intermittent idiot lights.

ninja771 said:

My charge, brake and lights indicators all at once will flash for less than half a second randomly it happens only when driving the car not when its just sitting. it doesn't happen over bumps either, its completely random. i know these lights go on when your alternator is about to go (bc mine went last year) but i had a re-manufactured alternator put in. any ideas?

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I know this is a bit late now... but its the same problem again. Sounds like a poor rebuild.

Repair/Rebuild/Replace it again.

-Charlie

white90dx said:

I know this is a bit late now... but its the same problem again. Sounds like a poor rebuild.

Repair/Rebuild/Replace it again.

-Charlie

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yea, i brought it back to my local auto electric place and they took it apart, 3 out of 4 diodes on one of the parts (cant remember the name of it) were blown so they ordered a new one at a whopping 14 dollars. they wouldn't warranty it because i have subs but they would not have blown those in <5 months imho

I had the same problem and had my alt rebuilt at a shop last summer. Lights went away for several months but just came back this week. They flash just like yours do.

I recently replaced the battery because it developed some kind of nasty internal short that would drain it over night. I wonder if I didn't cook something in my alt before I replaced the battery. I'd hate to have my alt rebuilt again! Perhaps something else is causing these lights?

lionheart03 said:

I had the same problem and had my alt rebuilt at a shop last summer. Lights went away for several months but just came back this week. They flash just like yours do.

I recently replaced the battery because it developed some kind of nasty internal short that would drain it over night. I wonder if I didn't cook something in my alt before I replaced the battery. I'd hate to have my alt rebuilt again! Perhaps something else is causing these lights?

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Disconnect the alternator overnight to see if the discharge is coming from the alternator instead of the battery (both the plug and the bolted on power cable).

There really is no other way that the three lights can come on at the same time other than the alternator - sounds like its time for another replacement/rebuild.

-Charlie

9 times out of 10 you can just replace the brushes. dealer sells them for 15 bucks or so. I pulled some from a junkyard alternator. (freebie) Really easy to change out. You dont even have to remove it from the car. When you pull your old brushes you will see how worn they are.

Dont get a pepboys/autozone/advanced alternator & give them your fact. toy alt. They are a lot more reliable. they actually arent that hard to totally rebuild. They taught us in high school shop. As long as the stator and armature are in spec., the rest can be replaced piece by piece.

I ended up getting a new alternator, 140 amp. Haven't had any light issues since. :thumbsup:

I think my problem with the lights flickering was a bad connection. I removed the connectors from my alternator to check the connections, and the lights have been gone since. FWIW

Lion heart

I hope your in the clear, but get some brushes just in case. My camry light would flicker at first, then go away as you give it gas(raise the rpm). the flicker at idle was a warning.(brake & charge light)