Hi,

I'm only writing this because I'm really frustrated with my car and am at the point where I'll try just about anything.

It's been in the shop for 2 weeks and I just got it back a couple days ago. It had been going dead on me in the middle of the road with no warning. Turns out it was the distributor.

Well, it's been running great, better than ever. I've only had the car for about 6 months. I bought it from a friend and we had the engine rebuilt. But anyway, it was fine until this morning on the way to work. I was turning and it got hard to steer and the battery light came on but I managed to complete the turn and when I did the light went off and the car was fine. It never completely went dead. It also did the same thing when I turned into my parking spot at work.

Then, I decided to try something. I put the car in park and turned the steering wheel a bit, and sure enough it did the same thing. I did this several times and each time the battery light came out and it felt like it was going to go dead. Then for some reason, it's started working normally when I turned the wheel. I've driven the car quite a bit today and it's been running great ever since.

It did this once before, in the same place, about a month ago. I was low on gas at the time and thought that was the problem. I had almost a full tank of gas today. Now, I'm wondering if maybe it didn't have something to do with the distributor. I need to know so that we don't have to replace it again, but at the same time I need my car (it's been really hard not having it for two weeks) and if it only does this every once in a while then I really don't want to worry about it right now.

I can take it to the shop again but I know they'll probably say there's nothing wrong with it because it won't do it when they are driving.....

Any advice would be appreciated....

Thanks,
morninglory

sounds like you having an issue with your belt may be slipping and/or.

Thank you for your reply. Which belt?

Btw, I forgot to mention that there is a small leak in the power steering. I don't think it has anything to do with the car going dead but it doesn't hurt to mention it. It's kinda strange though cause lately it's been making a noise when I turn that sounds a lot like it's low on power steering fluid but when I check it, it's not low. I'm wondering if the noise isn't the brakes because the guy that fixed the distributor said it needed the back brakes replaced very bad. I would've never known it if he hadn't said it. My old car, and the only other car I've ever owned, definitely let you know when the brakes needed changing, I haven't heard anything that sounds like it on this car. Needless to say, the new brakes are sitting in my backseat waiting to be changed this weekend....

Thanks,
morninglory

Funny I was going to suggest the Power steering pump in my first post but didnt. If your leaking P/S fluid the pump may be going or already has gone bad and when you make a turn it puts the extra strain on your belt slowing it down, The best also drives your alternator which can cause the battery light to come on if it isnt spinning fast enought to generate the proper voltage. I would have your P/S pump checked.

my 93 altima did the same thing when i went to turn, at first it wasnt so bad, but eventually it got bad as to wear the car would completely stop going, it was the power steering pump. just my .02 though

Funny I was going to suggest the Power steering pump in my first post but didnt. If your leaking P/S fluid the pump may be going or already has gone bad and when you make a turn it puts the extra strain on your belt slowing it down, The belt also drives your alternator which can cause the battery light to come on if it isnt spinning fast enought to generate the proper voltage. I would have your P/S pump checked.


Thats definitely what I would wager on. I know I had the reverse problem of this. When my alternator died, first it got hard to steer than everything stopped working.