Weak Electrical System?

[Seanchez]

Hi All,

A problem that is more of a hassle now that I live in Northern BC... my electrical systems seem weak. Power components move slowly, things take a while to heat up, and my defrost on the rear window doesn't cut it.

Yeah... I am aware what the effect of cold dry air would be on sliding and moving parts. But, everything moves the same pace as when I lived in the south. Windows and the sun roof move as they do while the engine is not running. The heat-up time and the never defrosting window is the hassle - you can see that faint lines of defrosted glass appear, but nothing substantial... leading me to think that I need a little more power.

Am I looking at maybe a new alternator? Perhaps a more powerful one?

Sean

 

[CJF]

What's your voltage gauge reading?

 

[Flip Dog]

Any update on this problem, I am having a simmilar problem. I seem to have some draw on the battery when my truck is off or hasnt been driving in some time, the battery will die.

 

[franku]

Sounds like a bad earth - probably the main one from the battery or fusable links going bad or something like that....

Or you could just have a dodgy batttery??

 

[Flip Dog]

Brand new battery, Optima red top,. I was gonna investigate today, Ill follow up on this high jacked thread!

 

[KniferB's]

same thing with mine the windows moveeee really slowwwww in the cold. im in yellowknife so i try not to use them right now.

 

[cspencer175]

weak electrical system

Mine is super slow as well, you described the back window defrost perfectly.

 

[Mulva]

This sounds familiar too. Tested the alternator and the mechanic says it is on its way out ...A new one is on order. Hopefully this fixes the lack of air blowing through the vents, slow windows, rear defroster. New alternator is a kick in the nutz @ $600+, it is OEM.

 

[Mulva]

Finally got the new alternator installed. Did not alleviate the above mentioned problems, but is charging consistently charging the batteries. Will check the rear defroster once winter has disappeared. Backwards thinking....

I have noticed that when the engine is idling and the power windows are used or a blinker is turned on I see the voltage from the batteries drop, and then go up again (as per the blinking of the blinker or the release of the power window). Any ideas? A faulty ground somewhere? Or perhaps I have toasted a battery.

 

[Seanchez]

Back to the weak defrost thread

Hi,

I'm the originator of this thread. Have been out of the country a while and on my board the rest of the time.

My voltage meter reads 12-14V, if the scale is linear that is. Voltage is one thing... enough current to do all we require is another.

I got my sunroof changed a while back at Toyota and asked them to check a few things out, one of them being the defroster. They said it was fine, meaning when they put their voltmeter on the contacts they saw something.

My vehicle does heat up and air does move, but nothing happens too quick. I have yet to see my defrost do anything other than make some faint clear lines which are a little thicker at the sides. Minus 30 and frost on the inside - good luck getting any visibility you don't create by rubbing the window down yourself.

 

[robmir]

Do a carefull test hooking a #6 gauge wire between the + battery post to the white wire that power the main fuseblock under the dashboard, remember that this is a temporary test since you are bypassing the main wire fuses.

If the problem is corrected, You should check all the wiring between the main wire fuse block close to the battery to the fuse block under the dash, look for corroded connectors and overheated wire close to the terminals (check the terminals crimping also)