Hi everyone. Please know I did several "search threads" attempts and didn't find what I am looking for.

I have a 2012 RAV4 with 88k miles.

Today, when I started my car after it being parked for about 45 minutes, the battery light was on and there was an odd grinding/growling/humming kind of noise (not loud, but enough for me to hear). This is the very first time this has happened and I bought the car brand new. I turned the vehicle off, then turned it back on with the same result. I did that a second time...and same thing.

There is a mechanic shop about a mile away, so I proceeded to drive to the shop. The battery light was on, the noise still happening, and it felt like there was a little bit of lag was I was driving forward (not sure how else to describe it). About half way to the shop, the battery light went off, the noise stopped and the lag stopped. I still went to the shop for a checkup.

The mechanic came out with his testing equipment and said that the battery was good (brand new 2 years ago). He thought it MIGHT be the alternator, but he said he couldn't test that unless the battery light was actually on, which it wasn't at the time he tested. He also said it might be a fluke (it just rained) or the ignition switch had a glitch. He said just to keep driving it and if it happens again, come in when the light is on and he will test it (what kind of luck would I have to have to have the light come on and stay on long enough to get it to him?). He said he didn't want to tell me to replace the alternator (several hundred dollars) and have that not be the issue. My thought: I don't want the alternator to give out in the middle of the street at night and have to have my car towed.

What are your thoughts on what this could be? Does it really sound like an alternator (is that an expected thing for a RAV4 of 88k miles)? Can it really be a fluke?

Thank you.
LK

 

Could also be an idler pulley on the alternator belt. I don't know whether you even HAVE an idler pulley on the alternator belt, but it's a possibility. While it's making the noise, use a mechanics stethoscope, and check the alternator, it's idler pulley, if any, and so on.
Also, check that the alternator's belt is in good shape, and riding, with the proper tension, correctly in all the pulleys involved. If it's gotten loose, it may be that the alternator, when under a heavier load after starting, is slipping the belt. Maybe it just needs a little snugging up. That may be why it stopped all the noise and battery light after a few minutes. The battery had charged up enough, after a short time, and the load on the alternator had slacked off. No light, no noise.

Just a thought.
Pat☺