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I am not good at the whole car thing, but I wanted to make sure that when the battery light comes on that means I probably need a new alternator.

The main question that I have is that do I need to get a Honda alternator or can I get a generic one? Also how hard is it to do it yourself. My boyfriend is ok with cars maybe I can just buy the part and get him to replace it.

Thanks,

Frances

2003 Honda Civic LX Sedan

 
Rep Power: 360

When mine went out I had a battery light. If you are confident it is not your battery I would suspect the alternator for sure. You can easily pull your battery and have it tested at any local parts place.

Second, I would buy the Honda if possible. Surprisingly, when I did mine, I was able to get a new Honda alternator for 2 or 3 dollars cheaper than an aftermarket brand. That's not much savings, but it was enough for me to go with the Honda one instead. I would look at it this way. The original Honda one lasted you 8 years or so. That's pretty good, I'd just get another one.

Replacement is a bit of a pain, but it's not terrible. Not something I would attempt if you have never worked on cars, but anyone that feels comfortable tackling moderate jobs themselves would be able to do it.

Check the DIYs on replacing alternators. This one is about upgrading to a high-output, which you probably aren't doing, but the removal process is the same regardless of which alternator you put back in.

https://www.civicforums.com/forums/1...t-upgrade.html

Doing it yourself will save you a boat load of money.

 
Rep Power: 812

battery light means bad alternator. i have a napa version for the past 7 yrs and its lasting longer than the oem new one (2 yrs).