Bright dash lights, wipers on and blown headlights. WTF?

[frankozz]

I was driving last night on the freeway when my dash lights started to get bright as hell, my wipers turned on by themselves and my headlights turned off...then I guess the battery somehow got disconnected... It's relocated in the back and I have no battery box so it's just laying there.... Anyways... I hooked it back up and everything apparently worked fine, the car ran good, it started right up, except my headlights didn't turn on... I wasn't going to leave my car in the freeway and get a ticket, so I threw the hazzards and took the next exit and left the car at my friend's house a couple blocks away... He gave me a ride to work and I took the bus home this morning....
Is my alt ####ed again? I just had my alternator rebuilt a couple months ago.... It's an autozone one... Just when I wanted to get some more goodies the car does this shit.... What else should I check?

 

[92_talon_awd]

Parts store alternators are notorious for going bad, if you want an alternator to last, go get it rebuilt by a professional alternator shop. I learned my lesson after going through about 5 auto zone alternators. In this case you do get what you pay for. I think you should definitely check your alternator output with a multimeter and also check all your fuses with said meter while you have it out. Also check to see if your bulbs are blown which would point to a voltage surge but if they're not, it would point to a component problem i.e. wiper/headlight arm. Good luck.

 

[knochgoon24]

Time to bust out the multimeter again. Check the output of the alternator.

 

[TRBOBLU]

More than likely the alternator(or the fuse) based on the symptoms you described. All those parts store alternators are junk. Dont be surprised if you have to replace it once or twice a year.

 

[frankozz]

Well, today I went and picked up the car at my friend's house, when I went to start the car, the battery was dead, I jumped the car and it started, I drove back home, I parked the car and started to check all the fuses... When I wanted to start the car again, it wouldn't start, battery was dead again... So my guess is that I have a short somewhere that is draining my battery and causing all this? Also my alternator belt squeals like a mofo on cold start ups, once it warms up it stops squealing. It's properly adjusted, I don't know if it has to do with anything, but I guess I'll throw it out there....

 

[eclipsepunx]

Also an alternator can test good and the stator could be bad which is how the alt keeps a charge so check that also. But at least with that auto zone one it's a lifetime warranty.

 

[viperlp01]

I guarantee is it your alternator. Your voltage regulator went bad. I had the same exact symptoms and i was running at 17-18vs. Blew out my nice sylvania lights.. my car was running really weird and i fried the ground on my headlights...

 

[rush2252]

Well, today I went and picked up the car at my friend's house, when I went to start the car, the battery was dead, I jumped the car and it started, I drove back home, I parked the car and started to check all the fuses... When I wanted to start the car again, it wouldn't start, battery was dead again... So my guess is that I have a short somewhere that is draining my battery and causing all this? Also my alternator belt squeals like a mofo on cold start ups, once it warms up it stops squealing. It's properly adjusted, I don't know if it has to do with anything, but I guess I'll throw it out there....

Bad diodes in an alternator can cause parasitic draw on a battery. take it to AZ they can test it or OREILLYS can test it on the car.