Wizeguy

My sisters GXE has the Battery and brake light lit up on the dash. The brake light is for the emergency brake the Battery is for alternator and battery. Why would they both be lit up?

The Alternator and battery both check out ok. Thoughts?

buzpuck11

iTrader: (3)

Brake light also comes on as a low brake fluid indicator, but when they are both on I think that means something different. I think it means alternator, so you might want to check that again.

cydrive

Those two together would indicate a bad alty. Mine were actually on for months and the car was still running and I could not get an answer why this was so. My expirience previously with that has been if they come on together, you had maybe a day to get it changed or that thing would die on you. I finally decided to change the alty right before winter since I did not want to get stuck on the road in the middle of a snow storm. Soon as I did that, lights went off.

Note, I actually had a few shops check the voltage on the battery and a bunch of other things and they could not figure it out either. My advice, have a good shop that knows electrics check it out.

Now you mentioned that you had already checked out the alty and battery. How did you do this exactly?

Also, anyone with better ideas jump in but I'm still convinced its the alty.

ImmaSquashYou

iTrader: (7)

yup...pretty convinced its the alternator too....but you can test your luck???? Changing the alternator isn't like a 1 2 3 job..pretty easy..but you have to take ur radiator n take off ur ac compressor so its kind a paint in the ***....ok if its nice out..but not cold weather like this..

2da mizzax

iTrader: (4)

you dont remove the radiator or the compressor to take the alternator off. why do people keep saying that? I think nissan would have a little more sense than that.

jipi

had this happen to me a couple months ago. both lights came on, my car lasted the day. once the battery drained, my car died. changed the alty and everything is all better now.

i got stuck in the hood on my way home from school. i doubt you want that for your sister.

Maxgig

iTrader: (5)

I just checked the Haynes repair manual and it states that you; 1. remove the lower splash guard under ther alternator 2. remove the drivebelt 3. remove the engine cooling fan and shroud 4. remove the a/c compressor mounting bolts (without disconnecting the refrigerant lines) and slide the compressor forward and finally remove the alternator mounting bolts and remove the alternator. No where does it say remove the radiator and the a/c compressor.

max95q

iTrader: (10)

Ok, I recently did my alty change my self for the first time. I didnt have to remove the fan or the shroud but I did have to unbolt and remove the compressor from its placing to get to the alternator bolts so it could be removed. I had the compressor pushed out of the way not by much but it was enough to have it still attached to the a/c hoses and get to the Atly. I removed the alty from the bottom and it took about 4 hours. It was my first time doing this so I was excited when I was done. Youre going to need to remove an accessory belt. Check the tightness of it before loosening the tensioner so you can get it to the tension it was before you removed anything.

So, in all the compressor isnt removed out of the car to do, and I dont think it was hard with it pushed out the way dangling from the hoses and a coat hanger.

Wizeguy

Well you guys were right. I got a phone call from my sister today and sure enough. DOA... Replaced the Alternator and she's back on the road rolling. She had a friend check out the alty btw... They obviously didn't have a clue.

When the car got towed to my place I jump started it then put my meter on her battery. You could watch it tick down from 12 volts down to 11.5 in a hurry. "Umm... this is supposed to be like 14 volts or so... Not good"

Oh and you don't have to remove the radiator or radiator shrud. If you unbolt the compressor you can get just enough room to maneuver the alternator out of there. Not an easy job but not that tough either. I should add that the top alternator bolt stripped out the hole in the alternator without much problem. I had to make a trip into town to get a bolt for it.

max95q

iTrader: (10)

Glad we were of assistance. Yeah, I didnt worry about the radiator fans and shroud, once you move the compressor there is room enough to do the job.