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Cadillac Repair/1995 Cadillac Concours
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Question
We have a 1995 Cadillac Concours that just won't start. We just put in a new battery, it started, drove to the store amd it died. No lights on dashboard or anything. Needed it to be towed home and now it sits in the yard. If I charge the battery for a few hours the car will start us, but than it dies out. Could it be the alternator? If so how hard is it to change
Hello,
Yes, it sounds like a charging problem that could be a bad alternator, however I suggest that you have it diagnosed at a service center. Not Cadillac, not Autozone!
If you have never changed an alternator, it can be difficult especially if you are in one of those horrible rust belt states Like Wisconsin, MN, IL,OH where even aluminum (alternator case) cause bolts to seize.
Probably the worst part of changing the alternator to have the patience putting the serpentine belt back on.
The reason I want you to have the car checked out is there are other things that can be the problem as well such as a gauge fuse. I just don't want you spending money you don't have to.
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Rob Painter
Expertise
Alarm system questions cannot be answered on this forum. These systems are not what I can answer. Without being physically at the vehicle and not knowing what kind of electrical service has been done on the vehicle, there is no possible way to give an accurate answer over the internet. My expertise is in Ignition/key based anti-theft systems. These issues include GM VATS (resistor chip in key blade) PASSLOCK (MRD)-ignition lock rotation based, no special ignition key and the PKIII Transponder (computer chip in key) systems. These systems are not alarm based and are integral with the starting of the engine. This is why I cannot diagnose alarm problems without physically looking at the vehicle: Alarm systems are a completely different annimal than ignition key/lock based anti-theft system. Many alarm questions come from vehicles 10 years old, and since older, many hands that had been involved over the years.I am an expert in all GM factory (ignition/key based)systems. Alarm system questions pose to many situations beyond my knowledge as to what has been done to the vehicle over the years. Some guy may have actually wired the stereo into the alarm system. Who knows? Over my past 30 years in vehicle wiring repair, I have seen unbelievable wiring disaters done by guys that consider themselves "mechanics." I have seen stereos and alarms intalled using surgical tape. I have seen modules burn up, un-fused circuits, wiring jambed between the doors and even lamp cord used for a starter kill. To answer alarm questions over the internet without examining the vehicle is like asking; What does it take to remove a dent?
Experience
Education/Credentials-ASE certified. 11 years with a GM dealer and 17 years with a repair facility dealing with only the repair of theft recovered vehicles.
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