Dash warning lights flickering / coming on (1 Viewer)

[Silveredition]

Hi all,
Today my dash warning lihts decided to start flickering and staying on for a while / going off / coming back on…. The volt meter also drops below 12v at the same time… see pics for the lights that have come on…
Any ideas of where to look would be hugely appreciated!!!

 

[pithicus]

Sounds like your alternator brushes are almost kaput.

 

[HemiAlex]

Make sure your battery terminal clamps are tight.

 

[Silveredition]

Thanks for the replies so far.
The alternator is only 6 months old and the clamps are tight.

I have had an issue of flickering dash lights after washing the engine until things dry out - but this is the first time when dry….

 

[Ming89FJ62]

Alternator

 

[pithicus]

flickering dash lights after washing the engine until things dry out

Could be a bad connection to external reg if it has one. Getting someone to jiggle the wires while you watch the lights/volts gauge might reveal the problem.
The fusible link for the alt might be have a bad connection too.

 

[Silveredition]

If it was the alternator would it cause all the warning lights to come on or just the battery light?

 

[pithicus]

I think the charge light/air filter/brake etc share a common relay, so a dicky alternator will make these turn on.

 

[Silveredition]

I think the charge light/air filter/brake etc share a common relay, so a dicky alternator will make these turn on.

Thanks! On the Highway today the volt gauge was flickering up and down…hoping it isn’t another alternator!!

 

[pithicus]

hoping it isn’t another alternator!!

Could be a bad connection on one of the wires on the round? plug on the back of the alt, so check that. Your alt is the same as mine I think with built in reg. I had a similar intermittent problem with my alt. It turned out to be a bad solder connection where the rotor wire connects to a slip ring.
Double check the wiring and the fusible link . You might get lucky.

 

[Seth S]

Open the hood and read the voltage at the battery when it’s running to see if you are getting a solid 13-14.4v or if it’s bouncing up and down between charging and not. Also make sure your belt is tight and in good shape.

 

[diesellibrarian]

Assuming your alternator and battery check out, I would suggest that you have a bad ground that is creating resistance in one or more circuits.

 

[OSS]

Yes -
All the warning lights on the instrument panel share a common grounding connection. From that connection, a larger wire leads down to a bolt up under on the A-pillar. The grounding connector for those lights is behind the dash.

 

[John Staton]

So a few years back I replace my alternator and the shop put in one with a lifetime warranty. It soon went out and when I picked it up my battery light shortly came on. Took it back and sure enough it was a bad alternator. They replaced it again and it has been fine for a few years. Late last night I was headed out to the lease and the lights on my dash got bright, battery light came one and my meter dropped to about 8V.....got to be the voltage regulator on the alternator right??? I called for backup in case I got stuck out at 1am and in a few minutes the light shut off, dash lights went back to normal, and I was back above 12V. Now I am wondering if my shop will replace proactively or if I will have to wait until I am stuck in the woods. By the way, a lifetime warranty means another free alternator, but a charge to swap it out.

 

[Silveredition]

Just to do a final post - I purchased a new alternator and fitted it yesterday. Everything has now returned to normal! Phew!!
I took back the old one - the shop found my receipt from Nov 2020, (told me it had a 3 yr warranty) and gave me a refund for the purchase price….
Thanks for all the help Mudders!!

 

[Silveredition]

I thought my last post was my final for this thread….
Yesterday, after driving for a minute or so I could smell electrical burning. After another couple of minutes I stopped to check if it was coming from my car somewhere… when I opened the bonnet a lot of smoke was coming from within the alternator!
I let it cool down then cut the alternator belt and drove it home. I have ordered another one, and will fit it and immediately get it checked out by a mechanic to see if I have done something wrong or if something else has caused this….
Not really happy to be replacing another one!
If anyone has any ideas of what can cause an alternator to start smoking from within and with a horrible electrical smell accompanying it, I would love to hear!

It is a bit hard to see the smoke in the pic but it is coming from the the inside of the alternator and out of the cooling fins….

 

[OSS]

Bad alternator twice in a row.
A good alternator will never smoke no matter how much load is put on it.

 

[Silveredition]

Bad alternator twice in a row.
A good alternator will never smoke no matter how much load is put on it.

Thanks mate,
Hopefully that it all it is (and I don’t get a third!!)

 

[pithicus]

Yikes, hopefully just bad luck with the alernators. If it happens again with your next alt , it could be a short somewhere. Like one the 3 wires coming from the socket on the back of the alt shorting somewhere. It should have popped the fusible link. A shorted diode for eg usually does. Unless it has no fusible?
Hope you get it sorted.

 

[Silveredition]

The old one is out (down to about a 15min job now…)
The alternator is seized solid!
All wires look good…