I'm at a loss. Driving in the rain yesterday, and I hit a decent sized puddle. Soon as I'm thorugh it, my voltage drops, power steering goes out and check guages light comes on. Stayed like that for about 45-60 seconds. but then happened again after hitting an even smaller puddle. Has anybody heard of this before? Was under the car as soon as I got home, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

 

Your serpentine belt was slipping.

 

Well, I could understancd the p/s slipping, being the the back side of the belt moves over it, but with the alternator, the belt goes 3/4 of the way around the pulley, on the grooved side. I don't think it could slip on that one, could it.

 

I don't know what else it would be, other than the belt slipping. It will slip under the right conditions. Maybe your belt is not that new and the tensioner is not all that tight.

Two things powered by the belt quit at the same time? (plus add the water puddle) What else would it be?

 

happens to me sometimes too, it is the belt.