfortable doing it.
As for driving 350 miles with changing the alt you can't do it. Even if the battery was fully charged you will not make it all the way. May be time to going begging for money from home????

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A lousy day in Paradise is still a day in Paradise.

Steph

My father suggested today that I just buy a brand new battery, and that should get us down there and then he'll take it to a shop and get it all worked out.

He said worst case scenario that we might have to stop at a gas station and get it charged up again..the battery that is.

Is this safe?

We're driving down 101, which is pretty windy and narrow at some parts, for about 100 miles or so.

And the 273 includes parts and labor.

Robert-sl2

Welcome to saturnspot.

Your dads idea is definately NOT safe!! besides that you wont get very far. figure if you drive with the heat or AC on, the radio, cruise control, lights anything like that it will drain it even faster, even opening a window will cut the power down quickly.

Dont want the engine to die going through those hills, you will lose the power a$sist to your brakes and you will be standing on the pedal to try to slow down or stop. all around bad idea. Just beg dad for some $$$ and get the root of the problem fixed (I've done it)

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mariner33

That would be a very bad idea. I've never actually experimented with finding out how far or long a vehicle can run on battery power alone, but I highly doubt it'll get you 350 miles. If you and your boyfriend don't feel comfortable replacing it, then ask around your dorm. I'm sure there are classmates who know how to replace an alternator. It's a pretty easy job. Find someone majoring in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or some other typical hands-on guy major. I bet you or one of your friends knows someone like that. Post a message on one of the message boards. Every college I've been to had a message board with job offers. Offer them $50 to replace it for you and then go buy the part at the auto parts store. You can get a rebuilt alternator for $75 at Schucks and $80 at Autozone. There will be a $20 core charge, but you'll get that back when you give them the old alternator. You would be looking at $125 total, which is a lot better than $273, and much safer than trying the battery power experiment. A new battery is going to cost you $50, and you're going to have to buy the alternator when you get home anyway.