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Hi, This is my first time posting on this board, but I've been here a few times before just to look around.
My brother has a 1999 Taurus SE, Vulcan engine, 75000 miles, original alternator, outdated(NAPA) battery. The problem is this: Since a few weeks ago he will be driving along and all of a sudden his headlights will dim, all electrical dash instrument stop working, and battery light either comes on or flickers. If he slows down or stops it would pick itself back up and he could drive again.
Today he was going to church and it did it again, only this time the engine shut off and wouldn't even turn over. After about twenty minutes when we got back to the car he tried it and it started right up! Tonight on the way back from church it stalled again, this time I was with him. The engine started running rough, lost all power, jerked a few times, and then died and wouldn't start back. We were able to swap batteries from another vehicle and it made it home fine, but the battery light is still on.
I'm thinking that his alternator went bad and ruined his battery thus meaning he needs a new battery AND alternator. What I can't figure out is why the engine acted like it did with all the sputtering and jerking. I guess if the spark plugs couldn't draw enough power it would do this? Could a bad alternator cause a malfunction in the PCM? He is taking it to Advance Auto to get the alternator tested tomorrow and then we'll hopefully find out something. What do you think?
One other thing is his windshield wipers switch on and off frequently. We've been told it is a bad wire/connection in the steering column somewhere?
Any help is greatly appreciated.
My brother has a 1999 Taurus SE, Vulcan engine, 75000 miles, original alternator, outdated(NAPA) battery. The problem is this: Since a few weeks ago he will be driving along and all of a sudden his headlights will dim, all electrical dash instrument stop working, and battery light either comes on or flickers. If he slows down or stops it would pick itself back up and he could drive again.
Today he was going to church and it did it again, only this time the engine shut off and wouldn't even turn over. After about twenty minutes when we got back to the car he tried it and it started right up! Tonight on the way back from church it stalled again, this time I was with him. The engine started running rough, lost all power, jerked a few times, and then died and wouldn't start back. We were able to swap batteries from another vehicle and it made it home fine, but the battery light is still on.
I'm thinking that his alternator went bad and ruined his battery thus meaning he needs a new battery AND alternator. What I can't figure out is why the engine acted like it did with all the sputtering and jerking. I guess if the spark plugs couldn't draw enough power it would do this? Could a bad alternator cause a malfunction in the PCM? He is taking it to Advance Auto to get the alternator tested tomorrow and then we'll hopefully find out something. What do you think?
One other thing is his windshield wipers switch on and off frequently. We've been told it is a bad wire/connection in the steering column somewhere?
Any help is greatly appreciated.