Bruce Nunnally Posted June 20, 2014 Report Share Posted June 20, 2014 Took my STS-V over to Crest this morning after it flashed "Battery low volts" coming home from the airport last night. Today's diagnosis is the 2008 Cadillac STS-V needs a new alternator for $1,300 parts and labor at around 61K miles. Bruce 2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing Follow me on: Twitter Instagram Youtube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Jim Posted June 20, 2014 Report Share Posted June 20, 2014 Took my STS-V over to Crest this morning after it flashed "Battery low volts" coming home from the airport last night. Today's diagnosis is the 2008 Cadillac STS-V needs a new alternator for $1,300 parts and labor at around 61K miles. I am really sorry to hear that.... that is a heck of a lot of money just for an alternator. I thought you had bought an extended warranty for it... Amazon has REMY for $275.44 http://www.amazon.com/Remy-12571-Premium-Remanufactured-Alternator/dp/B0031HAKZO/ref=au_pf_ss_14?ie=UTF8&Make=Cadillac|46&Model=STS|2545&Year=2008|2008&carId=004&n=15684181&s=automotive AC DELCO... $210.52. Part number 25709327 http://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-25709327-Generator-Assembly/dp/B000IZ3MCA/ref=au_pf_ss_2?ie=UTF8&Make=Cadillac|46&Model=STS|2545&Year=2008|2008&carId=004&n=15684181&s=automotive Rock Auto New AC Delco OEM...$217.79 Part number 25709327 REMY (remanufactured)...$153.79 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Nunnally Posted June 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2014 Yes, travelling a lot lately and not a convenient time to fix it myself. Crest says Mon or Tue now as delay to get the right alternator Bruce 2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing Follow me on: Twitter Instagram Youtube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted June 21, 2014 Report Share Posted June 21, 2014 What is involved in replacing the alternator that the labor is $1000???? Even at stealership rates, that is pushing 10 hours of labor... Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadillac Jim Posted June 21, 2014 Report Share Posted June 21, 2014 Maybe they're taking it out from the top. -- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data -- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterset Posted June 21, 2014 Report Share Posted June 21, 2014 I guess cars getting smaller, and so much going in under the hood with all the safety and features, changing out any part is labor intensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadillac Jim Posted June 21, 2014 Report Share Posted June 21, 2014 I think a huge part of the cost is the Goodwrench warranty. I believe that the alternator is one of those components that, if replaced with a new unit with paid Goodwrench service, has a warranty that is good, with labor, as long as you own the car. If you plan on driving the car for years, it can be a good deal. I once had my A/C compressor replaced at the dealer for exactly that reason. A year later, the compressor clutch started slipping, and sure enough, free replacement, labor, Freon recovery and recharge, washed and ready to drive away, free of charge. No cash charge, that is; Freon charge was good. I never once needed to add freon to the 1997 Eldorado's A/C. -- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data -- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Nunnally Posted June 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2014 I do prefer to have a car under warranty, so that it is "pre-paid" to drop off at the Dealer and have them handle whatever comes up. Now that the STS-V is not under warranty, I do need to decide each time something comes up if this is something that has to go to Dealer and be addressed, or something that Carroll Custom Cadillac or Linear Automotive could handle as well, or something that I want to do myself (with photo essay!). In this case although I was surprised how much it cost I decided I wanted the convenience of drop off and pick up because of my current schedule. However, for future items that comes up I should start with home diagnostic and then decide on who to take it to rather than automatically drop it off at Dealer. Because the battery had recently been replaced my thinking was stay with the Dealer to ensure it wasn't a bad battery issue. Taking the long view, the car may have been slowly eating batteries because the alternator was not performing better? We'll see. So you guys are right, the alternator could be changed out less expensively. I kept it at Dealer for convenience. Bruce 2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing Follow me on: Twitter Instagram Youtube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadillac Jim Posted June 22, 2014 Report Share Posted June 22, 2014 If I am right about the Goodwrench warranty, it will be on your automated invoice when you pick up your car. If you don't see it, ask about it before you leave. Whatever you do, keep the invoice in case it doesn't get logged in the GM database; I scan in all my car invoices and keep them in folders separated by car and year on my computer. -- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data -- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Nunnally Posted June 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Picked the V up from Crest this morning after I got in from my trip. Notes: charge battery to full check alternator output. Was found to be low output. Replace weak alternator. Lower cradle, remove upper strut assembly, drop rt cradle to gain access to assy. Found positive cable melted to battery, plus clean, reinstall, recheck ele after replacement of alternator. Ok 14.0. 4.5 hours $729 ($162/hr)(!) P/n 25709327 generator $500.43 Shop charges $74.95 Tax 47.47 I think I see why it was so expensive. Glad it did not catch fire (on the bright side) Bruce 2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing Follow me on: Twitter Instagram Youtube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Jim Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Melted battery cable is NOT good... Glad they found it and fixed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 What was the cause of the melted battery cable? Hopefully, they fixed the cause so it does not happen again. $162/hr.??? Yikes! Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Nunnally Posted June 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 My interpretation is that alternator failed to self-regulate and went high-amps before it gave up the ghost and went offline. I need to review pior work which included new battery and cable that was termed as corroded from btty acid. In hindsight perhaps last battery and cable died due to alternator on-the-way-out? Bruce 2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing Follow me on: Twitter Instagram Youtube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Jim Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 My interpretation is that alternator failed to self-regulate and went high-amps before it gave up the ghost and went offline. I need to review pior work which included new battery and cable that was termed as corroded from btty acid. In hindsight perhaps last battery and cable died due to alternator on-the-way-out? That is a very good possibility... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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