Brake, Battery light - flicker on /off DEAD ALTERNATOR [Merged 4-8]

[BrnOutKing]

Ok this just started happening.

I'll be driving and the E-Brake and Battery light will flicker on / off while driving..... or I'll start it up and they'll stay on.

normally I'd think it was battery related.

But I'm not sure on this one. - I just changed my brake pads, so that shouldn't be triggering anything.

The battery is a couple months old. - however my alternator is going - it doens't work from time to time.

What's your opinions. - I noticed it goes on and off with bumps with leads me to believe it's a loose wire or something?

However I have no Idea which one? or where it would be located.

I'm thinking I'm going to pull the center console off to check out the e-brake area for anything out of the ordinary today.

Thanks
-brian

 

[Spoolin4Ever]

Sounds like good advice to me. I concur

 

[lazykhoe]

The CEL, E-Brake Light, A/T Temp Light are all in a dimmed mode. They appear to be lit, but are not full bright, when i pull the ebrake i the E-Brake Light get's brighter. When i drive the car and hit near 5k rpms the lights that were dimmed go off. Any ideas??

 

[Defiant]

Your alternator is dead.

 

[asexton6969]

Today i drove in town to pick up my cousin from work. We have his tranny dropped in his talon, replacing the clutch. I picked him up so we could take his flywheel to get resurfaced. I noticed my battery, brake, and ABS lights were on when we came out of his office and got in. I have no idea why they are on. Kind of a wierd combination. Checked fuses they seem to be ok. No CEL so i cant pull a code. My rotors are warped and im waiting on some new crossdrilled and slotted in the mail. I still have good pads as far as i know. They dont squeak but since my rotors are warped it vibrates my car pretty damn good. The only thing i can think of is that an ABS sensor has gone bad. I have plenty of brake fluid. Any ideas?

 

[lazykhoe]

I was thinking about that as well, the alternator is new though. I changed my grounds to the battery since they were green and blue (probably not good). When i started the engine all the lights still were up and went back the the engine area and saw that my battery was smoking. Getting a new battery in an hour or so, hopefully that is the problem. If not, then i guess it's time for another new alternator.

 

[Lordpaxin]

id get new pads.
with new rotors,

 

[turboguy25]

also check your alternator to make sure it putting out voltage

 

[GSTinCO]

also check your alternator to make sure it putting out voltage

I would check your alternator. It happened to me and I could not figure out why it made the ABS light come on. Just put a voltmeter on it and see if it's giving you 14V while the car is on. Hope this helps.

 

[ddavisaf]

Be careful with those slotted and crossdrilled rotors since they do tend to crack... fyi

Alternator would be my first assumption. Test it and let us know.

 

[asexton6969]

Be careful with those slotted and crossdrilled rotors since they do tend to crack... fyi

I know what your saying. Ive heard mixed things. I know lots of guys who have them and never had a problem. I dont personally know anyone who's CD and S rotors cracked. Ill let you know tho, thnx.

 

[Game Over]

I second, or third the alternator.

 

[lazykhoe]

just put the battery in, checked the voltage and found out it was high. it was actually really high, 18 volts. so guess i'll chuck that alternator out the window. no wonder my battery was smoking, my alternator was murdering it.......

 

[lazykhoe]

i feel you bro, my car is doing almost the same exact thing. i thought it was my ground cable at first because it was corroded. Changed it and noticed the battery was smoking. Got a new battery and tested the voltage, it came out to almost 18 volts. Very bad... Apparently the regulator's on the alternators sometimes go bad and decide to electricute your battery. Also, whenever i hit 5k in any gear the lights disappear. I dunno what that has to do with it though.

 

[l3LacK Tsi]

gotta read this one twice. got lost after the brake post. your thread almost got highjacked by some cd and slotted rotors. anyways have you checked alt. output yet? very smple test and easy way to see if thats the source of you burnt up battery. you average alt will put out anywhere from 13.4 to 14 volts 12 to run the car and acc. and the rest to "charge" the battery. if you alt is putting out to much all that extra voltage has to go somewhere so its cooking your battery. check for shorts also might have something touching around the battery that shouldnt be. GL

 

[ddavisaf]

Yeah, I didn't realize it was a different person posting about the rotors and pads. Sorry 'bout that.

Don't chuck the alternator, take it back and get it replaced. You didn't break it.

 

[asexton6969]

Mine turned out to be my altenator. It was just gone. Not putting out barely any voltage at all. What happened to my thread. Did Defiant merge it with some other kids? [Yup.]

 

[versatilx1]

Well this isnt good let me explain just yesterday i had wired in my a/f gauge when i was driviing home my hand brake and battery light came on my first impression its the alternator, but the thing is its brand new!!! and then i got home checked the fuses and 100amp alternator choke all fuses good, then i did a voltage test and i was getting 16.5 which is high charge, so i guess the alternator is bad plus my belt was squeaking. but see this is really not good im thinking the damn pulley is bad too but how to check?

 

[XDecaturX]

1997 gsx


I bought a new alternator, a new yellow top optima battery, changed all of my belts in the car...

The question is: why does my battery light and my emergency brake light stay on or flicker while the car is turned on. when im in gear pressing the gas the two lights seem to dissapear..any help is appreciated.

Thanks, Brian

 

[yokotabrat]

Sounds like a problem with the alternator still, especially since the battery is new.

Do you have a multimeter or a logger? If so, check the battery voltage and compare it at idle vs at 3000 rpm. If the voltage is lower than between 13-14V, then it sounds like a voltage regulator problem in the alternator.

It wouldn't hurt to also check the alternator fusible link to make sure that's okay.

 

[ddavisaf]

Make sure your battery is tied down, and there is vinyl protectent over the positive terminal.

 

[tsunari]

double-check that the grey plastic connector is FULLY pressed into the alternator . . .
When I first got my car, it needed a head job and when I put the alternator back in, I apparently didn't press that connector in fully and had the same problem (scared the crap outta me)

 

[XDecaturX]

double-check that the grey plastic connector is FULLY pressed into the alternator . . .
When I first got my car, it needed a head job and when I put the alternator back in, I apparently didn't press that connector in fully and had the same problem (scared the crap outta me)

Awersome idea! Thats peobably the problem...i am scared everytime i drive my car .


Thanks for everybodies input, if anymore feedback arrises please let me know! Thanks again,

Brian

 

[jackalopeTsi]

I went to pick up my sister a few minutes ago and about 2.5 miles up the road the brake, coolent, and battery lights randomly lit up. the car drove fine, brakes worked fine, no studdering. i pulled over at a gas station and checked everything. Coolent level was fine. Brake fluid was a little low, but not low enough to throw a light. and it started right up after i got done pumping gas.

what happened? Fuse? ECU problem? I am clueless whan it comes to the electronics in my car. i am making a little trip tomorrow and i think the car is fine, but i would like to get this fixed before i go. so help is needed asap

 

[greeneclipse]

not a 100% sure about this, but i think it means your alternators on its way out. The same lights came on for me too when i blew my alternator fuse.

 

[jackalopeTsi]

i just put a new alt. in about 3000 miles ago. and when the old one went out i didnt see any of those lights come up.

you said alternator fuse? ill check that tomorrow morning