dash lights going dim when brakes applied?

[buentellomma]

this issue started last night, when i would come to a stop and applied my brakes i noticed my dash lights and my head lights would go dim and stay that way until i started moving again... has anyone had this issue? could this be my alternator going out?

[smoked240]

This should be the alternator. Same thing happened to a friends car.

[buentellomma]

pulled the alternator off and had it tested, it came out good..... so back to the drawing board on this one.

[Silviaracer1988]

had that happen to me recently. it was my battery being soo low that the alternator couldnt recharge it as much as before. replace the battery and you wont have that problem til you need to replace the battery again

[buentellomma]

had that happen to me recently. it was my battery being soo low that the alternator couldnt recharge it as much as before. replace the battery and you wont have that problem til you need to replace the battery again
really? my battery is new only had it in a few months... im going to put it all back together and try another battery then

[driftn_silvia]

its a possibility that your battery doesnt carry or have the amps it should be carring which is stressing the alternator.

[Silviaracer1988]

yea not only did that happen to me, last year i installed a new alternator on my buddy's car and we couldnt drive it more then 10 mins before it died again. had the alternator checked and just like yours, it was good. replaced the battery and havent had a problem since. good luck with it. let me know what happens.

[Datenshi]

It's because of the cold weather. Batteries don't do well in the cold. You could try replacing the battery or buying a 'winter' battery for cold temperatures and you should be fine. It's definitely not your alternator as your lights come back up when you start moving... i.e alternator giving your car power.

[driftn_silvia]

also this is what i do, i know its bad, but if i think the alt is going out, i disconnect the battery to see if the alt keeps the car running, if it doesnt alt is bad.

[buentellomma]

i just dont see how the battery has anything to do with the car while its running since the car uses the alternator during operation and the battery is basically just to start it... it starts fine and the lights are normal when the car off its just after i drive it and stop a few times that it starts to go dim and then brighten up after the rpms rise

[Silviaracer1988]

i know it sounds stupid, but believe me when you replace it you'll still be confused. but you wont have a problem anymore.

[buentellomma]

ok..... i checked my alternator fuse 75amp it was good, checked battery it was good, so now i guess ill start looking around for a alternator shop and have mine rebuilt and see if that fixes my issues

[Weedm]

or just borrow a friends battery and see if the problem is still there? if not then replace alternator as second resort. its cheaper that way.

[Silviaracer1988]

so i just realized something, do you have a voltmeter in your car and if not i think i just realized what it is. i have a voltmeter in my plymouth and every time i stop at a light or something my voltage goes down to whatever the battery is and the lights dim down til i start to go. so with that being said its something as simple as the rpm drops when you stop, and the rpm controls how much voltage is going to the alternator. that makes any sense to you then i great and i hope it shines some light to something if not then i can try and explain it a different way

[buentellomma]

so i just realized something, do you have a voltmeter in your car and if not i think i just realized what it is. i have a voltmeter in my plymouth and every time i stop at a light or something my voltage goes down to whatever the battery is and the lights dim down til i start to go. so with that being said its something as simple as the rpm drops when you stop, and the rpm controls how much voltage is going to the alternator. that makes any sense to you then i great and i hope it shines some light to something if not then i can try and explain it a different way
no its not that man, it drove fine and i parked it for a few weeks in the garage while i was gone and then when i drove it to work last week it started doing it on the way home, my hardbody nissan truck did the same thing a few years ago and i replaced the alternator and it stopped doing it. im looking for a shop right now to rebuild mine local

[fototkr91SX]

I'm having the exact same problem. I bought the car last week and the battery was almost done. It would die and have problems cranking. Even putting the new battery in, the lights dim when I go to a stop, so I give it a little blip of the throttle just in case it wants to die. Kinda wanting to test the alternator myself.. good luck!

[buentellomma]

ok just to prove to myself i had both the alternator and the battery tested at autozone, the alternator came out good and working and the battery didnt... it tested with only like 200 cold cranking amps. i dont understand its brand new from enjuku the small shuriken battery, so i just ordered another one and when it gets in im going to put it all back together and hope this fixes it, if not next is the alternator rebuild

[Airborne711]

Its your grounds, not your battery or alt. I know this, re check that your grounds are all on bare metal.

especial that your battery is grounded to the frame, and then to the engine, and not the other way around. --this is the common problem with brakes causing a short.

[smoked240]

Its your grounds, not your battery or alt. I know this, re check that your grounds are all on bare metal.

especial that your battery is grounded to the frame, and then to the engine, and not the other way around. --this is the common problem with brakes causing a short.

He just said the battery was tested and came out bad..

The battery could have been bad from the start. I have had this happen more then once, with a few different brands of battery's.

[buentellomma]

just to be sure, new battery will be here in a few days and i also picked up a quest alternator 125amp to retro fit on there as well

[buentellomma]

my car is fixed and runs great! im not sure what the issue was maybe it was the battery but while i had everything pulled off i did the quest alternator upgrade and although it was a bit of a pain to make it fit it was well well worth it! thanks for everyones inputs

[EmericanA]

Its your grounds, not your battery or alt. I know this, re check that your grounds are all on bare metal.

especial that your battery is grounded to the frame, and then to the engine, and not the other way around. --this is the common problem with brakes causing a short.



where are the grounds??? ..all of them!

the answer to this question should be a sticky.