Intermittent Light Problem
Hello,
I had a bad alternator and my car died after running off of the battery. I had the alternator tested at Autozone (it was bad) and now my troubles continue. My Brake and Charge lights are still coming on intermittently. The amount of time my car is running doesn't seem to make a difference. I had Autozone check my new alternator at the battery terminals and they said it is alternating between 12 and 16 amps!! My car does begin to run rough when the lights come on. I disconnected the AC pump also thinking it might have been pulling too many amps.. that didn't seem to make a difference. Like I said, once the lights do come on it is intermittent, flickering, etc... I checked the cleaned and retightened the battery terminals, and the positive lead on the new alternator. They are all tight. Any other ideas?? Thanks for any advice. Steve |
Re: Intermittent Light Problem
Steve wrote: > > Hello, > > I had a bad alternator and my car died after running off of the > battery. I had the alternator tested at Autozone (it was bad) and now > my troubles continue. My Brake and Charge lights are still coming on > intermittently. The amount of time my car is running doesn't seem to > make a difference. I had Autozone check my new alternator at the > battery terminals and they said it is alternating between 12 and 16 > amps!! If they "checked my new alternator at the battery terminals" they would have measured the voltage, not the current. So they probably meant 12 - 16 Volts (not amps). During normal operation, most (all?) Hondas should have 14.5V +/- 0.5V. Be sure to step on the brake pedal (hand brake does not count) when you measure the voltage, as Hondas otherwise will drop the output voltage at idle. Above 15 V is not right, and means the voltage regulator (in the alternator) is shot. Driving around like that is a problem, as excessive voltage can damage electronic components. If the voltage regulator is replaceable, you need a new one. If it is not replaceable, you need a whole new alternator. AutoZone should give you a replacement under warranty. A common cause of premature alternator failure is a bad battery. You should have it tested (just make sure you get your free replacement alternator before you have anyone find out that your old battery caused the problem in the first place). If the battery is more than 4 years old, don't even bother testing it, just put in a new one. If it wasn't at the end of its life before, running first with no charging then with over-voltage would have pushed it over the edge. > My car does begin to run rough when the lights come on. I > disconnected the AC pump also thinking it might have been pulling too > many amps.. that didn't seem to make a difference. The magnet clutch on the A/C compressor draws less current than a single headlight, so it shouldn't make much difference. > Like I said, once > the lights do come on it is intermittent, flickering, etc... I > checked the cleaned and retightened the battery terminals, and the > positive lead on the new alternator. They are all tight. Any other > ideas?? Thanks for any advice. > > Steve |
Re: Intermittent Light Problem
Steve wrote: > > Hello, > > I had a bad alternator and my car died after running off of the > battery. I had the alternator tested at Autozone (it was bad) and now > my troubles continue. My Brake and Charge lights are still coming on > intermittently. The amount of time my car is running doesn't seem to > make a difference. I had Autozone check my new alternator at the > battery terminals and they said it is alternating between 12 and 16 > amps!! If they "checked my new alternator at the battery terminals" they would have measured the voltage, not the current. So they probably meant 12 - 16 Volts (not amps). During normal operation, most (all?) Hondas should have 14.5V +/- 0.5V. Be sure to step on the brake pedal (hand brake does not count) when you measure the voltage, as Hondas otherwise will drop the output voltage at idle. Above 15 V is not right, and means the voltage regulator (in the alternator) is shot. Driving around like that is a problem, as excessive voltage can damage electronic components. If the voltage regulator is replaceable, you need a new one. If it is not replaceable, you need a whole new alternator. AutoZone should give you a replacement under warranty. A common cause of premature alternator failure is a bad battery. You should have it tested (just make sure you get your free replacement alternator before you have anyone find out that your old battery caused the problem in the first place). If the battery is more than 4 years old, don't even bother testing it, just put in a new one. If it wasn't at the end of its life before, running first with no charging then with over-voltage would have pushed it over the edge. > My car does begin to run rough when the lights come on. I > disconnected the AC pump also thinking it might have been pulling too > many amps.. that didn't seem to make a difference. The magnet clutch on the A/C compressor draws less current than a single headlight, so it shouldn't make much difference. > Like I said, once > the lights do come on it is intermittent, flickering, etc... I > checked the cleaned and retightened the battery terminals, and the > positive lead on the new alternator. They are all tight. Any other > ideas?? Thanks for any advice. > > Steve |
Re: Intermittent Light Problem
Steve wrote: > > Hello, > > I had a bad alternator and my car died after running off of the > battery. I had the alternator tested at Autozone (it was bad) and now > my troubles continue. My Brake and Charge lights are still coming on > intermittently. The amount of time my car is running doesn't seem to > make a difference. I had Autozone check my new alternator at the > battery terminals and they said it is alternating between 12 and 16 > amps!! If they "checked my new alternator at the battery terminals" they would have measured the voltage, not the current. So they probably meant 12 - 16 Volts (not amps). During normal operation, most (all?) Hondas should have 14.5V +/- 0.5V. Be sure to step on the brake pedal (hand brake does not count) when you measure the voltage, as Hondas otherwise will drop the output voltage at idle. Above 15 V is not right, and means the voltage regulator (in the alternator) is shot. Driving around like that is a problem, as excessive voltage can damage electronic components. If the voltage regulator is replaceable, you need a new one. If it is not replaceable, you need a whole new alternator. AutoZone should give you a replacement under warranty. A common cause of premature alternator failure is a bad battery. You should have it tested (just make sure you get your free replacement alternator before you have anyone find out that your old battery caused the problem in the first place). If the battery is more than 4 years old, don't even bother testing it, just put in a new one. If it wasn't at the end of its life before, running first with no charging then with over-voltage would have pushed it over the edge. > My car does begin to run rough when the lights come on. I > disconnected the AC pump also thinking it might have been pulling too > many amps.. that didn't seem to make a difference. The magnet clutch on the A/C compressor draws less current than a single headlight, so it shouldn't make much difference. > Like I said, once > the lights do come on it is intermittent, flickering, etc... I > checked the cleaned and retightened the battery terminals, and the > positive lead on the new alternator. They are all tight. Any other > ideas?? Thanks for any advice. > > Steve |
Re: Intermittent Light Problem
Steve wrote:
> Hello, > > I had a bad alternator and my car died after running off of the > battery. I had the alternator tested at Autozone (it was bad) and now > my troubles continue. My Brake and Charge lights are still coming on > intermittently. The amount of time my car is running doesn't seem to > make a difference. I had Autozone check my new alternator at the > battery terminals and they said it is alternating between 12 and 16 > amps!! My car does begin to run rough when the lights come on. I > disconnected the AC pump also thinking it might have been pulling too > many amps.. that didn't seem to make a difference. Like I said, once > the lights do come on it is intermittent, flickering, etc... I > checked the cleaned and retightened the battery terminals, and the > positive lead on the new alternator. They are all tight. Any other > ideas?? Thanks for any advice. > > Steve =========================== The BRAKE light may be coming on because the brake fluid reservoir may be low. Doubtful it has anything to do with alternator. 'Curly' |
Re: Intermittent Light Problem
Steve wrote:
> Hello, > > I had a bad alternator and my car died after running off of the > battery. I had the alternator tested at Autozone (it was bad) and now > my troubles continue. My Brake and Charge lights are still coming on > intermittently. The amount of time my car is running doesn't seem to > make a difference. I had Autozone check my new alternator at the > battery terminals and they said it is alternating between 12 and 16 > amps!! My car does begin to run rough when the lights come on. I > disconnected the AC pump also thinking it might have been pulling too > many amps.. that didn't seem to make a difference. Like I said, once > the lights do come on it is intermittent, flickering, etc... I > checked the cleaned and retightened the battery terminals, and the > positive lead on the new alternator. They are all tight. Any other > ideas?? Thanks for any advice. > > Steve =========================== The BRAKE light may be coming on because the brake fluid reservoir may be low. Doubtful it has anything to do with alternator. 'Curly' |
Re: Intermittent Light Problem
Steve wrote:
> Hello, > > I had a bad alternator and my car died after running off of the > battery. I had the alternator tested at Autozone (it was bad) and now > my troubles continue. My Brake and Charge lights are still coming on > intermittently. The amount of time my car is running doesn't seem to > make a difference. I had Autozone check my new alternator at the > battery terminals and they said it is alternating between 12 and 16 > amps!! My car does begin to run rough when the lights come on. I > disconnected the AC pump also thinking it might have been pulling too > many amps.. that didn't seem to make a difference. Like I said, once > the lights do come on it is intermittent, flickering, etc... I > checked the cleaned and retightened the battery terminals, and the > positive lead on the new alternator. They are all tight. Any other > ideas?? Thanks for any advice. > > Steve =========================== The BRAKE light may be coming on because the brake fluid reservoir may be low. Doubtful it has anything to do with alternator. 'Curly' |
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