not your typical 3 dash light problem

[jay-d]

So driving home one day at night my coolant, battery and parking brake light come on, so I immediately assume its my alternator since this has happened to me once before. I got a 90 amp bosch alternator and installed it, started the car and no lights, problem free.

Later that day I went out and they came on, very very dim, I had my radio playing, heat on and nothing seemed to cut out.

I left the car over night, started it the following day, again no lights but once car warmed up the lights came on again. I checked voltage at idle with no acc, and its 14.63, i turned on all acc, lights, wipers, rear defroster, heat, radio, checked voltage, it was at 13.75.

I believe my old alternator isn't bad, i find it odd that the lights only come on when the car warms up, I've tried cleaning all the connections.

The last major thing I did before this problem arose was i swapped the FIAV.

Any ideas?

 

[DiabloRT]

It is most likley the alternator....I a very simialer problem not long ago on my 97 GSt.


The replacement alternator I had was fine for a while, but I think the start of its demise happened during a dyno session. I think I over cooked it. It was doing basicaly the same thing.....replaced it again....and it is fine

 

[tsunari]

When mine was doing this, it turned out to be one of two things:

1) Loose battery terminal connections

2) The big grey plug that goes on the Alternator was not COMPLETELY plugged in.

Checked both of these and have never had a re-occurance of the problem