In my opinion, it is possible you have a bad alternator.
Typically when an alternator fails, the battery light will pop on signaling that the battery is no longer receiving a charge.
Many people miss this, and that is when the battery and car dies.
If you continue to ignore the light, as the battery nears depletion, all your electronics will go crazy. Your speedometer might rapidly go up and down, your lights will flicker, your headlights will fade in and out. Your car will act possessed until it completely dies and will not start.
I would agree with Autozone in this case based on the information provided.
Autozone will test your alternator for free. Or in a pinch(not sure if this would ever be helpful) you can open the alternator up. Inside you will find a coil, how much of that coil is left is an indicator of the life remaining in the alternator.
Cheers.
I'm thinking a slipping belt .
When the power steering is effected it's more than just electric .
Plus a slipping belt could lead to a spike in rpm .
A bad alternator can cause voltage spikes that will not only over charge a battery but also fry all the computers in the car. You'll be lucky if the alternator just needs replacing because that's a cheap fix at this time!
I have an 04 Volvo S80 T6. It has the 2.9L 6 cylinder with a twin turbo. Ever since I got it, the dash would display a message that there is a "headlamp failure, dry running bulb" and sometimes it would say "multiple bulb failure". I just cleared the warning message and went on with my day because I've checked all the lights and all the lights work in and outside the car. We yesterday I was on the highway and my rpm's were at a steady 2500 or so and all of a sudden it climbed to around 3500 and went back down, it did this by itself, then the message displayed on my dash that I have a bulb failure the message appeared right after the rpm's climbed. This happened again about 5 minutes later, then it happened a 3rd time and all the lights on my dash went out, my turn signals didn't work anymore, my ac blew warm air, my radio went off, my steering got tight, it displayed a message that the abs Brakes is failing and to pull over immediately. I pulled over, shut the car off, turned it back on started right up, it said the srs airbag system needs serviced. These messages never came up before, only the bulb failure messages appeared previously. I finally got home, shut car off, went inside and came back out to the car and the car wouldn't start, the lights on the dash lit up but the car wouldn't start. I disconnected the batter and reconnected it and it started no problem. Took to Autozone and said I have a bad diode in my alternator. Could this really be whats causing this? Thanks
