07 focus battery light intermittently comes on

[usar89b]

The battery light on our 2007 Focus has been coming on intermittently for the last few days. I checked the charge on the battery, and it seemed fine. My first guess is the alternator. This problem is intermittent though, sometimes the car runs fine, other times it will die and need a jump start. After jump starting the car it runs fine for awhile. I know it seems like its just running until the battery is drained again, but sometimes it runs for longer than you think it would off just the battery. I still suspect the alternator though. I was thinking that the alternator is dying and just keeps trying to work properly, like its trying not to give up yet.
Any ideas fellas? Hope I'm not missing anything here. What the hell else could it be?

[Franco2112]

Take to Ford dealer. They will check the battery and alternator for free at the service drive. Just let them know you are in for just that. I believe your inclinations are correct.
Franco

[usar89b]

I removed the alternator and had it tested at two different autozones. Failed at both locations. The reason I took it to two different places is because the first store didn't have a new one in stock. Installed the new alternator and everything works fine. Took me 3 hours to get the old one out, and 20 minutes to install the new one!
Problem solved...

[Davescort97]

Thanks for coming back and letting us know what the problem was. Hopefully this will help someone with a similar problem in the future.

[zzyzzx2]

How many miles are on the old alternator. Sounds exactly like worn out alternator brushes.

[usar89b]

Only about 50,000 miles on the car itself. Pretty sure it was the original alternator.

[hytwr1]

Sounds familiar.

I had the factory alternator on my '07 die at about 59K. The second from a Ford dealer died about a month ago with about 129K on the car.

I'm curious how difficult it was to swap. The first one I had to pay to have done because it died on an interstate 800 miles from home. The second is the one I posted a message about here recently where the dealer first said it was the instrument cluster. Next time I'll do it myself!

Bill

[usar89b]

Well Bill, it really wasn't that difficult. It took about 3 hours to get the old one out, but that was due to the extreme heat of Missouri summertime. I kept having to go inside and cool off. The alternator is a pain to remove, just because of everything else you have to remove first. If you are patient and take your time, it can be done with out loosening the motor mount like all the manuals say to do. The coolant overflow tank must be moved and set aside, although it doesn't need to be disconnected or drained. I removed the return fuel line to make more room. The lower bolts must be removed from the bottom side, along with some plastic covers and such. The hardest part it seems is removing and replacing the serpentine belt. You don't have much room to work there. Good luck. It can be done!

[hytwr1]

Thanks for the info.

The good ole midwest summer heat is another reason I let the dealer do it in their air conditioned shop!

Bill