A while back my alternator failed. A not so knowledgeable person at a parts store did NOT know what he was doing when he tried to TIGHTEN my negative connections on the new battery and he ended up ruining my terminal and he replaced it.

since then, after installing a new alternator and a new battery, there have been some issues with electronics. No Cel lights. But things just don’t seem to be running right. I am wondering if wonder boy missed something when “repairing” my cable. The sensor is plugged in, but I didn’t see this guy repair the cable. He took it off and took it inside. He took it all apart (meaning he cut the tape and removed the sensor part) then, after putting on a standard terminal, he had to twist it up and around to fit it on the post since it was too short. Then he taped the sensor back on and plugged it in.

I later added a quick disconnect because I got tired of having to fight with the terminal every time and I still don’t know if I’m missing a line in.

Can anyone tell me if the sensor should be tied into the negative cable other than just being taped on the cable?

 

Negative cable looks like this when installed

The cable looks like this brand new GM part number 25850292, I suggest you order a new one, Amazon or RockAuto

There are 2 different current sensors, one is 10 volts, the other is 5 volts

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...t+sensor,13536

 

I do not see this extra line in the first image you posted. And there is not this cable on my setup now. However, I didn’t see how it was BEFORE the parts guy took it off.
where is the circled connector go on my car?

 

If you go into the RockAuto site and look at the battery cable for your 2009 2.4 , it does look different in the photos and different part numbers.


https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...ery+cable,2500

 

Ok. Dang. The sensor is outrageous. The cable alone is only 12$. The cable with the sensor is 110$. I don’t see how the sensor works. My sensor doesn’t seem to be tied into the cable in any way. Just the plastic bracket is taped on the cable. That is what has me confused.
But, I’m not going to buy the sensor. I don’t think there is anything wrong with the sensor I have. I just don’t know if this guy hooked everything back in as he should have.

 

It is a coil of wire, it works by sensing a current flowing through the cable. It's function is to control the output of the alternator based on demand.

It should be AROUND the cable, not taped to the cable.

An inductive device. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inductive_sensor

 

It's an inductive ammeter, which doesn't make any sense on a volt guage LOL but that's how they did it.

 

It isn't to measure voltage it is to measure amps draw, so the computer knows what duty cycle to run the alternator.