Make Sure Your Mechanic Knows How To Relpace An Alternator

Last August my boss took her Dodge Town & Country to a well known automotive repair shop to have the alternator fixed.

The next day she went to pick up the van but they told her it wasn't ready because it wouldn't start. They took it back in the shop, then said it was fixed.

She was then told to bring it back the next day because there was something else they had to do with the alternator.

She brought it back the next day, they asked her why she brought it back, it was fixed.

She drove the van to down town Portland, about ten minutes away to pick up a drive student.

Before she picked him up she noticed the van was over heating to the point of making the steering wheel hot.

She pulled over, got out of the van, called 911. as she was talking to 911 the van EXPLODED.

Below are some pictures I took of the van once it was towed.


http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/th_005.jpg (http://s327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/?action=view&current=005.jpg)http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/th_009.jpg (http://s327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/?action=view&current=009.jpg)

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/th_007.jpg (http://s327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/?action=view&current=007.jpg)



These are pictures of what it did to the hood, notice the paint is gone on the left side.

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/th_013.jpg (http://s327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/?action=view&current=013.jpg)
This is a closeup of the grill on the outside below the windshield.

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/th_017.jpg (http://s327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/?action=view&current=017.jpg)

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/th_016.jpg (http://s327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/?action=view&current=016.jpg)
Here are a couple of shots from inside on the dashboard.
Can you see an image of Mary, or Joseph, or more likely the devil? :)

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/th_021.jpg (http://s327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/?action=view&current=021.jpg)
This is a shot of the cracked, burned window from the inside by the drivers side.


http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/th_018.jpg (http://s327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/?action=view&current=018.jpg)
This is under the dash on the right passenger side.
Notice the melting of the dashboard dripped to the floor on the left side.
(I think I can spot an image of Satan there!) ;)

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/th_012.jpg (http://s327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/?action=view&current=012.jpg)
Here is`what was left of the engine. Notice the Charred parts around the edge.

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/th_015-1.jpg (http://s327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/?action=view&current=015-1.jpg)
And this is what the battery looked like.

What if my boss was sitting in the van at the time? She got out minutes or less before this happened.
What if her student was driving the van when this happened???

Do any of you have any idea what that mechanic did when installing the alternator to cause it to explode?

Has anyone here had any thing like this happen to them before?

Lots of things can cause an engine fire, it might or might not be related to the alternator repair.

I've been stuck in a car that was on fire, its not a pleasant experience, fortunately I had a fire extinguisher in the car, and have kept one in every car since.

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/th_016.jpg (http://s327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/?action=view&current=016.jpg)
Here are a couple of shots from inside on the dashboard.
Can you see an image of Mary, or Joseph, or more likely the devil? :)

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/th_021.jpg (http://s327.photobucket.com/albums/k475/CLRM/?action=view&current=021.jpg)
Has anyone here had any thing like this happen to them before?

I can clearly make out the image of Utter Incompetence(!)

And this happened right after the electrical work you described was performed on the van?

Yes it did, in fact someone at the shop made a mention that the mechanic didn't have the alternator connected right at first.

The fire inspector said he could tell it started from the alternator.

So I wonder, how would the wire have been wrongly connected to cause this kind of overheating?


*also it happened around August, not spring.

Lots of things can cause an engine fire, it might or might not be related to the alternator repair.

I've been stuck in a car that was on fire, its not a pleasant experience, fortunately I had a fire extinguisher in the car, and have kept one in every car since.

hmm, was the end result anything like the pictures above?

Yes it did, in fact someone at the shop made a mention that the mechanic didn't have the alternator connected right at first.

The fire inspector said he could tell it started from the alternator.

So I wonder, how would the wire have been wrongly connected to cause this kind of overheating?


*also it happened around August, not spring.

The alternator, while one of the most significant advances in auto electrical systems, is also its achilles heal in terms of reliability and in terms of properly hooking up right the first time.

DAMN the things. Damn them! :rofl:

Back in my used '81 Buick days, I must've gone through a half dozen alternators(new and refurb) over the years I owned that car. Fortunately for me none of them turned out to be a Hindenburg!

So I wonder, how would the wire have been wrongly connected to cause this kind of overheating?

Installing an alternator is fairly idiot-proof, there's one connector that clips in place (the connector is shaped so that it can be installed in only the correct position), and there's a B+ wire that is held in place with a nut. Unless you alter the connector to make it fit a wrong alternator, you can't screw anything up there. Tightening a nut down is a simple task... I'd be surprised if someone screwed that up. The only thing I can think of is if they ran the B+ wire the wrong way (but if I remember right those vans have a fairly rigid wiring harness going to the alternator) and it was rubbing on some metal and sparking and ignited some leaking oil. :dunno:

It looks more like the B+ wire shorted out on some metal and made the battery overheat/boil which released a ton of Hydrogen which in in turn caused the battery to explode and start catching all sorts of stuff on fire. Not to mention the B+ wire for the alternator probably got hot enough to ignite just about anything it was touching. My guess is that it was contacting the firewall which would have caused the insulation to burn causing the dash to melt down like that.

Thanks J-Ri and RahX!

So would the shorting out of the B+ wire likely be caused by faulty installation?

No, most likely caused by contact with a metal surface, most likely the alternator body. On a side note, I like how all of the cables around the battery are melted apart.

Get a good pic of the alternator if you can.

It looks more like the B+ wire shorted out on some metal and made the battery overheat/boil which released a ton of Hydrogen which in in turn caused the battery to explode and start catching all sorts of stuff on fire. Not to mention the B+ wire for the alternator probably got hot enough to ignite just about anything it was touching. My guess is that it was contacting the firewall which would have caused the insulation to burn causing the dash to melt down like that.

If you look at the picture of the battery, the battery itself was intact, just badly burned, not exploded.
Also the picture of the hood shows the majority of the impact was on the left side of the hood,
where the alternator was located, not the right side where the battery was located.:confused:

Get a good pic of the alternator if you can.

That was in August, I don't know what was done with the van since then.

Very good point CL8.

That was in August, I don't know what was done with the van since then.

I'm certain it was scrapped. They extensive damage would be far more expensive to fix than the market value of the vehicle.
Back when I used to prowl auto dismantlers for parts, there would be several burned cars like this. It's fairly common. Often such fires were the result of fuel or brake fluid on a hot exhaust. I did not think an auto electrical fire could cause such damage.

I'm certain it was scrapped. They extensive damage would be far more expensive to fix than the market value of the vehicle.
Back when I used to prowl auto dismantlers for parts, there would be several burned cars like this. It's fairly common. Often such fires were the result of fuel or brake fluid on a hot exhaust. I did not think an auto electrical fire could cause such damage.

The sad thing is, my bosses insurance company doesn't want to pursue the investigation into what happened at the shop where it was fixed.

Someone admitted it wasn't installed right at first,
then they refused to fix it any further when they told her to bring it back to do something else to it.
And within ten minutes of driving after she left the shop it exploded!:dunno:

So would the shorting out of the B+ wire likely be caused by faulty installation?

No, most likely caused by contact with a metal surface, most likely the alternator body.

Properly installed, the wire would not contact the alternator. I was thinking about this some more and have a theory. A lot of the time it's easier to attach the B+ wire without the alternator bolted in (if there's a clearance issue with the nut and the block/a bracket/other accessory, etc.; but I can't picture exactly how it is on that vehicle). If they installed the wire backwards, then forced the wire into a tight bend, that could easily account for it rubbing on something.

I did not think an auto electrical fire could cause such damage.
All it takes to go from an electrical fire to a big fire is a little leaking oil, and those Chrysler vans are rarely clean under the hood.


I can't believe that they let the vehicle leave the shop with any known problem that they should have resolved, and especially to say it was good when she brought it back. I've made my share of mistakes (nothing big), but when I do, you can bet that I resolve them even if it costs me hundreds of dollars in lost time.

J-Ri
I was reading your post about your friends Camry overheating, then you deleted it just as I was reading "we will never know(or find out)" what will we never find out?:)

double post

And thanks for the reply below J-Ri!

I would guess he doesn't have that car anymore!

Oh, sorry, I thought it irrelevant so I deleted it. I didn't know it would remove it from someone's screen while it was being read :) For everyone who read none of it (as part of a reply to MagicRat's post):

I have a friend who's Camry caught fire. He thought he smelled electrical insulation burning while he was driving down the highway so he pulled over. He got out of the car and it started burning. We'll never know it it started as an electrical fire or started somewhere else and spread to the wires. That car had just about every fluid leaking, so it's very possible that it started as an oil fire on the exhaust manifold and spread from there.

The sad thing is, my bosses insurance company doesn't want to pursue the investigation into what happened at the shop where it was fixed.

then they refused to fix it any further when they told her to bring it back to do something else to it.
And within ten minutes of driving after she left the shop it exploded!:dunno:

What I'm about to state regarding this matter, is based on the above statement, but is to be taken solely as SPECULATION or ALLEGATION. That is - take it FWIW:

This actually happened to me when I was a lot younger and a lot more hot-headed, so I'm applying it to this van case:

During the process of repairs, or during the change of hands between shop & owner, less than civil words may have been exchanged(by either party - owner or shop, for whatever reasons). Said shop mechanic/owner/whomever gets pissed and refuses to do any further work on said owner's said vehicle.

OR: Work(of a less than ideal standard) is rendered on said vehicle, compromising its roadability, possible as revenge for alleged less-than-civil exchange.

Owner is told that work is not complete/other parts are required, possesses vehicle, and leaves shop. Later on, vehicle suffers disabling condition - in this case the fire under the hood in vicinity of main electrical components.

End of speculation/allegation. And one can only HOPE that this - or something along these lines - is not what actually happened.

interesting theory smoothhandler, but this is a well known nationwide shop,
not one with just a local owner.

interesting theory smoothhandler, but this is a well known nationwide shop,
not one with just a local owner.


Local, national, doesn't matter. As a customer, if you cop an attitude with some mechs, they WILL cop right back - and sometimes not in your face. And that says nothing about their ability. They may be the best brakes guy, tire guy, tranny, or general automotive act in town, or even state, but just don't piss'em off.

There's just some people in this world you don't mess with, even if you are right and they are wrong.

And if they intentionally do anything like that it is beyond illegal. Heck if anyone had gotten stuck inside that van and the fire was worse than it was and someone got killed i'm pretty sure it could be construed as murder in that respect. It would have to be proven of course. But it would look really suspicious that an electrical fire broke out after XXX shop worked on it and got into an argument with the mechanic/owner. Point is, as a mechanic you either get it right or get over yourself and figure out what you are doing wrong. An alternator is an alternator and I haven't ever had enough trouble with one to have the customer bring it back. I certainly haven't ever gotten revenge on someone who was pissed at me by screwing with their car. This is be a basic human instinct.

interesting theory smoothhandler, but this is a well known nationwide shop,
not one with just a local owner.

I had to do a report on how shops are run while I was in college. From what I saw, a lot of the national shops are actually worse than privately owned shops. While I think there are many reasons for this, I think it's primarily that the owner is never there. Nobody cares more about keeping customers than the owner does, and the manager typically knows nothing (or very little) about cars. That means that the tech can basically say anything and chances are nobody will know. Maybe it's lack of knowledge, maybe it's dishonesty, maybe a combination of the two. Maybe you get a guy who'll take the change out of your ashtray, or maybe you'll get a guy who'll actually admit it you he doesn't know what's wrong. The customer may pay for several repairs before the real cause is guessed, and each time the tech may find an excuse why the part he replaced was actually bad. While it's not uncommon for there to be multiple parts bad, lots of comebacks often seem suspicious to me.

This is purely speculation, but perhaps the wire was intentionally installed wrong; for whatever reason... revenge, dishonesty, disgruntled worker (I think it would be very hard to do it wrong and not notice). With a total short and no leaks, the fusible link would blow and the van would come back with the battery light on for another repair. With a small amount of contact and an oil leak, the wire sits there and sparks for a while and ignites the oil.

Hmm, I don't know that we, my boss, made them that upset.
But, who knows!
Thanks for all the input though.

Hmm, I don't know that we, my boss, made them that upset.
But, who knows!
Thanks for all the input though.


Again, what I posted(post #21) was speculation - take it FWIW. I wasn't there the day you brought the van in or took it out. I don't know what went on.