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does pep boys charge a fee to test an alternator?

How do you know? What makes you think that?
If you take the alternator off, you can have it tested at most auto parts stores for free. If you are hurting for time and money, the easiest (albeit not the safest and best way to do it) way to test the alternator is to disconnect the red cable from the battery while the car is running. If the car continues to run, your alternator is probably working.



another check would be to put a voltmeter on the power line while the car is running. If it read around 13.8 v (or anything higher than 12v) chances are your alternator is working.

 
Hooking the car up with the car running is the best way to test the alternator because you can put a computer on it and get accurate results and not just guesswork. You wouldn't want to end up stranded 50 miles from civilization😛
 
I'm going to throw this in here FWIW, ok?

Don't buy an alternator (if you need one) from Pep Boys. Back in 1994, the alternator in my 86 Civic CRX went. I bought a new one (rebuilt...they are ALL rebuilt unless you buy one from the dealer for 100% more money) from Pep Boys.

I installed it. I've installed tens of alts/starters/carbs/etc before. One big wire that goes to the battery and one molex connector that only goes on one way. An Angel-Dusted Monkey could do it.

Started it right up. Went for a drive. Going down the highway, my dash lights started glowing brighter and brighter and brighter...somethings very wrong. As I pulled over to the shoulder...*POP-POP-BOOM-POP-POP* and the car died.

What happened is that the regulator in the alt failed and overcharged/overvolted my entire electrical system.

Blew EVERY SINGLE BULB in the car. Every last one down to the idiot lights in the dash. It also fried my ECU and melted most of the wiring harness. $1,300 in damage.

Pep boys tested the alt and found it to be "just fine...nothing wrong with it." But then they refused to send the alternator back to me, even if I paid for shipping. Sound suspicious? You bet your ass it does.

I had a local automotive electrical specialty shop (they fixed the car) write a letter for me stating that the alternator most definitely was the cause of this major meltdown.

Pep boys refused to accept responsibility of any kind. After many very angry phone calls, I got a call back from their regional manager. He told me "we'll refund your money for the alternator, but not a penny more...get a lawyer if you want."

I had to borrow the money to get the car fixed to begin with; I had no money for a lawyer.

Since 1994, I have not purchased a single thing from Pep Boys. Not even a smelly tree for the mirror. There is a Pep Boys exactly 6 blocks from my house. I drive right past it for another mile or so to go to Auto Zone.

That's my story. You do what you want. Caveat Emptor.
 
well the ad in my local yellow pages sates that AUtozone offers free testing of starters, alternators and batteries.

 
Here's an idea that's guaranteed to get you the answer in less than the 2 1/2 hours you've been waiting by posting the question here.

Pick up the phone and call them.
 
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