Try and Figure this one out :|

[tom1995tsi]

I was pulling into the mall and i looked down. My A/T Temp. light, Brake light, Battery Light, and Alternator light was on, and also my temp gauge was 75% up. I started to panic and shut the car off. I went into the store and came back out. I turned the car on. After a look over I drove the car right home and didnt boost once. When i was driving i noticed that when the rpms dropped below 900 all the lights turned off and the temp gauge started to drop. Once the rpms start to rise back up the lights turn on and so does the temp gauge. The only thing i could think of is that it would be something electrical like the battery or the alternator. HELP!

 

[Slipstream]

the cluster of lights you described are commonly associated with a bad alternator

 

[tom1995tsi]

so is there anything else it could be? what about the temp gauge?

 

[yankees1919]

check the battery and especially the negative terminal...Mine came loose once and everytime I went over 3000rpm all my lights dimmed and the sensor lights came on

 

[guitardave24]

Something *like* this has happened to me. Lights came on like that, except then the car turned off and wouldn't start back up. Except minor things worked like the power locks and "door ajar" light. I had just changed my battery but didn't clean off the old terminals. I took the negative/positive off and gave it a good scrub down with a wire brush got some new terminal pads and everything was fine. If that's the case, You can also look into that vasoline-like anti-corrosion stuff for batteries, they usually sell them in little single-use packages at your favorite auto store.

If that's not the case, test your alternator or take it somewhere to get tested.

 

[Slipstream]

the temp may or may not be related, often when the electrical system starts to go it can make all your sensors foul up and once the electrical is fixed they return to normal. Pull the alternator, take it to autozone or whomever and get it tested. replace as needed. Throw in the new one and I'm willing to bet that the overheating goes away (phantom overheat). If it doesn't then we'll take it from there but get that alt checked out first imo.

 

[tom1995tsi]

I went to advanced auto today and we checked the battery and the alternator it turns out that the alternator was averaging 17.5 volts which was way too much at 2k rpms. So its actually overpowering the battery. I have never heard of this before but o well. Thats another $130 goining to my dsm.

 

[Slipstream]

keep us posted, especially about the overheating

 

[tom1995tsi]

I got a used alternator for $42 and i just installed it all the lights went away and the temp gauge is reading normal

 

[leakyfaucet]

I got a used alternator for $42 and i just installed it all the lights went away and the temp gauge is reading normal

Good to hear that!

 

[Slipstream]

good news glad to hear it all worked out