[mattsmurano]

My alternator failed on my 03 Murano. The lights came on (Chg. & Brake). I drove allmost to the dealer before the battery was low enough it would not accellerate any more. I re-charged the Battery with jumpers, and finished the trip.

When I picked my Mo up, the service advisor told me that the battery had failed and killed the alternator.

I had to pay for a new battery, and warranty covered the alternator replacement.

If the battery went bad, it would not start, but once running, make it all the way to the dealer, right? Am I thinking crazy?

I kinda don't think I should have to pay for the battery, and am not too fond of the dealer by either (a.) not understanding what really happened with my car, or (b.) lying to me about what really happened so I wouldn't be upset about having to pay for the battery.

Either way I am unhappy about the experience. It makes it difficult to trust them with my $30k car in the future... It makes me wonder how else might they try to decieve me to their advantage in the future?

Any thoughts?

 

[hfelknor]

Well..........sounds fishy to me.

First of all lets say that the battery did go bad, for unknown reasons and the alternator was OK.
I would expect the Shop to give me some sort of Partial credit toward the new battery. Actually after only a year, I would expect quite a bit.
MORE than 50% toward the new battery, that's for sure.
Now if they are telling me that the Nissan battery comes ONLY with a 1 year warranty, then I would say, let's not put the POS in there then, Lets put a Diehard (or similiar) battery in there that comes with a 5 year prorated warranty.

Now let's put the Alternator into the picture.
He says that the battery failed and killed the Alternator.
Really. He knows that, huh?
Bull Pippies.
He knows nothing.
In fact it is quite concievable that the Alternator went bad and killed the battery!


I would call Nissan.

I think you are being jobbed Matt.


Homer

 

[Kris]

I agree with Homer,

in my prevois cars i had both - atlernator failure and battery failure.

When the alternator failed (I did not notice it, no indication) I drove for at least 20 miles with lights on before everything went dead.

First indications of battery problems is difficult start - low cranking current. When it does fail and you are driving you do not even notice it.

There is definitely something fishy.........do not trust this dealer........

 

[all4me]

Hey Mattsmurano -

Maybe what you need to do is print off some of the altenator failure posts on this sight, and take it the Service Manger. That way he knows you're aware of the '03 altenator problems. Maybe you'd get your money back ??? JAT...

 

[GMTURBO43]

My wife (prior to being my wife) had Saturn try to give her this same line.

I've had batteries fail and never taken an alternator. I've had alternators fail and not take the battery.

Of course, the battery will discharge if the alternator fails. I think this is just some line that they use to get more money.

 

[9495]

I had to pay for a new battery, and warranty covered the alternator replacement.

I'm curious. How much did they charge you for the new battery, and did they just put in the same old POS or did they give you a better (i.e. maintenance free) one? What's the warrantee on the new one?

And I'm with everyone else. This stinks. How could a dead battery kill the alternator? Maybe his head was on backwards that day or it was "opposite day" at the service center.

 

[Eric L.]

The dealer's logic is completely reversed and they are ripping you off. :banghead: If anything, a charging failure will place excessive load and drain the battery beyond the point where it can be recharged.

Look in your owners manual (the warranty booklet) for the warranty on the Nissan battery. I believe it has 3 year pro-rated warranty, meaning you should have gotten 2/3rds of the new battery paid for by the dealership if your original one failed after 1 year. Personally I would get an Optima Redtop to replace the original battery even if the dealer offered me a free original battery (well I would take the new free one, but immediately replace it with a Red Top).

It makes me angry to hear the dealer spin stories like this and rip off customers. :3:

 

[jaak]

Your service advisor is full of crap in a big way. Your alternator failed and your battery was put into a deep discharge condition as a direct result of the failure.

So if something breaks under warranty and damages something else in the process, I would expect Nissan to fix both.

I can see it now.... You had a connecting rod break in your engine sir. The warranty's replacing the rod, but since you didn't stop the engine immediately when it broke, we're charging you for the damage to the block, the bearings, the crank, the piston, the valves and also the scrape our mechanic got on his pinky when doing the work.

I'd ask him if he wants to resolve it with you, or if you should have your lawyer pursue it for you, with Nissan.

I hate jerks like that... (Look, jaak's P.O.'d....):cursin:

 

[SugarRushMurano]

I can not wait wait until my alternator fail...

now my next mod is to "sabotage" my own alternator...
This alt failure is making me feel unsafe riding in my MO for long roadtrips. It can leave me stranded in the middle of nowhere...

 

[Eric L.]

Sabotaging your alternator will only lead to someone else with an actual alternator failure having to wait for a replacement part because you used it up unnecessarily. It is an unethical action, but I guess no one can stop you from doing it.