Q: I need to have my alternator replaced but already have the part on a 2001 mazda tribute will I still have to pay for the part

Hi There, As you may know, there are a few things that can go wrong with your charging system with one of those being the alternator. In addition to the alternator not properly charging the battery, in some cases this may be a result of a faulty voltage regulator. You may have a failing voltage regulator that could be allowing the alternator to supply too much or too little amperage to the battery resulting in the battery never maintaining a consistent charge as it is designed to. The voltage regulator is a unit that regulates the charging of the battery by the alternator. When the voltage regulator is not working properly, this may result in the alternator allowing too much power to be delivered to the battery resulting in damaging wires and prematurely sometimes destroying the battery. In either case, I would suggest having a professional from Yourmechanic come to your location to take a look at your vehicle.