mikeralph7

thanks. no lights on the instrument panel, and i'm positive that nothing was left on. i'm going to let it run with the lights on and see how long it stays running.

pathfinder wouldn't start, so i charged the battery. (battery is a replacement from walmart --- 2.5 yrs old) after i charged it, it started right away. i put it in reverse and it seemed to be caught up on something. then it seemed like i smelled smoke but not entirely certain. my first thought was that the alternator was frozen up and the belt was spinning around it causing it to burn. i shut it down and put a light on it then re-started it and it checked out okay. alternator was spinning. took it for a test drive and it was okay. here's the problem.... i'm screwed if i get stuck somewhere because i am new in town and don't know anyone, and i'm far away from repair shops. not sure if i should get a load test done from walmart or just take it in to the nissan dealership and pay to have them check out the entire charging system. is there some home-test i can do in the meantime like remove the positive battery cable, turn on the headlights with the engine running and then see if the car continues to run? i figure that if the car continues to run and the lights shine bright then the alternator must be putting out current. right ????? what does nissan usually charge to check out the charging system? might they do it for free? the car is 8 yrs old with 66,000 miles..... how long does the typical alternator last?