Electrical Gremlins

[lr60]

I have a 2003 Baja that has been running great for years. This past week it left me stranded on the side of the road (BS!)

Here are the symptoms:
1. Radio (aftermarket LCD) starts flashing its screen and pulsating, then goes.
2. ABS light comes on dim and the AT OIL Temp light might flash.
3. Engine starts to lose power until it finally dies.
4. All electrical functions, like fan and windows starts to run REAL slow and battery dies.

My attempts to fix:
1. Replaced battery (Nope)
2. Cleaned all pos/neg contacts I could find (Nope)
3. After I charge the battery and restart, the Alternator voltage is over 14 vdc.

Any other suggestions?

[tomato_88]

Have the alternator tested.... The regulator could be dying. How many miles are on it?

[hocrest]

Have the alternator tested.... The regulator could be dying. How many miles are on it?

Yeah, the alt sounds like the issue. After you charged the battery, did it run normally again?

[bajaguy]

Definitely alternator...or somewhere from there on the way to the battery. But probably the alternator/regulator.

[Rizzo]

Definitely alternator...or somewhere from there on the way to the battery. But probably the alternator/regulator.

THIS!


Don't our regulators die and spike and blow head lights too?

[lr60]

I also suspected the alternator even though it tested fine a few days ago. Yesterday, I tested it and there was a direct "countdown" on the voltage after I started the car. (12.5, 12.25, 12.0...) So, I took the alternator off and had it tested at the local autoparts store. It tested good, but with these problems, it could be an intermittent so I bought a new one anyway... I will put it in later today...

We shall find out!

Put the alternator in and found a sticker on the new one that said, "This unit cannot be tested off the vehicle." Interesting... anycase, so far all the voltages are OK.

[Rizzo]

Do you still have the old one ?

[mikenmel08]

With the alternator installed in the car and the car running , disconnect the battery , if it continues to run most likely the alternator is ok...It might take a couple minutes to get a reaction after you disconnect...if it dies it is a bad alternator....

[lr60]

I gave up the old alternator as a "core." With 165,000 on it, it should need a replacement anyway. AND the car sounds considerably different with the new one on. (Yes, I did pull the battery cable off and it died once and didn't die a day later. Probably an intermittent problem.)

I drove with the new alternator about 15 miles constantly monitoring the voltage. It maintained 13.4-13.8 througout, even with all my electronics and a/c on. So I think the problem may be over.

I would like to thank everyone for their comments. This one was really weird but sometimes obvious. First, a good test on an alternator may not be valid, even at the parts store. Second, I wonder why the new alternator had a sticker saying, "This unit cannot be tested off the vehicle."

[bajaguy]

The sticker is so the parts store can tell you you need a new one without proof. =P

[lr60]

Shortly after this episode, my car again died. This time I smelled an electrical smell coming from the transmission area and my transmission started to slip. I took it to a transmission shop who found a ground strap to the transmission was bad causing the transmission bearings to be fried requiring a complete rebuild. Talking expensive! But I missed driving the thing and had it done.....

I don't know where this ground strap is on the Baja, but it might be interesting to find out so others don't face this wierdness.

[patrikman]

Auto or MT? I've recently had my clutch done, making me nervous...

[lr60]

Automatic