My alternator is grinding and sounds like metal on metal. I think it is a bearing or something to do with the pulley. I know its the alternator cause when i push on the side of it, the noise subsides and gets much queiter. All the alternator bolts are tightened and the belts are tightened as well.

The xb is a 2005 which just hit 50,000 miles on it the day the noise started. Does anyone have any idea how much a alternator replacment will cost?

I was really hoping on trading in the xb for a tc, but i need the xb not to sound like its falling apart.

 

have you tried loosening everything and resetting it.. since you say a little side pressure quiets it a bit.. jut a thought, not sure about alternater pricing..

 

^I think I have the same issue!

 

^^ I'd hope you dont... It was the alternator, which had a cracked bearing. making the grinding sound. So I had to buy a new alternator to have installed on a car i intend to trade... for only $530 including parts labor, a belt change (which it needed) and an oil change

 

^ It is the same thing.

That's alot of money tho... They're really easy to install yourself, and you can find places that give you core discounts for trading in your old part...

Glad you got it fixed tho!

 

I hope this doesn't become a common problem...

 

I ended up taking it to a dealer. Sadly he said it was a common issue he sees with our model xb's...

 

cappolla! my alt just started putting out less power at idle..
sound system shut down, etc.,... hope this isnt next!!

 

Found an alternator locally with 5000 miles on it for under 40.00!

New belt (also needs replacing) was 17.00 at NAPA.

Not too bad!

 

do any body know for fact or maybe, would a volt- stablizer help the life of a alternator?

 

The reason the alternators are having the problems is because the belts are set too tight from the factory. If you take it to the dealer there is a service bulletin for our belts to loosen the tension on them. I work for toyota as a tech and this is an update that was given to us directly from toyota.

 

My issue ended up being my waterpump... so I replaced my alternator for nuthin!

...boo!


So if anybody wants a perfectly good alternator with 51,000 miles on it, I'm sellin' it for 36.00.