2000 Dodge Caravan What could be the cause, has anyone else experienced this problem?
What could be the cause, has anyone else experienced this problem?
What is your question?
I was driving my 2000 dodge caravan sport out of town and all of a sudden my dash lights all came on and started flickering and my headlights went dim and the van died. Took battery off and went to auto store only to have to buy a new, charged battery. Vehicle ran fine for about 15 minutes then did it all over again. So we then took alternator off and had it tested to find out it was bad so we replaced it with an alternator that tested to be good before we put it on. Cranked up and ran just fine for an hour. Then it started acting even worse. All my gauges seemed to had quit working, my headlights went out, every dash light came on and even when I would push the had it would not exceed 35 mph. Now it's sitting on side of road. What would my problem be??
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Things that raise my eyebrows:
You said, "we replaced it with an alternator that tested to be good before we put it on." Where did it come from? New or remanufactured unit for your vehicle from a parts store or dealership?
Also, did you charge the battery fully -- when it died that second time, the "new" battery would have lost its charged and needed charged back up to have enough capacity to continue operating the vehicle as proper.
Focus on the charging system still,as I suspect the problem lies there still. Check the wire connector to the alternator to make sure it is secure and that the connector and related wiring terminals are not overheated or melted.
Suspect faulty replacement alternator. But can't be sure. Have it tested...