Hi all,

I'm having an issue with my battery light coming on and followed by flashing dash lights (engine, ABS, TCL etc). If I have my headlights on, the lights will temporarily brighten and darken (ie more white or higher power), as if i'm flashing at someone (high beam is off tho). This behaviour mostly happens if I've been driving slightly uphill or downhill, which usually means at the entrances of m5 tunnel for me, regardless if I have my airconditioning on. It'll almost certainly come on sometime during my drive home at night. The lights also comes on randomly after that. My battery is fine as far as I've tested (12.6v when engine off). I've just recently installed a new h/u, and my car has been sitting around for the past 3 months rarely driven as I was suspended. This has happened before the 3 months rest but for a few times only, nothing regular or reproducible. My car is a TL VRX. Is this a symptom of a failing alternator?

Anyone had this problem before? How did you fix the problem?

Hi all,

I'm having an issue with my battery light coming on and followed by flashing dash lights (engine, ABS, TCL etc). If I have my headlights on, the lights will temporarily brighten and darken (ie more white or higher power), as if i'm flashing at someone (high beam is off tho). This behaviour mostly happens if I've been driving slightly uphill or downhill, which usually means at the entrances of m5 tunnel for me, regardless if I have my airconditioning on. It'll almost certainly come on sometime during my drive home at night. The lights also comes on randomly after that. My battery is fine as far as I've tested (12.6v when engine off). I've just recently installed a new h/u, and my car has been sitting around for the past 3 months rarely driven as I was suspended. This has happened before the 3 months rest but for a few times only, nothing regular or reproducible. My car is a TL VRX. Is this a symptom of a failing alternator?

Anyone had this problem before? How did you fix the problem?

Been there done that. Its time for a new alternator. Mine was replaced under warranty. It freaked on coming drivers out, especially in side streets when the lowbeams brighten up like highbeams. Do a search and you'll probably find my previous post.

Been there done that. Its time for a new alternator. Mine was replaced under warranty. It freaked on coming drivers out, especially in side streets when the lowbeams brighten up like highbeams. Do a search and you'll probably find my previous post.

Thanks for your reply. You meant this post (http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64095&highlight=alternator) right? Do you know which part of the alternator was causing overcharging? Just curious as replacing the whole alternator seems like an expensive fix for overcharging problem...

Can confirm it's most likely an alternator issue. I noticed my dash lights would go a little dim for the last 2-3 months. Then last week the alternator warning light came on. Had it replaced on the weekend, no dimming lights anymore...

Could just be the voltage reg or a shit battery, get it looked at first - Alternaters are expensive!

If you are after a cheap fix, sure, replace you reg, Dont do your alt bearings, reface the armature but make sure you watch how the reg was changed as you will be up for another in 6 - 12 months and on a regular basis after that

Like brake pads, regs do not get changed without other work done as you will end up with new brushes on old surface and they will wear very fast

In the scheme of owning and maintaining a car, an alt is actually quite cheap and you may as well do it once and do it properly

Regulator Regulates the amount of voltage, so if yours is unstable, you'll have problems like you described.
As Mal said, do it once do it right.
Get a new alternator, then with your current one off, go and get it rebuilt, that way you have another one for another time. Shouldnt cost more then $150-$200 to get rebuilt (Reg, bearings, polished slip rings, sandblasted etc)

Yep, recon or new unit is best. Don't be a mug and do as I do, get one from the wreckers, as finding a good one is just about impossible. Had to go back 3 times and eventually got a spare starter motor instead. Had my alternator reconn'd for $150, been fine since.
Having said that, if you look at ones at the wreckers you may find one with an auto electrician's sticker on it, ie one that is already a recon unit.

With the Bosch units, the reg fails and often takes some of the diodes with it. (3 feed the regulator, 6 feed the battery) You then replace the reg, but the stuffed diode(s) then take out the new regulator. Major FAIL!! Don't know about the Mitsu alternators.

Get it fixed soon, as some components may not like major voltage peaks, like the TCU, ECU and others.

I had the same problem just before christmas, battery light comes and at certain engine speed, the ABS light comes on, other sign was battery was bubbling up. Turned out the alternator was overcharing the battery. $319.20 to fix at the dealership, which included replacement regulator, rebuilt the alternator and labour.

OK, $319.20 at the dealer, $150 for a recon and DIY remove and replace. Guess what my preferred option is?

No offense intended, it's just that I like to gloat when I save money by DIY.

---=== lol Yep, I'm a cheapskate! lol ===---

Thanks for all the advice. I may go DIY and replace the alternator myself if that is the problem. I had a read of the service manual, is taking off the drive belt a simple procedure? Is there anything that I need to watch out for? I just need to loosen the tension pulley and then slip the belt out from the alternator? How about reattaching belt?

Checking ebay there're recon ones for around $150, new ones for $250. Is the TL alternator the same as TJ and co?

OK, $319.20 at the dealer, $150 for a recon and DIY remove and replace. Guess what my preferred option is?

No offense intended, it's just that I like to gloat when I save money by DIY.

---=== lol Yep, I'm a cheapskate! lol ===---

I had it covered under a motoring warranty that came with the purchase of the car.. i didn't pay a cent!

The flashing lights seems to have disappeared without me changing the alternator.

It was gone after my mechanic fixed my rear wheel squeaking due to his fault (adjusted the handbrake while in service). My rear was squeaking below 20km/h and in tune with speed. One day it got so loud that I just had to take it back to the shop when I was on my way to work. He readjusted at the rear brake hole and it seem to have fixed my dash light problem. The squeaking problem seem to have mostly gone but sometimes I still get it on the left side (mechanic didn't adjust the left but I think return trip to the shop would fix this), but dash light hasn't flashed for a few weeks now.

Anyone got an idea why this would affect the flashing lights and what permanent damage has the mechanic done to my rear brake/handbrake?

Well I know when my alternator went, the warning light went off and on. So it could be a sudden jolt might have temporarily fix the fault. The auto electrician did a simple test to check this, he hit the alternator with a hammer lol On the hand break, it might have stretch the cable or just worn down your brake pad on the left side. But I'm no mechanic.