Tonight my Kia work car crapped out on me. When I started it the wipers were slow and the heater fan was weak. It has a new battery but it had set for a week in cold weather so I thought maybe it needed a little charge. I drove it to town and parked it. When I started it to come home the headlights seemed dim and first two problems continued. I made it halfway home and stopped to turn off highway, it died and starter wouldn't engage. I called my wife and jumped the car when she got there. It started right up, I made it a half a mile and when I slowed for a 90 degree corner it died again. It again started easily when jumped and I made it home. Your best guess voltage regulator or alternator.. The alternator idiot light was barely lit on the way home.

Most altenators have the regulators built in.

If you jumped the car and it only ran for a little bit , it sounds like it is not charging.

Put a volt meter on it while running , you should get 12.5V to 14V at the battery if it is charging properly.

I'd go with the alternator being out, but you might still check the battery out as it's possible you got a bad one, but I'd still go with the alternator. I've had the same issue on a few vehicles over the years and it's been the alternator.

Thanks. It ran as long as I kept the engine revved up but died when I took my foot off the gas.

Alternator. Got that exact same vehicle sitting in the yard. Done swapped out the alternator about a year ago so I know exactly what you're describing.

Not that difficult considering it's buried on the bottom passenger side. If memory serves the HVAC lines need to come loose from the firewall and moved out of the way then its just flipping and turning it to snake it out of the hole.

Thanks to all that answered

sounds like alternator if you made it 22 years on a Kia alternator you done good

you should have 14 volts or better when driving

my gps speedometer tells me voltage many devices you plug in your power jack/cigarette lighter do handy for knowing when allthe dash tells you is a warning light.

You can use a scan gauge to watch the voltage in the future. It plugs into the OBD 2 port.

Oh wow that was the first car I ever owned!! I remember having the exact same thing happen when the alternator went on it!