2012 Ford Escape 4 cylinder Alternator/ battery light on

Asked by GuruHD6JM Jul 02, 2019 at 02:12 AM about the 2012 Ford Escape XLT AWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Please help.About a month ago, I can home
from a short trip , less than a 75 miles from
my home. My car was fine( no problems) on
that same day a few hours later Their was a
bad thunder storm. My car was park near a
tree. I was in my home we heard the
thundering and lightening but them their was
this big loud noise which knock out our
lights, we went outside and the tree near my
car was hit by lighting.
About 30 minutes later I start m car, and the
battery light came on.
I didn’t think much of it, because I knew I
could change out the battery, because I
purshase it 3 months ago from the Ford
dealership.
The next day I start the car to take it to the
dealer ship, about 2 miles down the road the
Car stop. At this point I was thinking the car
was hit by lighting. I call my insurance and
made a claim . After a week my car was
diagnose with a bad alternator.
I had the battery replace while at the
dealership.
I decide not to let the dealership change my
alternator because it was $1,200 with parts
and labor. I purchase a  alternator at auto
zone and had a retired mechanic but the new
alternator on. After start the car abt 3-4
minutes the light came on.. The mechanic
check the connect again the battery and fuse
box.  The battery was losing power, and the
alternator was tested and it failed the test.
We purchase a 2nd alternator and had it
tested before we put it on, the same thing
happen again. I had the vehicle tow back to
ford dealership, who test the alternator and
said I need to buy a manufacor alternator ,
because auto zone , isn’t getting enough
Voltage for my vechicle is about $400,
The insurance will not paid because they
think my alternator, just went out. I purshase
another alternator at O’reilly and the same
thing happen  again . The alternator test
failed after driving vehicle less than 2
mileages to O’relly store.
I don’t think it’s the Alternator, the battery is
new but what should I do. Sorry this is so
long. Sign the long ranger

3 Answers

3,635

It's quite easy to find new alternator on cars at junk yards. People put new parts on cars all the time then junk out. I would go cheapest to most expensive with this problem. I'm surprised there are no burn marks on the car at all but sudden electrical issues. Clean battery off as well. Stay on top of basic maintenance. Good luck

1 people found this helpful.

It'd check all the diodes in the fuse block. It's possible that one or more of them could have been shorted by the lightning discharge. Remove them one by one from the fuse block and check them with an ohm-meter with a diode test setting. They should only conduct in one direction and not the other. If one conducts in both directions, it is shorted and could cause heavy discharge of the electrical system.

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