Electrical woes.

[Damn True]

Really really really not PT.

This is my wifes commuter car. A '95 Corolla. Stop laughing, it gets over 30mpg.

Anyway, battery in the thing went kaput the other day. Since it was 4 years old I figured it had just given up so I went to Sears, grabbed a Die Hard and threw it in.

Well last night she calls me. When she uses the turn signals or moves the power windows the radio dies. Then the car sputters and dies.

I go get her, pull the battery. Throw a charge on it and drive it home. It dies again as I am pulling into the driveway. I throw a voltmeter to it and it shows just under 7 volts.

Chrarge it again so I can start the car and get it in the driveway.

Battery currently shows 12.5v with the car not running and 11.5v while running w/o any lights on or the radio.

I'm thinking alternator/voltage regulator.

Sound right?

[Norwoodx55]

That would be my first guess too. Might take the alternater to the local parts store to have it checked. I am a little surprised that the Yota is having this kind of problem so soon.

[Damn True]

Yup, that was it. Threw a new alternator in it last night and it is now rockin out at 15.7v when running.

I had to put a head gasket in her 4-runner less than a month ago. I'm starting to think that they "legandary toyota reliability" is a lot more legend than reliable.

And working on those things blows. Clearly their prime directive in engineering those things is for speed and efficiency in manufacture, certainly not in ease of service.

[Steve68]

If her 4 runner is a V6, there was a campaign thru Yota, they would do it under warrenty, bad problem with the v6 gasket blowing,

[Damn True]

That plan covered up to mid '95. Her truck is a late '95 VIN. Even though the failure fit within the scope of the campaign the VIN kept us out of it.

[MrQuick]

15.7v?? you might want to check that voltage regulator or PCM. Im not sure what the yota uses to control voltage but that is abit high unless your cooking rice and or you battery.

Have Allen come over and do a voltage drop test to make sure your connections are ok.

[BonzoHansen]

I just read a big article in the WSJ about how Toyota is going to push some of the growth plans off 6-12 months, basically putting everything on hold, because they have had so many quality issues. They recalled more cars in 2005 then they sold.

[Damn True]

We are ditching both of those cars (a '95 corolla and a '95 4-runner) and probably getting her a G35.