Alternator vs. Battery

[greensled1000]

My girlfriend's gen4 1mz would not start this afternoon. We were able to jump it and have the AAA guy check the battery. He indicated that the alternator was fine, but that the battery had low CCA.

We let it charge a bit and drove it to sears. Sears now says that the battery is fine, but the alternator is bad. Who should I believe?

By the way, I will probably have her replace the battery anyway, as I think it is probably quite old.

Thanks.

[JohnGD]

Alternators and batteries often live and die together. A weak battery can strain an alternator and vise versa.

Take it to your local Autozone or your other parts store. They can test both the alternator and battery free.

If your battery is over 6 years old then it should probably be replaced no questions asked.

Originally Posted by greensled1000

My girlfriend's gen4 1mz would not start this afternoon. We were able to jump it and have the AAA guy check the battery. He indicated that the alternator was fine, but that the battery had low CCA.

We let it charge a bit and drove it to sears. Sears now says that the battery is fine, but the alternator is bad. Who should I believe?

By the way, I will probably have her replace the battery anyway, as I think it is probably quite old.

Thanks.