2003 ford expedition

[Plati]

I bought & installed an auto zone alternator ... bad right out of box.
Drove out west and replaced it on the trip after dead battery. Came home and I went to auto zone and wanted my money back since it was bad and i had already bought one from napa. After much discussion ... they folded and gave me a gift card.

What the bad one did was weird. The battery light would come on and if I was running headlights it didn't put out enough voltage to keep battery charged. Only way we figured it out was by turning on headlights at idle and measuring voltage.

I'm a firm believer in not buying rebuilt crap alternators like lot of people say

CORRECTION: its was Advance Auto, not AutoZone

 

[Don Hall]

https://toolzview.com/best-alternators/

 

[Yupster Dog]

I'm a firm believer in not buying rebuilt crap alternators like lot of people say

One big difference you said you bought remanufactured For about ten dollars more I bought the brand new alternator.

Also not doing a ad for Auto Zone but never had a problem returning parts to Auto Zone either. Going to different stores in three different cities. not just the hometown boys at the hometown Auto Zone. I go there because their website is great and they are everywhere. time is money for me and i save a lot of both at Auto Zone. And with loyalty rewards I get $20 for every hundred I spend.(spend more than $20 5 times to get $20) more than that when you order online. And unlike Rock Auto you can order online and return in store or pick up in store or shipped to your house for free.
(Ok maybe it did sound like an ad.)

 

[Plati]

One big difference you said you bought remanufactured For about ten dollars more I bought the brand new alternator.

Also not doing a ad for Auto Zone but never had a problem returning parts to Auto Zone either. Going to different stores in three different cities. not just the hometown boys at the hometown Auto Zone. I go there because their website is great and they are everywhere. time is money for me and i save a lot of both at Auto Zone. And with loyalty rewards I get $20 for every hundred I spend.(spend more than $20 5 times to get $20) more than that when you order online. And unlike Rock Auto you can order online and return in store or pick up in store or shipped to your house for free.
(Ok maybe it did sound like an ad.)

I like AutoZone, definitely. Especially local stock (get same day), good warranty, and the easy returns. I also like to do business local ... local employee's and buildings etc. Do business local whenever I can even if higher cost. Buy American made whenever possible even if more expensive. RockAuto good too but returns are more difficult than a quick trip to store and not local. I once bought 8 pads from AutoZone with limited lifetime warranty ... used them up and returned them and got free replacements. Can you beat that?

2003Expy.
- Replaced my alternator in 2010 with an AutoZone Carquest remanufactured 110 amp alternator for $215 (incl tax) with Limited Lifetime Warranty. 111K on Expy.
- June 2015 thought alternator was bad (probably wasn't since I later found pully was making noise & bad) so I took it back to AutoZone and they replaced it free on Limited Lifetime warranty. 160K on Expy. Immediately started getting battery light on cross country trip.
- July 2015 had alternator replaced at SKIPs AUTO in Munising (it was bad) for $298 (incl tax but not labor) with NAPA remanufactured (in MEXICO !!) alternator. 167K on Expy.
- July 2015 ... took the bad June 2015 alternator back to AutoZone , explained situation - said I did not want replacement ... I want CASH since I already had new alternator. Much discussion they folded and gave me $250 store credit.
- So I've had 3 replacement alternators but only really had to pay for one. OEM went bad at 111K. 3 remanufactured alternators ... one bad out of box, other 2 seemed to be "ok".

CORRECTION: It was Advance Auto not AutoZone

 

[CaptOchs]

I stopped going to AutoZone. There's always one overworked guy at the counter and 2 or 3 others messing around in the back room. They don't care if there's a long line.

I go to Advanced Auto now. Their regular prices are in line with AutoZone, however, they almost always have 20% codes if you order online for store pickup. If you add everything to your cart and wait an hour, sometimes they will sweeten it by offering a 25% code. Everything you buy ends up going to "Speed perks" points which can be applied on top of the 20-25% off your cart. I got like $10 for like $100 stuff purchased the prior month.

Yesterday, I got a Diehard battery for like $143 after tax after coupon and $10 speed perks. The cheapest AutoZone Duralast Gold battery was $182 after tax. Their Duralast batteries suck and almost always fail before their warranty end date. The warranty is prorated so you may get like 20% off the cost of a new Duralast battery that is just as crappy as the last one. You may think at least the warranty is saving you money, but their batteries are so overpriced it really isn't. It's just their way of locking you into a cycle so you keep buying their same junk battery over and over again. lol.

Sorry for the rant, the more I shop elsewhere the less I like Autozone.

 

[Cooper]

Is it the original alternator ? The stock alternators are usually the 110 amp rated ones. Sometimes people try to put a heavy duty higher amp output than the PCM expects to see and it will trigger the warning light. I don't know if that the case in your issue but just something to look out for. Don't buy an alternator from Advance Auto either. Stick with factory Motorcraft or NAPA parts. Are the battery terminals and cables in good shape ? No corrosion?

Yeah I added a 275 amp Singer alt in my (2003 Expy XLT RR) and I had to leave to wire that connect the battery light off. Or else he said the alt could burn out my PCM or worst.

So, I leave the battery on I could disconnect the bulb but, it doesnt bother me. Also the mechanic that does my inspections does care about it as it as nothing to do with safety.

 

[Aspen03]

Yesterday, I got a Diehard battery for like $143 after tax after coupon and $10 speed perks. The cheapest AutoZone Duralast Gold battery was $182 after tax. Their Duralast batteries suck and almost always fail before their warranty end date. The warranty is prorated so you may get like 20% off the cost of a new Duralast battery that is just as crappy as the last one. You may think at least the warranty is saving you money, but their batteries are so overpriced it really isn't. It's just their way of locking you into a cycle so you keep buying their same junk battery over and over again. lol.

Sorry for the rant, the more I shop elsewhere the less I like Autozone.

If costco is nearby check them out for batteries. $107 out the door for the Interstate I bought for the navigator. 3yr replacement warranty.

 

[Yupster Dog]

2003Expy.
- Replaced my alternator in 2010 with an AutoZone Carquest remanufactured 110 amp alternator for $215 (incl tax) with Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Carquest is Advanced Auto
Auto Zone is Duralast

I stopped going to AutoZone. There's always one overworked guy at the counter and 2 or 3 others messing around in the back room. They don't care if there's a long line.

I defiantly agree with you there, overworked or underpaid those boys are not like Napa workers but you get bad apples no matter where you go.
That's why I like Auto Zones online site. not only do I make sure I got the right part (because no parts store employee treats a phone customer like a in person customer ) but i can find the closest store that has it in stock. then i call the store to put on hold for me and also make them go put their hands on part to make sure its there. If they have to bring it from the warehouse I go the next day. But I never have to leave the parts store empty handed. (that is huge for me) As I am country folk and the closest store is 30 min away.

Sorry about the hijack didn't mean for it to be I am done.

And ya I don't buy batteries from Auto Zone either.

 

[GAINMOB]

check battery alt starter...if all are good u gotta get it to a shop for extreme electrical troubleshooting

 

[GAINMOB]

checking those things also means their harnesses