Serious Voltage issues! Need GM Tech help!

[jobryan26]

My car is an 02 Firebird completely stock. I bought the car new 2 years ago with 21 miles on it, currently 18,000. I have had this thing in the dealer 3 times (currently 4th) due to a voltage issue. Start car drive about a block and come to a light let off gas and voltage drops into the orange/yellow and my lights dim very low. It doesn't matter if any functions are turned on or not. The voltage will stay down for about 2-5seconds and then come back up to normal. After driving for awhile it doesn't seem to do it unless the car has sat still for an hour or more. This has been my experience at the dealership:
1st-Could find nothing wrong
2nd-Could find nothing wrong
3rd-They thought it was the voltage regulator and replaced the alt.
4th(currently)-Claimed nothing was wrong and threw a B.S. bulletin that GM put out about voltage drops below 1000rpm which clearly is not my case. I fought with the dealership for 30mins today over it till their elecrical specialist looked at with 4 other mechanics(yeah I caused a scene) and their electrical guy finally said that he thought it wasn't normal either and wanted to look at it. The voltage gauge was bouncing or somewhat viberating. He seems to think the battery has a short in it. I need some info please!

[GhostRunner]

Has your engine died? Has it gotten any worse? Not able to start your car in the morning?

If you haven't had any problems beside your lights dimming every once in a while, then why bother about it?

[Pastor Larry Roques]

Hey Jobryan...I'm not a GM tech, but I just got through dealing with a similar issue on another car. Dash lights coming on, flickering lights all over the car, dimming...dead batteries...you name it. In my case I narrowed it down to a bad regulator onboard the alternator. I had to have the parts place replace an alternator because the voltage regulator fritzed on the one I replaced the oem with. So two alternators later, I am back to normal...with a skeptical vigilance about me. Electrical problems are the pits. In your case, I would definitely replace that battery after all the electrical system has been through. If it was the alternator, it very well may have taken out the battery in the process. Changing the battery cables probably wouldn't be a bad Idea at this Juncture. An electrical system is like a chain around your neck...if its missing one link...its gonna fall off!
Hope you get to the bottom of this demon. Blessings!

[jobryan26]

There has been no problems such as dead batteries, or starting problems. The issue is that due to the voltage dropping so low that in the morning on my way to work it's dark.....I can't see when this happens.

Thank you Pastor, the Alt. has been replaced. Hopefully it is the battery.

Since I bought the car new and I have had this issue since purchased (car went in to dealer first time at 3,000 miles) I plan to stay persistant till they fix my car.

[terminaldegree]

Well, the battery is not really that expensive. Have you checked or cleaned any of the ground wires on the chassis? This must be mucho frustrating.

[nightrida]

mine was doing the same. i replaced the batt. cause it was low and replaced the alternator with an 180amp. also cleaned battery post and alternate power on drivers side.

[jobryan26]

They replaced the battery and everything seems to be working fine so far.

[Brian_D]

Glad to hear it, Ryan

In my experience, if you replace the alternator, you had just as well replace the battery.

I know it sucks, and it goes against common sense but I'm convinced that faulty alternators will instantly kill batteries.

I'm sure I'll get flamed for this one, but EVERY electrical problem that's been traced back to the alternator has not really been fixed until the battery was replaced as well.

I think we have good ol' Delco Remy to thank for this one!

-Brian

[Jason McCallister]

Both of my 4th gens have had this problems.... my 96 and my 2000. It was annoying at night but there's no harm being done when this happens nor is drivability interrupted.

When I replaced the battery in both cars, I went with a higher CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) rated battery and the issue went away.

[saved1]

I have this problem with my car also. I checked the current comming out of the battery with a meter while the car was running and the gauge was reading between 11 and 12 volts, my meter showed 12.7 volts in the battery, and at the alternator, 13.4. I have replaced the battery last year around this time, and so far, the car starts fine and runs great, so I just figure it is probably a poor quality gauge. It makes me a little nervous when I am driving and I see the gauge sitting on the dischare side, and I turn off all accesories. Eventually it goes back over to about the 12.2 area. My mind says something is wrong, but my meter says everything is ok. Just another quirk with these cars. ie. headlight motors, gas gauage, power window motors.