Strange lights flashing!!

leon_in_uk · July 10, 2006, 17:03

its not the brakes...

i have been told by the auto electrician it maybe the alternator... he said he has had toyota's do similar before and needs to test if the alternator is working properly or not!!

the cars fine, itself and there is no major problem. it drives and brakes fine, why would i rush.. i dont drive often...

Anonymous · July 10, 2006, 18:08

Quote from: "leon_in_uk"i dont drive often...

s:shock: :shock: s:shock: crikey! you may not drive very much, but I don't think your brakes will say to themselves "i know, we'll go easy on this one and keep stopping the car cos he doesn't really work us that hard!"

It's not like having half a tank of petrol and thinking "oh well, I'll fill it up next weekend cos I don't really use much petrol", it's more like skydiving and thinking "I'll get my chute checked for fraying and degradation next month cos I only do one dive a week"... s:? :? s:? s:shock: :shock: s:shock:

Anonymous · July 10, 2006, 18:13

Quote from: "leon_in_uk"its not the brakes...

i have been told by the auto electrician it maybe the alternator... he said he has had toyota's do similar before and needs to test if the alternator is working properly or not!!

That's kinda missing the point.

You don't know for a fact that it's nothing to do with the braking system (hence the "maybe it's the alternator"), and yet you're still driving it. As James said, it doesn't matter if you drive 1 mile or 1000 miles, things could stop working at any time.

Put it this way, if it were me I wouldn't even dream of driving it until I had the problem nailed down.

aaronjb · July 10, 2006, 19:51

FWIW, I'd agree with the auto electrician - if the battery light is coming on it's almost certainly the charging circuit.

In fact... I'm sure I said that quite a few posts ago... s;)

s;)

Anonymous · July 10, 2006, 21:12

Quote from: "aaronjb"...it's almost certainly the charging circuit...

but not definately!!!

some unfortunate soul could almost be dead...! s:wink: :wink: s:wink: s:? :? s:?

leon_in_uk · July 11, 2006, 09:02

so if it was the charging circuit, would that explain my heavy steering some time ago?

how much for a new alternator? fitted?

kanujunkie · July 11, 2006, 20:39

Quote from: "leon_in_uk"how much for a new alternator? fitted?

pass, ask mr.T

Chris_h · July 11, 2006, 20:54

But check all the connections and earths, belt tension etc

May have been disrupted / not put back correctly during all the engine woes.

Is it still you're existing alterator?

leon_in_uk · July 12, 2006, 09:01

yes it is.. i am taking it to have the alternator checked to see if its charging properly..

leon_in_uk · July 18, 2006, 09:29

hi guys, got it checked on friday. told ya nothing to worry bout... s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

he tested the alternator and when i revved the battery light came on. it a slight dim in the circuit. and said wont affect my charging/alternator unless its on all the time. a quick flick of the lights wont really make a difference to it charging. said to run it for a couple of months and it might go...

if it gets worse i will change the alternator. but at £165 its expensive, oh and the fitting, will i have to take the engine out?

edward.carter · July 18, 2006, 09:33

what about the other (braking) light?

leon_in_uk · July 18, 2006, 09:42

its the handbreak light, connected to the charging circuit. and represents the same problem, just a glitch in the system. for a second or so...

i might give my battery a good charge to see if that does anything!!