Altenator - Defect with Grand Ams?

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- B-Worthey
  
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posted
17 years ago

Wed, Jan 17, 2007 6:38 PM

Just had another problem with my '97 Grand Am today, looks like the alternator. I've had the car now for about 5 years, and I believe this will be my 3rd altenator. That doesn't seem right to me. In the time that I've had it, I've put approximately 100,000 miles on it. Is there just something about the pontiacs or grand ams that is wrong or something? Something I'm not doing regularly? I don't know, just seems a bit strange to me. Not to mention that my instrument panel has gone out on the car, along with my A/C, neither of which I've gotten fixed. But anyway, any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

B-Worthey

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- Â« Paul Â»
  
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posted
17 years ago

Thu, Jan 18, 2007 12:44 AM

My G/A had the same problem. You may be putting on cheap alternators. Get a good high temperature one with a life time warranty. It will cost around $120-$150 and last around 3-5 years.

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- B-Worthey
  
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posted
17 years ago

Thu, Jan 18, 2007 3:44 AM

Well, that may be the case, but I was wrong all the way around. It was the tensioner (sp?), it wasn't keeping any tension on the belt and the belt shredded, I didn't notice this when I looked under the hood, apparently, I was just too mad that it had died again on the side of the road. I would say though that's about what I've been spending for alternators, but anyway, that wasn't the issue this time though. I'm in the market for another car. I can't keep fixing this one. I need the A/C fixed and really need the instrument panel fixed, but that alone I've heard is going to be around $2500-$3000 and the car is not worth that, so I don't see the point! Oh, well, that's my story!

B-Worthey