so i am in the middle of a guage cluster swap and all of a sudden the alt is dead. its not getting any power to the battery. is there a wire that runs through the guage cluster from the alt. to the battery to keep it "in line" or am i looking at a bigger problem. sorry in advance for the short post ill clarify when i get off work.

 

I can't say for certain but I believe the cluster could be totally disconnected and the alt should still charge the battery. The cluster should have no effect. How did you determine that the Alt is dead? Maybe the alternator is OK but the indicator light for the alt is not working properly? That would appear to be more likely.

 

i bet it is complete coincidence. what exactly do you mean the alt isnt getting any power to the battery? can you start your car and then it gets no juice from the alt to sustain it? or can you just not start your car because if a dead battery? which would lead me to believe you shorted something and drained the battery.

what voltage are you getting from the battery while the car is running?

 

ok. let me clarify. the alt tested good at autozone but its comming up as "no signal from alt" i have been talking with some folks and they belive that there is a wire that goes from the alt to the cluster to the fuse that tells the alt "youre hooked to the battery now charge it." but i am drawing a blank. i have completly cut my pigtails out so checking the cluster is not a option.

also on the positive battery cable there is 2 plugs that are identical one is for the starter, what is the other for? i am thinking alt. they both seem to be for power is it possible i may switched them up? i wouldn't think so cause the car starts up when the battery is charged.

 

the battery is at 12.5 but then drops. as far as your question

yep thats the problem.

 

the alt and gauge cluster are connected in some way. i only know this because i drove without a cluster one day. the car drove off the battery for a little while, then died. put the cluster in and i was back in business.

 

my god!!! i thought i was crazy! so i need my cluster back in asap! i am having the pigtails spliced together so when i am done i can give a how to for this.

 

What cluster are you putting in there?

 

This shouldn't matter unless you are putting like a 97 cluster into a 98... but I have never heard of that problem before....

Just out of curiousity do you have an aftermarket security system?
Couple months back I was working on my dash and pulled a few wires without knowing .... car wouldn't start... after 12 hours under the dash with a voltmeter found out my relay for the security system was disconnected thus car not starting.

 

2000 i30 btw thanks for having the FSM available for view.

 

stock security.

 

the 99 and 00 gauge clusters are different right?

 

vere much so. im leaving the SE whites for some sexy lights.

 

my parts car, which i have to move arnd 3-4 times a week, doesnt have the cluster in it but it runs and drives properly and battery never died on it, neither does it give problems charging the battery

 

Without a cluster or FWIR even the bulb removed the alt will only charge at like 12.5 volts.

 

and THAT is just what is happening. so i should have the pigtails back on monday and once everything is squared away ill do a write up.

 

One of my old threads
http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generat...-problems.html

It turned out to be the circuit board on the cluster had a break in it.

 

ok that makes me feel better. then that means i realllly need to get this cluster in.

 

The big black and red wire goes directly to the starter. The 2 smaller wires go to the fuse box next to the battery. They are basically the same thing.

 

ok. thanks.

 

glad you fig it out!

 

Wow! I did not know the cluster had an effect on the battery charging. I was trying to do the 2001 AE edition cluster swap into my car and only hooked up the gauges, none of the warning lights. I had exactly this problem! My battery would not charge. Good info. That is surprising though that if the cluster bulb for battery charging burns out you just loose the ability to charge your battery? Doesn't sound like a smart design to me.

 

its a wierd desgin. on the 4th gen cluster's the ALT has a diode that runs to it through the cluster for the light. on the A33(I30 or Max) its not there. when i had mine hooked up in the begining it was close to stock wiring, then i cut one wire and next thing you know im 100%.

 

I just hooked up the battery warning light in my 2001 AE cluster, even without the bulb in there it just has to be hooked up. Car now charges just fine!

 

can you post a pic of the break in the board?

 

At least l’m not the only one!

 

that chimed in on a 9 year old thread?