It seems to me that the last year of the 4th gens is cursed... bad plugs, stupid little ECU changes... and now this:

Preface:

About 4 weeks ago I had the accessory (alternator / AC compressor) belt changed. After the change the belt squeaked for a split second when I started the car in the morning or after parking for a few hours... probably since the pulley skipped a little bit and was slightly loose. Anyway, I was gonna get to it this weekend except starting this Monday it stopped squeaking altogether - go figure.

Back to today:

I get to my car to leave to work this morning and start the car. It starts, the idiot lights go on for a split second and shut off as usual... except the e-brake light (since I had the brake engaged) and the battery light. I nearly shat my pants - battery light on to me meant the alternator crapped out... except car was running fine, my stereo and CarPC were on and fine and there was no chugging or sputtering or anything of that sort. I kept the car on and popped the hood; belt seemed fine - spun as it should and the alternator/pulley were fine as well. I shut the car off and restarted it with the same effect - all the idiot lights were off and only the brake/battery lights were on.

So I said "***** it, I have to leave for work - lets see what happens..."; so I disengage the e-brake... except the e-brake light is still on. I play with the lever, no dice... the light is still on. At this point I am ready to grab a sledgehammer, but instead put it in gear and take off - 50 yards afterwards, as I am accelerating from a stop sign both the ebrake light and the battery light suddenly shut off and never come on again. At the stop light I turned my car off and on again but was unable to replicate this problem.

So - anyone ever experience this? Is this another 99' shenanigans? Are the Gods warning me?

 

brake and battery lights are signs of the alternator. Sounds to me like the accessory belt is having trouble at startup, which could be the cause of the chirp which has gone away and now the tell tale signs of the alternator going. I would tighten the belt down even though it stopped chirping, and see if the problem happens again. If not, the loose belt probably made the car think the alternator was dead. If it does happen, your alternator is on it's way out, although it has always been my experience that alternators don't give warnings...

 

:

Dammit

 

No warning at all....

Mine decided to crap out in the middle of one of the busiest intersections in downtown Chicago. North Avenue and Wells St. intersection, if you know the City at all.

 

So my shenanigans dont have to do with the alternator??

 

Personally, I think it has more to do with the belt than the alternator. Hard to tell, but based on the fact that most of the time alternators just go, they almost never give you warning signs of failing, they just all of a sudden do, I would say it has something to do with the belt.

 

Coilpack problems, tiny pos ECU screw, have been known to have other electrical problems including the same problem that my '98 had (alternator) but Nissan replaced mine under recall. That's a '99 for ya.

Good luck though, I could've had my choice of a '99 SE-L or my '98 SE and I took the '98 in a heartbeat.. There was a method to my madness.

 

the battery and e-brake lights come on to show a problem with the charging system, mine did when my alt was having issues.

when I replaced my alt, I had to spend the next couple days adjusting the belts just right so that they didn't squeal. Also, any new pulleys or anything may have paint or coatings on them that may cause the squeal.

 

Hrm well it hasn't come since this morning - and the belt, like i said, stopped squealing by itself. I am gonna take it off this weekend and then re-install the belt... does anyone know the torque spex of the pulley nut?

 

Comrade, when my alternator went out on my 97, a day or two before the battery was drained there was a burning smell that I noticed through my a/c vents. Later on I found out that my alternator had burnt a solenoid. Your symptoms made me think immediately of the idler pulley, mine made my belt squeal when it was worn out as well. I didn't have these problems until my car was over 125k miles though.

 

my guess about the belt is that when installed it was too tight, and she squeeled a bit, once it stretched a bit it stopped, could very likely be a pulley but if that be tha case it wouldn't likely have just stopped, unless a pulley was squeaking because the belt was too tight and now it's loosened. I'd test the alty and bat right away just to be sure that its charging.

 

the brake light will be on when your brake fluid is low. check it.

 

you know guys, I'm still wondering why we don't have a 4TH GEN 99 ONLY MAXIMA THREAD!!! mainly to point out all the problems/solutions to the dreaded 99..... that's just me talking

 

We should have a subforum for the 99'

 

They should name it the A32c forum not because the car differs much from the 97-98, but more because of all the problems it encounters.

 

Hrm so the two lights came on today for a total of 9 minutes from a cold start. As someone suggested here, I checked the brake fluid and its fine (a bit below the "max" line.

The belt feels really snug and there is very little play in it when its not spinning (less than 1/8"). The car started fine, no stuttering, no dimming lights... nothing!!!

I wonder - can this be a warning sign that my battery is soon to be dead?

 

Hate to say it, but if it ain't the belt, my money is on your alternator. Come a rainy day, when your using the defroster, headlights, stereo, etc., watch for your guage needles to start jumping, that is the first sign your car is going to die. If that happens, pull over. Hope this doesn't happen to ya, did to me twice . Best of luck to ya.

 

I've had all of this today minus the defroster... headlights, stereo (two amps and a subwoofer), CarPC... and all was well O.O

 

Bah I dont understand this AT ALL.

I parked at work. I was at work for 5 hours. I came back and started the car - no lights. Only seems to happen in the morning.

The Maxipad is out there to make my life miserable.

 

I fail to see how this issue has anything to do with 99's sucking. If you hate it so much sell. I for one, love my '99. Maybe that's because i'm not the type to run crying to the dealer if/when the CEL comes on.

 

I don't go run crying to the dealer; but from all the issues I hear about the 99, I have no fears of correlating it to this.


Moving on - I parked my car in my garage overnight (yay for parents on vacation), and this morning it started without the two lights coming on. I wonder... can this be something that is affected by the cold weather at night while the car is out on the street...?