A few days ago, while in Idle my car shot out some steam. I checked the coolant level it was very low. the next morning it wouldnst start at all. I bought some coolant and filled it up, it still wouldnt start ( Iknew it was a separate problem. So I had the battery tested and it was dead. I bought a new battery, then started the car. I left it running with the hood open, cause I wanted to diagnose where the steam was coming from, at first I thought it was coming from the driver hood side. However as the car was running, I heard some clicking noise, it clicked a few times and stopped then it clicked again, then some steam came out near the alternator......So coolant is good, radiator looks, good didnt see leaks and battery is new. Is it the alternator???? Help, what next

 

A bad alternator won't steam, it might smoke though. Still, there must be a coolant leak somewhere. I don't know about the 2009, but on older models there are small hoses around the back of the engine that contain coolant. Coolant could have dripped down into the alternator and damaged it.

To see if the alternator is working, measure the battery voltage with the engine running but everything else electrical (lights, A/C, radio, etc.) switched off. Less than 13.5 volts there is a problem.