Hey all, I recently replaced the battery in my car and the positive terminal halfway broke leaving a loose connection. Afterward, the battery and brake lights were both on. I'm fairly certain they were not on before this.

I am aware that these lights being on simultaneously generally indicates a bad alternator, but I'm hoping that battery terminal could be the cause.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

Either way fix the terminal/battery first...have a warranty on it? Then fully charge the battery, start it up and see if you're getting around 13.8-14.4 volts or so, if so then the alternators fine.

 

Dashboard brake light or actual brake lights?

 

Also wouldn't the odds be quite low that the alternator would fail right after the battery terminal broke

 

The broken battery terminal also supplies the reference voltage for the alternator. Without it, the alternator won't charge, hance the lights.

 

Thanks for your responses guys, sorry for the late reply.

@CMax03: Dashboard parking brake light.

@uttadms31: I agree, the probability is low.

I fixed the terminals, but I'm still getting those lights. Drove it around for about 15 minutes with no car death (probably about an hours worth of driving total).

I'll check it with a multimeter in a bit, but I don't have a means to fully charge the battery.

 

Take it to autozone or another parts store. They will charge it for free.

 

Did you ever test the alternator by checking for around 13.8-14.4 volts at the battery terminals with the car running? If not, then when you go to Autozone to charge your battery, have them do this alternator test after.

 

sounds like your alternator picked a good time to take a dump on you. in my experience with these 4th gens, you'll be on top of the world for months at as time but when something goes wrong, everything goes wrong

 

A little advice; it;'s the alternator. Also, don't go used or reman, or you'll be doing the job all over again in a few months. I buy all of my alternators new on ebay. You can find some for under $100, that last a lifetime.

 

The other thing can also cause this light to come on the master cylinder if the brake fluid is low and if the cable is loose that goes onto the master cylinder. I would check the voltage and the battery cables tighten them up from the starter to the battery terminal the battery terminals have to have a good clean connection from the build up corrosions.

 

+1 on the alternator. I just had the same exact thing happen to me. I thought it was the terminals and the battery itself and after replacing both of them it turns out that it was the alt.