22
My 2007 Ford Focus ate 3 alternators in 2 years
I bought this 2007 Ford Focus used for $3,500 back in 2021. Within the first year the alternator died on me while I was stuck in traffic near downtown Phoenix. I paid $400 to have it replaced at a shop. Then 8 months later the new one started whining and failed again. That time I swapped it myself for $280 from AutoZone. After another 9 months the same thing happened. Turns out the coolant from a bad hose was leaking directly onto the alternator and killing them. Who designs a car where coolant drips right onto the most expensive electrical part? I ended up selling the car for $1,500 just to get rid of it. Has anyone else dealt with a car that keeps eating alternators for no good reason?
2 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In2 Comments
lily_stone764d ago
That part about "the trunk latch was broken and the dome light never turned off" really got me. My old Camry went through two batteries before I figured out the glove box light was staying on because the little plastic button got jammed. Took me forever to notice because who looks in their glove box every day? I felt so dumb when I finally saw it glowing in there at night.
7
Man oh man that is SOME terrible luck right there. I swear Ford had to have paid some engineer extra to figure out the perfect angle for that coolant hose to hose down the alternator. Your story hits close to home because my buddy had a Chevy Malibu that went through three batteries in a year before we found out the trunk latch was broken and the dome light never turned off. Auto parts stores must LOVE seeing us pull up with the same dead part over and over like we didn't just learn our lesson. At least you got 1,500 bucks back, I bet the next guy is gonna learn about that coolant leak real quick though.
1