The car won't die but the light dimming in these cars is pretty bad caused by a few factors. The alternators are not near the output of other vehicles especially at idle, battery in the trunk means current has to be carried to the front of the car.... If i remember right the stock positive feed to the engine bay is 4 gauge but I could be wrong on that.

I've spent a bit of time correcting these problems, the first thing I've done is bump idle rpm to 955 rpm, also have run an additional 4 gauge power to the front of the car (runs right to the front of the motor) as well as swapped out the ground for a larger 4 gauge. Before I did this I killed my stock battery in just over a year, I've since replaced for an optima yellowtop.

 

holly hell. well i won't be putting it in sum guys i know at sound solutions will... I'd have to tell them that **** i doubt they would know because it's a brand new car

so they don't make alts that can handle it I assume... gerr. that sounds like a head ache. did it fix the problem completely or what? and how many watts you puttin out?

 

You can buy a high output alt that will probably put out over 90 amps at idle. I have not had any problems since I've gone through the electrical system but before I did it the stock battery wouldn't start the car after driving with the system on and then parking it unless it was a trip longer than a half hour.

I'm running a pair of 2 channel amps that are drawing 10 amps each and my mono block amp draws a lot more current than your typical D class sub mono amp since it is still an A/B switching mono block. I don't recall if i ever metered it but I'd assume it'd be in the 15 amp range at full volume, keeping in mind I'm not a bass head so the gains are fairly low on the sub amp. I'm also powering an audio control EQS since I'm still using the factory headunit until the new kenwood screens are released which I also never metered since im assuming would pull between 3 and 5 amps.

My advice..... have them get rid of that shitty ground cable from the battery to the frame.... the problem there isn't actually so much with the cable as it is with the contact point to the frame.... use a serrated lock washer on the contact point.

 

do you have any clue where i could buy one of those alternators. as far as brand and price. I'll have them do what you said about changing the wires to a larger gauge that connect to the battery n the ground... i can't risk having my battery die. these bitches around here will break into my ****. and if my battery dies my two way alarm system won't work unless i get a back up for it.
this system is prolly gonna cost me out my ass... i don't even have prices on any of the kenwood stuff. the super woofers or the midbass and tweeters. or the head unit. and as far as amps go i don't know wut i need... i don't think kenwood sales the amps i need for this system... i don't really want a touch screen but if they come out with one that looks pretty cool i'll have to take a look at it. my worry is with those is messin with it while i'm driving. and it could start running slow. psht! lol. like if my volume didn't work while i was passing a cop. that's a 1000 dolla fine down here for noise pollution. fck that can't risk it ha ha

kenwood don't put prices on their stuff online. like wtf. i need to know how much it is ya kno.

if i can't find any high performance alts, can i put two on it? would that do the trick? do you know how many amps the stock alt has?

 

All the kenwood screens have hard buttons or dials for the volume that work as well as any other volume control on decks. They are very easy to use and I will be definitely doing a screen since they finally have models with 3 5 volt pre-outs and hopefully they will have a screen this year with time alignment.

I believe the stock alt is a 115 amp but at idle it maybe makes half that. Not sure on where to get a larger alternator, the ones off the older 2.2 ecotec motors should work and i'm assuming someone will have built one being this motor has been used as far back as the cavaliers. I don't have much knowledge about where to find them, we've had larger alternators rewound locally and they seem to work well so maybe have your local shop investigate it for you.

 

coolness. i like the idea of a screen more just kinda picky about them. i like the sleek look ya know? they just look cool. yeah and my local shop is one i own. well my dad. ha ha. well he's the biggest one anyway. everyone mad cuz he steeling their business. but our mechanic Tim is thee shiizit. he used to build old rich guy's cars and trick out antiques and stuff. but i doubt he'd know anything about this stuff thought. being how new it is.

go GAUTIER AUTO! lolz.. they don't work on new cars tho. i mean. some ppl want them to but most ppl that have cars still under warranty don't take them there. they just go to the dealer.

i've heard of ppl getting them rewound but if also heard them having a hard time to get it to run properly or they have sum kind of problems with it. :/
and being how i'mma have the baddest car in town i don't want any flaws

 

do you know when Kenwood is releasing their new head unit the touch screen one... i don't really like the other ones they have up online. maybe i'll get a pioneer head unit or something... i like a couple of them...

 

Wont see them in store until mid march.... just like every year.

 

oh.. poo

 

I've tried a lot of subs: MTX, Rockford Fosgate, Eclipse, Polk, and Kicker. None of them compare to the overall sound quality and spl I have with my JL. Im running a 10 inch JL W6 in the JL high output box. I'm giving it 500 watts rms with my kenwood amp and i barely notice my lights dimming. If i were you i would keep my stock speakers and tweeters in and just upgrade my headunit, sub and amp, and see if it doesn't make a difference in how your speakers sound. I would defiantly go with JL for the sub and amp. And for the headunit maybe go with pioneer, clarion or jvc.