blacck_dragon

Alright, I was driving home and i floored the gas on this stretch of road and the PARKING BRAKE & BATTERY LIGHT came on the SAME TIME??? Has this ever happend to anyone? or any ideas where i should start investigating?

Kennedy Ellens

Alternator. Same happend to me minus the "floored gas on open strectch of road" but I did do some heavy driving and turned out a belt on my alternator popped off. Get the alternator tested at AutoZone if you have time to.

bhunter

iTrader: (3)

Definitely alternator. Those two lights together is how Nissan set it up.

Phycaf

ditto, that exact sam thing happen to me about a year ago, deffinatly the alternator

blacck_dragon

Ok, I will check out the altenator i just reaplced it 3yrs ago under nissan recall i believe, unless the belt is loose but everything seems to be spinning fine.

Thanks

Digitized

iTrader: (9)

Alternator... like someone stated above, that's Nissan's set up.. happened to me with my 92 sentra...

MDeezy

iTrader: (27)

its good your getting this warning, instead of just a dead car one morning when your trying to get to work on time, but you overslept a little bit so a dead car is the last thing you need in the morning. . . .

crosbyct

Is the alternator a common issue on the 4th gens?

ImmaSquashYou

iTrader: (7)

hym....if one of the belts popped off, i didn't know the car can still run. I just changed my alternator yesterday, it was warm and not cold. Finaly got it done after like 2 months. Not so bad, just gotta foloow instructions. Cost me $190 for a 130 amp at napa.....

Mrbizness1

I drove for a few months with those lights on before the alt went dead. Then had s shop replace it 3 times within 5 weeks before getting a factory alt. from a Nissan dealer. During the first 3 replacements the alt and brake lights didn't come on but the output was intermittent between 11 and 14.5 volts.

MDeezy

iTrader: (27)

maybe on 97's. They had a recall.

Ciucca

Be careful. It's not always the alternator. I think a lot of people here have unecessarily changed their alternator when it wasn't necessary.

do the following

1) have the electrical system checked. If it shows a bad charging system, then check the belts, alternator ground. and tighten the battery connections.

2) If it still checks out bad replace the Alt.

3) If the Alt is still ok, recharge the battery, or get a good battery tester, and make sure the bat is good. If the Bat is bad replace it.

4) If all checks out ok, then check/clean the electrical grounds, and maybe add another from the neg battery term. to the chasis.

5) Wait and see what happens. Even if the alternator dies on the road you should be able to make it to a garage, or st least to the side of the road and have the AAA tow you to your favorite garage (in my case is my back yard).

blacck_dragon

Well i do remember the belt / altenator area making funny sounds the past couple of weeks it was not the loose belt sound but some sort of low whining sound.
Anyways, im so busy with school and design proposals i dont know if it worth sending to the dealer or doing it myself. I am comptent when it comes to mechanics BUT it all a matter of time and money and given the location of the altenator it seems like a B**tch! And how about rebuilt altenators? Do you guys recomend this? or should i jsut buy brand new one from nissan and do it myself? I know the altenators had an issue in the past and i want a good one that wont catch fire hahaha ( given that the past recall was for electrical fires/issues)
By the way is there a write up on changing or verifying the altenator?
THanks!

maxima92se

iTrader: (7)

Its a charging problem and the last 4 times that happened to me i had to change the alternator. But i would definately have the entire electric system checked.

blacck_dragon

You had your altenator replaced 4 times??? dammmmm

pilotmaxima

I have the same problem.

alt = 14v
batt = 12v
all under load and everything is good.
Belt is tight and all cables are hooked up.
Any other ideas???!?!?

Mrbizness1

You need to check the alt output several times. In my case It was putting out 14.5 consistently until I shut the motor off. After a restart it would go to 11.5 then to over 14.0 on the next restart. It was a very frustrating problem. Shop said that the diodes were bad.

ltpacct

I replaced my '97 max alternator in Aug. '07 with a rebuilt unit purchased from http://www.novastarparts.com/ for $116 (no core deposit). It works just fine, no problem so far. If you don't have the time, but have money, bring it to the shop. It's not a difficult job, but requires quite a bit of time (I spent 4 hours on it - my first time). If you want to do it yourself, http://www.motorvate.ca/ has a nice write-up for it.

pilotmaxima

Thanks.

I've tested it many times and it still shows good volts. I just can't replace a good alt.

sports8705

Same thing happened to me.. i posted the same problem on here about 2 months ago and everyone said the same thing, alt. i had it checked and it tested "fine" so i kept searching for any other possible answer.... in the meantime i was still driving it. then one day, on the way to work, car died.. alternator was dead. 99% chance... its the alternator. just fyi have that AAA card handy, lol. turned out that the wiring harness from the battery on my max was frayed and almost cut through which caused the short and death of my 2nd alternator for this car(i changed it once before about a year before this happened). if possible, check the wires that connect to the terminals of your battery, thats what caused my alt problems.

pilotmaxima

Thanks sports, everything looks good. Cables are intact, grounds are tight (so tight I can't get them off), belt is tight. I'm sure it the alt but it's hard to replace something that checks out fine.

carrottop

same exact thing happened to me last night while driving. brake light came on and now it wont go off and then battery light came out and now wont go off. what do i do? im also not very mechanically inclined.

MDeezy

iTrader: (27)

its the alternator. have it tested/replaced

SVI30

The alternator carbon brushes last about 100K miles. If the car had that much mileage, they may be worn down to the spring behind it. Then it make sounds and the voltage sometimes good and sometimes bad until the carbon block falls away.

If the car has more than 100K miles on the original alternator, it is time to replace it.

Since the alternator is sandwiched between the head and AC compressor, easiest is to remove the four long bolts on the compressor and move it forward slightly without loosing the hoses.

To get the ALT out...

Remember the belt tensioner center bolt must be loosen before the tension adjustment mechanism can work. Otherwise it will be another $45 part from the dealer.

I tried to replace the carbon brushes but the original alternator is all soldered inside. So I found a new 1st gen Murano (Hitachi) alternator for cheap and it worked fine.

Because I set out to find a factory alternator, I looked for the Hitachi part number. The original Hitachi part number was LR1110-709B. LR1 means it is a 12 volt alternator. 110 is the capacity rating. 709B is a unique number related to version such as the internal parts supplier, angle of the mounting ears, back or side terminal, pulley type etc. The side and back terminal is actually convertible with the bracket on the original alternator.

Since the original part was produced in 1998 and the Murano part was produced in 2005, the first 6 characters were the same and last 4 character were different. I went by the mounting ear location and took a chance. That Murano alternator fit perfectly and worked fine.

Mrbizness1

OEM alternators should be good for more than 100k.
I replaced the alt on my maxima at 115k and on my altima at 135k.
Nissan needs to make better alts, I have 140 on a caravan and 135k on a Blazer with OEM alts. I ran a Olds to 225k with the OEM alt.
maxima's don't have a lot of high powered equipment that puts a heavy load
on the alt.

SVI30

Point taken, 100K is just a reference. If the car has less mileage, likelihood it may be something else. Some cars do last much longer than others. I30s has more electrical accessories so the alternator will last shorter than most Max.

My Suburban's alternator failed before 100K miles but it has two AC evaporators and fans. Most cars today are designed to work 100K miles unfortunately.

carrottop

car wouldnt start today, got a jump and its running fine now. took it to the mechanic to get alternator checked/ wheel bearing replaced...

rneedles

Well here is my story. Replaced the alt on my 1998 Maxima Gle about three weeks ago. Same thing as everyone has described (Battery light and Brake light together). Replaced belt, tensioner (F---screw was rusted on), and re assembled. Brake light and Battery light come on when cold, then after 2-3 minutes goes off. Had the Alt re-tested at Twilight Zone and everything look checks out. Any ideas why the two lights still come on? Connections all look good. Battery is two years old. Starter was replaced last year. Tonight I noticed the lights on dash seemed a little dark when the two lights (Brake-Battery) were on when I firsted started the vehicle. Then after 2-3 minutes when they went off, the lights inside seemed to be brighter. Must be losing my mind.

Mrbizness1

Your not losing your mind. I replaced three Pep Boys alts within several weeks. Sometimes the alt would put out 14.5 than after a restart it would be 11.9. It would be good for hours of driving then suddenly my lights or wipers would dim. I ended up at the dealer who did a diode test that came back negative. Installed a Nissan rebuild which has been good for a few years.

heynow

iTrader: (1)

IF it only happens when cold, i'd assume that the battery is weak and therefore the voltage drops below 12v (which is when the lights go on).
I'd replace the bettery (especially if it's old).
Otherwise, anytime these two lights go on, there's a drop in voltage (charging problem). I've had to replace my atly 2X in 1 year due to cheap-*** rebuilt alys.
I solved the problem by getting a used OEM alty from the junkyard (so far so good, knock on wood)

rneedles

Heynow, thanks for the information. Will keep an eye on battery and will replace with OEM alt next time. Nooldes.

SVI30

New carbon brushes has square ends and the stator is round. Originally new stators had a coarse finish to it and round the carbon brush ends quickly. Aftermarket reman stators are used and has a smoothed finish from prior wear. So it will take a while for the brushes to fit the stator.

Factory new or remans are better because they go to the level of detail aftermarket remans don't.

heynow

iTrader: (1)

no prob, rneedles.
Getting a used low-mileage OEM hitachi from a junkyard is almost guaranteeed to last longer than any rebuilt/am one.

webjohn

you should get the 150$ autozone alternator (no, seriously) it has a lifetime warranty, so if it brakes again its on autozone.

Mrbizness1

I put a Autozone alt in my Altima. Its been over two years with no problems.
they bench check it before you leave the store and its got a lifetime warranty.

MDeezy

iTrader: (27)

autozone one in my brothers Max. I installed it and its been over 2 years. all gravy. plus lifetime warantee is a nice plus!

ZachAJ

I just had the Battery+Brake lights come on. I checked with my trusty Scangauge and the voltage was 18 V!!! After a few minutes, it went back to 13-14 V. Bad voltage regulator?

Also, I just had the alternator belt changed last week...could this be belt, or is it definitely the voltage regulator/alternator?

Thanks!

av8orjb

Autozone lifetime warrenty doesn't mean much when your stranded in the middle of nowhere because they sold you a piece of junk. Then you have to take out the old one and put in another POS autozone alt.
Spend the extra cash for a real alt and you'll be just fine.

pmohr

iTrader: (26)

The belt has nothing to do with the overcharging issue, it's most likely the voltage regulator, which is internal to the alt.

MDeezy

iTrader: (27)

what real altinator? do you know the dealers source for their "oem" alternators? google it up....



changing the alternator takes approximtely 27 minutes. Less than a Simpsons episode. Most of the time you'll get a warning before the alty goes, flashing lights etc... when u get that, act on it before your stranded.

My autozone altinator hasnt given a hicup of a problem... 3 years strong. both of them actually.