Thread: Electrical gremlins?

Okay, so in the last few weeks my SEL has decided to turn on the brake and battery idiot lights simultaneosly. I'm not sure what it means. After the car warms up, they go out. On occasion, they flicker...sort of like there's a loose wire somewhere. Before I go tearing into the car, I was hoping someone could pin point the issue for me to save time finding the cause. At first glance, the brake fluid level looks good, the battery has a good charge and there are no other adverse symtoms...as a matter a fact, the car is running awesome. Thoughts? Should I be concerned? Thanks in advance for your help.

This is usually a charging issue (voltage is low while engine running). Typically it is the alternator dying, but I've seen a loose connection at the alternator cause this as well especially with flickering.
That's where I'd be looking first.

I replaced the alternator a year or so ago with a rebuilt NAPA unit. Perhaps the connection is working itself loose or it's crappin out. I'll start there first. Thanks.

I think that happened on my car once, while at higher rpms it would charge but not at low rpm, I got it tested at advance auto and one of my diodes went bad, it was covered under warranty

As far as the flickering it might be that plastic insulator that the positive wire bolts onto I've had them break many times before

No surprise there. It seems that rebuilt SR20 alternators and starters universally suck. You're better off getting a used one off a JDM engine.

C

Yep. It never fails. Non-OEM starters and alternators last 1 year on the dot.

Ugh...I really don't feel like doing the alt again. Hopefully, it's just the wire.

I just had a similar issue, but all mine was is the pos connection to the alt, the plastic spacer was broken, so i removed it and tightened the connection down again fixed my problem!

12.53 @ the battery with the motor off. 14.27 with the motor on.

The only thing I notice that didn't look right was there is a single wire that goes under the alt and connects to a harness. The harness is connected but it's not mounted to anything. It looks like the type that gets pressed onto a tab to keep it secure. It way down in there, I can't really get good access to secure it.

I'm a little perplexed about both the brake and batt light coming on together. The brake light is faded, as well....meaning when I set the parking brake, it gets brighter. To me it adds up to a loose wire or something...I dunno. Makes me a little nervious with the Convention trip looming. I'll keep poking around, a second look at the pos alt connection may be in order.

Bumpin this up. The idiot lights are still on. The alt is still putting out 14.27v @ the battery terminal. From what I've read, that should be fine. I'm I wrong in assuming that? Does the sensor need more than that to keep the lights off? All of the connections to the alt look fine to me. What I'm I missing here?