Vent: My alternator gave out on I-75 at 5 PM

Last Tuesday my alternator died mid-commute on I-75 near Atlanta, and I was stuck in the shoulder lane for an hour waiting for a tow. Some folks say you should keep driving until the battery dies to get further off the road, but I killed the engine right away to save power for hazards. Which move is smarter, push it until the wheels stop or park it and wait?

3 comments

3 Comments

amy97416d ago

Honestly I used to be all for pushing it to the shoulder but after seeing a buddy fry his electrical system doing that, idk. Killing it right away and saving battery for hazards feels way smarter now.

blair_webb16d ago

Haha "fry his electrical system" - that hit a little too close to home. I had a buddy who thought he was a genius by coasting his old Civic to the shoulder after the engine died. Dude killed the battery so bad jumping it later was useless. Now I'm that guy who just kills the engine the second something feels off and prays the hazards hold out. My car's electrical is probably just as fragile as my patience, so I'm not taking chances.

murphy.abby16d ago

Funny you mention that because I read this mechanic's blog post once where he broke down exactly what happens when you try to coast a dead car. He said the alternator basically goes into overdrive trying to keep everything powered while the engine is sputtering, and that can actually zap the battery way faster than just sitting there with hazards on. My dad's old Ford Taurus had that same issue - he tried to limp it to a gas station and the battery was completely toast by the time we got there. Now I'm on your side, kill it quick and let the hazards do their thing until help shows up.