Need some help here. I am not really in a real rush as I own 2 Impalas so I am able to get around while I try to troubleshoot my older impalas problem.

Last night I drove my older impala to work. When I get out of work it is late so the sun is down. Driving home I noticed that when driving about 55 miles per hour or at a steady speed my headlights would dim along with my interior lights. WHen I would give it some gas and or speed up then the lights would come on bright. Today I get into the car and the information center displays the battery symbol and the car makes a chime 3 times or dings 3 times. It happen a couple times today while driving. So with out taking a chance I drove back home to get the new impala. My question would be at this point does it seem as though my alternator is failing on me? it is the original with 110 k miles on it. I noticed as well that when it is cold or the engine temp is cold when turning more so left there is a winding noise. when the car gets warm though it is not as noticeable. Could this also be a problem with the alternator failing on me. The battery is new as that was replaced about 4 months ago.

Also I was thinking that winding noise could be from low power sterring fluid but I can not find it and I have the 3.8L not the 3.4L that they show the fill box to the right of the alternator.

Thanks for the help to the ones who reply.

 

I think it is a bad alternator as you said. The only sure-fire way to tell is to run a VAT on it.[/align][/align]Your noise has something to do with the suspension. The steering system is completely independant of your engine and alternator. I'm gonna say its the power steering pump. You can try putting some of that lucas stuff that is made to be a power steering additive and it might save you ordelay a costly repair.[/align]

 

if you were running the bad battery before you replaced it there is a chance it could have shot your alternator
Im about to replace my battery and I try not to drive it much because your alternator has to work a whole lot harder when the battery is not keeping a charge as much as before.
Im going to agree and say its your alternator

does your vehicle "hesitate" when accelerating?

 

ok yeah bad alternator. I got it replaced. The winding noise though is still there. What is this additive that can be added to the power steering fluid and does it get added right to the power steering fluid box that is under the alternator?

 

No does not hesitate when accelerating

 

question though it seems the problem may be my power steering but the the fluid is full in the power steering fill box and it has been a very long time since of any has ever been added at all? would this still be a problem at all?