need help - brake, battery & ce lights
09-13-2005, 04:48 AM
#1
need help - brake, battery & ce lights
after driving for about 10 minutes i was coasting down a hill (big hill) and the brake, battery & check engine light came on for about 3 seconds. The radio & ac cut out for the 3 seconds then came back on like nothing happened. The engine didn't stall - just ran normal.
I replaced the alternator a year ago - possibly the regulator going bad? Car is show no codes (have a code scanner).
Any clues?
Thanks in advance
Matt
I replaced the alternator a year ago - possibly the regulator going bad? Car is show no codes (have a code scanner).
Any clues?
Thanks in advance
Matt
09-13-2005, 07:05 AM
#5
MDeezy, killcrap is thinking smart here... the voltage regulator in the alternator is what rectifies the AC into DC. He specifically told the OP to measure the A/C portion of the output to check whether or not the voltage regular is blown (in the alternator).
I believe in our cars the regulator is part of the alternator, so you probably will have to swap the entire alternator out either way. If you went with a reman from autozone, etc. don't be too surprised on such premature failure. You'll be putting that lifetime warranty to good use!
I believe in our cars the regulator is part of the alternator, so you probably will have to swap the entire alternator out either way. If you went with a reman from autozone, etc. don't be too surprised on such premature failure. You'll be putting that lifetime warranty to good use!
09-15-2005, 06:20 AM
#8
Originally Posted by njmodi
MDeezy, killcrap is thinking smart here... the voltage regulator in the alternator is what rectifies the AC into DC. He specifically told the OP to measure the A/C portion of the output to check whether or not the voltage regular is blown (in the alternator).
I believe in our cars the regulator is part of the alternator, so you probably will have to swap the entire alternator out either way. If you went with a reman from autozone, etc. don't be too surprised on such premature failure. You'll be putting that lifetime warranty to good use!
I believe in our cars the regulator is part of the alternator, so you probably will have to swap the entire alternator out either way. If you went with a reman from autozone, etc. don't be too surprised on such premature failure. You'll be putting that lifetime warranty to good use!
actually, the voltage regulator doesnt rectify the AC to DC. its the Diodes that do that. the voltage regulator is like a variable resistor it controls the amount of voltage allowed to the Rotor, to generate the magnetic field. depending on what type of charging system you have A type or B type. A is ground side controled and B is power side control.
09-15-2005, 06:23 AM
#9
killcrap - I thought the rectifier and regulator might be part of one circuit/PCB.. I'm an EE - so I knew that a rectifier would be needed to go from AC->DC 
, but assumed there would be a single PCB in there that contained both rectification and regulation circuitry. Just being sloppy (I was) 
, but assumed there would be a single PCB in there that contained both rectification and regulation circuitry. Just being sloppy (I was)
09-16-2005, 09:10 AM
#13
but intermittent problems are always difficult to diagnose. if the alternator is working ok when they test it, the test will say ok. chances are you will have to live with it until the problem becomes more frequent.
09-21-2005, 07:10 AM
#15
ok, latest update.
had the alternator & regulator bench tested - came out with flying colors
also checked the belt & pulleys - ok
now though when the lights come on - stays or flutters for about 5 seconds now but now if the headlights are on the lights get brighter - any idea?
thanx
had the alternator & regulator bench tested - came out with flying colors
also checked the belt & pulleys - ok
now though when the lights come on - stays or flutters for about 5 seconds now but now if the headlights are on the lights get brighter - any idea?
thanx
09-21-2005, 10:46 AM
#16
get the volt meter and with the headlights on, check the voltage at the battery and somewhere else, like maybe the cigarette lighter. they should both be the same, 13 volts or so. if the voltage is lower, that would indicate the regulator isn't working properly. if the voltage reading is higher, that's ok too.
the tests you had done on the battery & regulator are not always 100% accurate, so we have to keep that in mind. there could be a bad connection somewhere that is causing this as well. maximas do have grounding problems as they age.
the tests you had done on the battery & regulator are not always 100% accurate, so we have to keep that in mind. there could be a bad connection somewhere that is causing this as well. maximas do have grounding problems as they age.
09-23-2005, 09:33 AM
#17
Thanx, will check it out tomorrow.
yes i do know about the grounding prob's already had one - power drains when braking. This one is just really confusing.
I have a copy of the FSM and was also planning checking the regulator diodes just in case.
Question - anyway to check the grounding - other than tracing the wires?
yes i do know about the grounding prob's already had one - power drains when braking. This one is just really confusing.
I have a copy of the FSM and was also planning checking the regulator diodes just in case.
Question - anyway to check the grounding - other than tracing the wires?
09-26-2005, 04:00 AM
#18
checked out the alternator & diodes using the FSM manual procedures - also checked the grounding and everything shows working normal - still have the same problem thought when the car sits for a long time then I get the lights coming on after I start driving. ( I can idle for 30 secs or 10 minutes - no problems what so ever but when I start to drive - whithin the first 1/10 of a mile then I get teh lights for 3-8 seconds now -
this leads me to believe either the alternator/regulator is on its way out (sneaky problem) or the transmission is causing a large power drain until the regulator can adjust (is that possible?)
help!
this leads me to believe either the alternator/regulator is on its way out (sneaky problem) or the transmission is causing a large power drain until the regulator can adjust (is that possible?)
help!
09-26-2005, 08:22 AM
#19
maybe i don't know enough about cars, but i can't (or don't want to) believe the transmission could be the problem.
with this only happening after the car has sat for a while, i wonder if you have a mechanical failure such as the alternator belt. if its the original belt, that puppy could be getting brittle and slick. when you turn on the lights, the added power demand on the alternator makes it more difficult to turn due to more powerful magnetc fields in the alternator windings. so if the belt is getting hard and slick, it will slip until the slippage friction warms it up and softens it.
also, the belt tensioner could be getting weak and may be all of or part of the problem.
with this only happening after the car has sat for a while, i wonder if you have a mechanical failure such as the alternator belt. if its the original belt, that puppy could be getting brittle and slick. when you turn on the lights, the added power demand on the alternator makes it more difficult to turn due to more powerful magnetc fields in the alternator windings. so if the belt is getting hard and slick, it will slip until the slippage friction warms it up and softens it.
also, the belt tensioner could be getting weak and may be all of or part of the problem.
09-26-2005, 08:33 AM
#20
the allternator could be dying.....if this is so it will be perfect one min. then poopy the next....also like foremetnioned......for shis and giggles check ur belts and pully....but if i had to put money i woudl say ur al is slowly fading
10-15-2005, 01:32 PM
#22
ok, just the latest update in the ongoing saga -
I had the alternator bench tested for the 2nd time - everything came up roses.
So, I every day I have been driving with my meter hooked up to the cigarette lighter just in case the lights came back on. so after going through 2 sets of batteries I finally was able to read the voltage during one of the episodes - I got 19volts which pretty much points the finger at the regulator.
Time for a new alternator - shoul I go stock or are there any decent aftermarket ones?
I had the alternator bench tested for the 2nd time - everything came up roses.
So, I every day I have been driving with my meter hooked up to the cigarette lighter just in case the lights came back on. so after going through 2 sets of batteries I finally was able to read the voltage during one of the episodes - I got 19volts which pretty much points the finger at the regulator.
Time for a new alternator - shoul I go stock or are there any decent aftermarket ones?
10-15-2005, 05:15 PM
#23
i have replaced a few alternators in my time (and generators before alternators were around) and the only thig i'll say is that you get what you pay for. i've had cheap rebuilds that seem to always die in less than a year. i've gotten AC Delco rebuilds that cost double the other rebuilds and have not had a problem with them. i have never bought a brand new alternator, but that would no doubt be trouble free.
10-15-2005, 06:11 PM
#24
IMHO just go for a new one. How often do our poor cars see a truly new part! That and the fact that my alternator has worked trouble free for 11 years, if you get a new OEM one, i doubt youll have to replace it again before the car rusts to death 
10-15-2005, 07:01 PM
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Chicago
Posts: 379
Its the alternator, min the light came up flickering for about 2 months till going to work the radio shut off and started to shut down. I pulled over and turned it off. I waited there for a tow truck to get there I tried several times to start off but the battery was week. All of a sudden I tried just for the hell of it and it turned on. Well I was about 15 miles away from home. some how the car got me to my house, at home I testes the battery to see it the alternator was charging well it worked in pauses, it worked for a couple of seconds and then it would stop. I suggest if you dont want to get stranded ou in the middle of nowhere just go pick up a new one and swap it.
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