FJCruiser Faulty Generator

I'm having a bit of a headache with my 2008 Toyota FJCruiser with the gasoline engine. It's got about 99779 km. I've noticed some weird stuff happening – reduced engine power, a warning light, and it's been a struggle to start. Also, the lights are weak and flickering, and I got an error when I read the error memory. I suspect the generator is faulty. Anyone else run into something similar?

4 comment(s)

I had a similar issue with my FJCruiser a while back. Those symptoms sound familiar. Before you jump to replacing the alternator, have you checked the voltage regulator and the battery connections? Sometimes it's just a loose connection or a bad regulator causing the voltage to drop and messing with everything.

Thanks for the tip! I haven't checked the voltage regulator specifically. Where is it located, and is it easy to check myself, or should I just take it to a workshop?

Yeah, that's pretty much what happened to me. I also thought it was 'just' a loose contact or a defective regulator. Eventually, it turned out to be the generator itself. If you're not super comfortable with car electronics, I'd honestly recommend taking it to a workshop. I ended up paying 960€ for a new one, including labor.

Took your advice and went straight to the shop. You were spot on – faulty generator. They quoted me around the same price, so I gave them the go-ahead. Thanks for the help! Saved me a bunch of time troubleshooting.

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