Subject:	97 Montero Sport
Question:	I have lost power in my 97 Montero Sport 3 times in the lat 14 months. In september of 2002 my interior lights went dim and then my power windows and radio quit. I then was unable to accelerate. The truck then slowly lost power untill it died. I took it to a mechanic and he said my alternator had gone bad. He replaced this and then in June 2003 it happened again. I took it to a different mechanic and told him about the car history and he then replaced my alternator and battery. Well it happened again today and I am wondering if you could help. My warranty with Firesyone (the second mechanic) is still within the 6 months but over the 6000 mile range. Should I have my car towed to the Firestone mechanic again or shoul I take it to the dealership? Also do you know what could be causing this problem?
Answer:	George, I would first take your car back to Firestone and see if they will replace your alternator again for free, If they say the warranty is no longer valid, take your car to the dealship. Alternators should last between 7-10 years before they even start to show problems. Your problem may be a due to a short in the ignition system. Also have the battery cables and battery terminals checked for excess corrorsion. Good luck!