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1995 Chevrolet Impala Repair Question


Topics covered: Alternator, Battery, Battery cable.
Mileage: 55,000 miles.

Asked on January 5, 2011

1995 Chevy Impala battery problems

1995 Chevy Impala mileage: 55,000. Hi...my girlfriend's old Impala eats batteries! We had one burst last month, thought it frozen. Got a replacement, now this one is belching sulfurous gasses and is warm to the touch after the car has run for a little while. Not cold enough to freeze, possible charging system problem? Sometimes the interior lights/radio lights go dim, then bright again. The alternator is putting out about 14.7 volts, the battery is charged to about 13.5 volts, seems high. I thought maybe the voltage regulator could be bad, but don't know where it is on that year vehicle! Otherwise a great low-mileage nana car, any advice you guys could give on where to start looking for the problem would be appreciated!

Answer

Replied on January 5, 2011

Check the ground wires to make sure they are in place and making good contact, especially the battery cable ground connection to the motor. If this checks out okay, you probably have a faulty alternator. BTW, the regulator is built into the alternator.

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