Replace Alternator ???

[dahm1966]

Ive read about the extensive need for alternator replacement on these vehicles due to flickering headlights. My fiance's car does exhibit the flickering lights, and has also recently began to exhibit flashing warning lights as well. The ABS, AirBag, and other warning lights will come on intermittently. I'm assuming that a faulty alternator could be causing these problems. The strange thing is she says that there is a fluctuation in RPMs when this happpens as well, and it drives differently (RPMs are consistantly higher than normal by about 500 revs while cruising). Is there any way that a faulty alternator could be causing this change in RPMs and driveability?

Thanks in advance.

Adam

[panzer dragoon]

check the connection on that alternator for looseness or corrosion first and read all alternator posts on this forum before you fork your money over. These new alternators are expensive. I would even talk to an alternator rebuilder shop to run some tests on it first. Some people with the fading headlights have replaced the alternator up to 3 times and have not solved the headlight fading issue.

My dad replaced the heater blower speed selector resistors after all his fan speeds went out from slow (slow speed goes out first) to fast and the headlight (complete electrical system) flicker went away. Condensation in the heater system gets into the blower motor, prematurely wearing it out so it sucks up more electricity and resistors fry out.

Maybe the GM service computer or reading the error codes can find the bad connection or short.