First off, I bought the car about 3 weeks ago with 190,xxx miles. I've put about a thousand miles on it since with no problem.
Anyway, Im driving it today and the radio cuts off for a split second, then the check engine light comes on for about a second. Nothing else happens. A couple hours later, I get in to run to the gas station and notice that every time I put my blinker on or hit the brakes, the headlights dim slightly. When I try to start the car at the gas station, it turns over, but wont start and the engine shakes somewhat violently. After about 5 minutes of trying to start it, it suddenly starts and I drive it home. After I get home, I try to start it and again it turns over, but wont start.
Sounds like an alternator problem to me, but Im no mechanic. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

as far as I can tell its either your alternator or your battery or both, I'd test your batt terminals under load w/ a multimeter

 

yea maybe you battery is dead...

 

I think most likely its a combination of both a nearly dead or dead battery or a bad alternator but it sounds like the car runs alright which means the alternator is working to some capacity and the battery is totally dead, or the alternator isn't keeping up w/ the battery and the battery is good, just have your battery and alternator tested, autozone does it for free

 

same thing happened to my crx..........I'd say bad alternator.......which in turn has messed up your battery

 

clean your battery terminals and check all of your conections (power and ground) make sure they're good and tight at the battery and at the alternator, also at all of the grounding points (the one from the battery goes first to the chassis, then to the tranny housing, plus there's one that goes from the valve cover bolt to the radiator support) make sure there's no corosion at any of these points. then go to autozone for your free electrical check. a loose / coroded conection can show up on their tests as a bad battery or a bad alternator, and they don't always notice the connections because they can make more money off of you by selling you a new battery or alternator.

 

But would one of the afformentiond problems cause the motor to shake violently when Im trying to start it?

 

Exact thing happened to my 88 rex(may she rest in peace)... check your grounds..