Ok my Camry has been acting strange the past few days. The orange car symbol idiot light has been coming on and off the past few months. I assumed it was a brake problem because it usually came on when after starting the car and then it comes on as soon as i hit the brakes to put the car in gear. Then the other day drove about 10 to 15 miles left car running ran in store for 5 min then drove a mile when radio cut out and in and didn't think anything about it. Went in another store 10 minutes started my car which reluctantly started......battery light comes on and little annoying orange carshaped light is on......barely made it home everything was going haywire..got home turned off the car try to restart and wont start. First it just clicks then it clicks and trys to kick but wont. Jumped it started... same deal tbough everything haywire unless i turn off ac and stereo and lights etc... i turn all that sfuff off and battery light goes off but not the little orange car symbol. Next day had to jump car....let it run idle in driveway a halfhour drove around a half hour with everything off the first half then all ac stereo lights on still running fine then boom i get home same deal battery light lit up orange car lit up, haywire again, still driving turned off all the ac stereo lights etc and battery light goes off car runs fine get it in the driveway turn off turn on wont start. Today jump it drive ten miles to auto store drives fine ac, on radio lights....get to store leave car on while i get somebody to test alternator and battery...he checks it says its fine sayys both are fine i explain what has been happening he says he was a mechanic and says sounds like the diodes are shot need new alternator. So i bought it but car ran home with no problem. Later drove around for about a half hour and still no problem. Dont wanna change it if i dont have to would rather have my money back.... keep in mind i live in nevada desert and its very hot. Today was not nearly ad hot as the previous few days because of rain and overcast. Could it be a fluke that it ran good today or what the f??? Help somebody?!?!???

 

The car may have several different and unrelated problems.

The orange car symbol may be the rear light failure indicator. The brake and tail lights are monitored by a device that turns the light if a bulb fails. If the light comes on when you push on the brake pedal make sure all the brake lights are working.

If the battery and alt are OK check the battery terminal connections. These can corrode and cause a poor electrical connection, also check battery cables as sometimes the terminal connections on the cable fail.

If your alt light is coming on and off it is possible the brushes inside the alternator have worn out are now making intermediate contact. These can be replaced.

If you have a voltmeter you can determine if the alt is putting out voltage. The internet is full of post on how to check alternator voltage at the battery.

 

Nothing seems to be corroded. All my lights are are fine. Car ran fine yesterday. The guy at auto store said everything checked out with voltmeter. He said the sounds like the diodes are bad and the alt will fail intermittent from bad diodes? Im just gonna keep driving it until it acts up again. Getting ready to go on vacation next wk and would rather deal with this when i get back. Thanks for the feedback.

 

Better plan an action while in vacation to make things easy and fast.

 

Well i have been driving my car back and forth to work with no problems the past two days.. i have a refurbished alternator sitting in my car which will go back to the auto parts store and get my money back. Go on vacation back east not driving flying so when i get back if it starts acting up again i will buy back the alternator and fix it i guess.