96 Rodeo - Problems are piling, what is the cause?

Last week, my power windows stoppped working on my 1996 Isuzu Rodeo. This has been routine for the last few months, and normally i just reach over to my fuse panel on the left side of the dash and push the button back in and it's fine. That no longer works (the button is not popped out). THEN, this morning when I started my car, my air system no longer is working. No A/c and no power windows, and it's about 100 degrees and humid!!!

If it helps anybody answer the question, I also noticved last week that my horn stopped working for a few moments. It's fine now.

Where should I start? Thanks.

How old's your alternator?

Usually classic signs of alt failure are no A/C, no blower/heater controls, weird idiotic lights on dash, etc. but these trucks will act very strange when their volts are low.

I appreciate the quick reply. When I'm driving, and have my foot on the gas, most of the time my voltomer gauge on the dash will drop down to center, and then rise up to normal again when I stop accelerating. This has been the case for quite some time now. A few months back, I adjusted (and replaced) all the belts, thinking this was the problem. The gauge still drops when I accelertae, I'd say about 80% of the time.

I feared it was an alt problem. Not sure of its age, but I'd bet it's the original. Does anyone have an idea on how much I can expect to pay for this, if I take it into a shop? Unfortuntaely, I can barely make a ham sandwich let alone change an alternator. I do know a reputable mechanic here who won't screw me, but if anyone knows a ballpark figure of what I can expect to shell out here, I'd like to know....

Thanks again...

When I'm driving, and have my foot on the gas, most of the time my voltmeter gauge on the dash will drop down to center, and then rise up to normal again when I stop accelerating. That is what it's supposed to do. Doesn't mean that your alternator isn't bad though. I just replaced mine over the weekend with a new Hitachi unit. Works fine, unfortunately I don't know what it cost because I got it free from my landlord. :iceslolan

As far as replacing it goes, on a ten year old vehicle even replacing the alternator can be a PITA until you break the bolts loose. There are two bolts that secure the alternator and a smaller bolt that goes to the belt tensioner. The top bolt takes a 14mm socket, the bottom bolt a 12mm and the tensioner bolt a 10mm.

-Disconnect the negative battery cable.
- Spray the tensioner bolt with PB Blaster or some other rust catalyst/penetrating oil. This small bolt is the weak link (I broke it and had to put the block in a vise and heat it uo in order to remove the broken part. You will need a 6M 40mm or 50mm METRIC bolt as a replacement if you break it).
-Loosen and remove the tension bolt before you remove the bottom bolt as it will be easier with the larger bolt holding the tension block in place.
- Loosen and remove the bottom bolt.
- Loosen and remove the top bolt.
- Remove the plugs and battery cable (10mm socket) from the back of the old alternator.

Here's the fun part. I put a pan or cat litter box under the vehicle and disconnect the upper radiator hose from the thermostat housing and tie it out of the way. Put a rag in the thermostat housing to minimize the coolant dripping. With this hoe out of the way you can get the old alternator out and the new one in quite easily. (**Keep in mind that you will need anti-freeze and maybe a new hose clamp**).

Install the new alternator by performing the steps reverse order except reconnect the radiator hose last.

**Note** to tighten the alternator belt, ensure both the top and bottom bolts are loose so that the alternator can move as you TIGHTEN the tension bolt. Turning the tension bolt to the right (or clockwise) tightens the alternator belt. Once the belt is tight, tighten the bottom bolt, then the top bolt. Keep in mind that you may need to tighten the belt more in order to stop any squealing at start up.

**Edit**
Additionally, there are two different alternators listed for a "Mid 1996 and on" first gen. Rodeo with a 3.2L engne. One has 3 terminals on the regulator and one has 4 terminals. make sure that the one you put on maches the one you take off. You will probably need the 4 terminal model though, since your charging system is controlled by the ECM and the extra "pin" goes to the ECM.

That upper hose is a pain, but there is a way to turn the alt so it slides by. Depends on if you want to test the learning curve!

If it isn't the alternator - could it be mice chewing on a wiring bundle? Or a bad body ground? I see that you live on the seacoast - salt air will corrode half the vehicle over time and the Rodeo is ten years old.
Tom

Okay, I'm pretty sure my alternator is fine at this point. My volt readings are normal. The problem is most likely electrical, I gather. So, where should I start looking first, as far as wires and such? I have no clue. Any ideas or directions would be appreciated. I have a feeling this will get costly if I take it to my mechanic...

thanks...will

Does your Rodeo's engine compartment have a general coating of rust on all the metal surfaces? Is the undercarrige starting to flake off in thin layers around the frame and suspension? If so, this might be an indicator that that the two dozen or so ground locations all over are starting to lose contact.
The lowest hanging fruit are the engine grounds. Look for any wires that terminate at a flat metal surface. Disconnect the fastener and take a small tough wire brush to the contact spots, replace the fastener. Hopefully someone here can give specifics. I'm nowhere near my Rodeo to lift the hood and take pictures of the likely offenders. But others here may know where the key cabin grounds are that affect the accessories that aren't working for you. Tom

FWIW - just because your volt gauge is normal does NOT mean the alternator is 100% efficient.

My volt gauge read on the + side even when I had a dead alternator; I drove home 300 miles one night on a dead alternator, obviously I never shut the truck back off, and I had very limited use of electricals - i.e. truck literally shut everything down except one headlight, I didn't even have dash lights for the last 150 miles in. Driver's window was stuck in the down mode on that rather cold night with obviously no heat, not enough power to put it out.

Long story short, it fried the battery along with it, but I made it home. It was 10pm the night it failed up on the flat-tops in the Colorado mountains, an area with no open part stores, and definitely no availability for an Isuzu alternator.

Don't rely on your volt gauge, go somewhere where they can test that alternator under a load - I can almost guarantee you if it's the original it's probably shot!

I have a '97 Rodeo, and my OEM alternator crapped out at 50k miles (covered just barely under warranty); my 2nd alternator failed at 130k-ish miles. So it would not be a surprise to hear yours is getting old.

If you do end up replacing it, go with either an OEM or a Bosch unit, do NOT use just any aftermarket alternator or you'll be experiencing issues in another 3-4 months.