OK, I need someone's help here. I noticed a few weeks ago that my voltage was starting to spike up, sometimes into the red! It would settle and just start spiking up and down. I went under the hood, check my wires, ground strap and battery cables. The battery cables seemed a touch loose, so I tightened them up. This seemed to work for about a week or so, then it started again. I rechecked everything, and it was fine. So now I am trying to figure out what could be causing this? I thought, maybe the voltage regulator, but usually that sends the voltage dropping, not spiking up.....still in the air whether this is the cause or not. But then, between yesterday and today, something dawned on me. Yesterday's weather was very, very cold. It was spiking anytime I would put load on the drivetrain (ie: taking off from a dead stop up a small hill; getting on the highway and punching the gas; etc). So then I thought maybe the automatic tranny had something to do with it. I also noticed that my steering was a bit jerky, which it sometimes is in the cold winter months. Today, however was much warmer out, and neither the jerkiness of my steering, or the spiking of my voltage occured?? I finally realized that the first time I checked everything, and all was quiet for a week or so, the weather had been much, much warmer. Can anyone tell me what the problem is here? I'm starting to think something stupid like my belts freezing or not stretching the way they should, but I really don't know. I can also tell you that no matter what temperature the vehicle is at, it has no bearing on the condition. Just outside temperature seems to be a problem. Also, it is not just what my gauge is reading, headlights dime and flicker when it happens, so it looks like I'm flashing my brights when for a second when it happens. Turning on as much power consuming things in the car don't help it drop back down either. Can the cold have some type of effect on the alternator or voltage regulator? Please help, this one annoying problem!!

 

Is there anybody out there??? Please help.