2004 Nissan Altima with new alternator won't accelerate, but will rev in neutral. No power in car.

Question

Hey internet mechanics!

I replaced my alternator yesterday because it was faulty (pulling a charge from my battery and killing it every night while car was off). After installing the new alternator, my car started fine, I took it for a test drive and it drove fine. I let it sit for a couple hours after the test drive and I started it, everything seemed fine, then I hit the gas and my car drove as if I was in gear WITHOUT hitting the accelerator.

Reverse is the same. I noticed my windows in my car rolled up much much more slowly (or not at all).

There Are no error lights on my dash (other than the airbag icon) and otherwise the engine seems to be running fine.

However, after letting it idle for about 10 minutes today, it started sputtering and near-stalling on me. A that point I lost the display on my stock radio (which was off and showing the current time).

I do not know how to check error codes or anything. Does anyone have any ideas what the issue may be?

I really appreciate anyone taking the time to help me.

Thanks!

Answer 1

It sounds like the alternator is not charging the battery.

The battery is needed to power your fuel injectors, spark plugs and other auxiliaries.

To confirm this, use a multimeter to check the voltage of the battery with the car running. Judging by the description of the battery's condition, you may require a jump start to get the car running again.

Answer 2

To follow on from Zaid's answer, I suspect the old alternator trashed the battery - they really don't like repeated deep discharges, so you might well find you need a new battery too...