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Crazy Electrical Issues! Bright dash lights and FAST wipers

J

Jbalch

CEG'er
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Joined
Oct 7, 2010
Messages
376
Location
Vancouver, WA
Hi everyone!

I just bought a 1998.5 SVT and on the drive home I think my alternator went but I am looking for opinions before I get too depressed about doing that job again (did it twice on my 99 CSVT). Car drove fine for about an hour and a half in the rain in stop and go and wide open freeway. Revved her to 5500 a couple of times and all was good until the last time... All of the idiot lights came on (airbag, ABS, Brake, battery, CEL...) and my dash lights were super bright and radio making a weird noise, and wipers moving REALLY fast. The ONLY mod the car has is the DRL relay. As the RPMs went down some of the idiot lights turned off but the battery stayed on unless it was at lowest RPM idle. As it revved up (1200-2000RPMs the rest of the way home) the lights would come on and my gauges would get super bright and window wipers would move super fast. I went to start her this morning just to see how it was looking and the battery was dead as a rock.

I am guessing alternator. I charged the battery while I have been at work and plan to do some voltage testing tonight and check all of my grounds for good connection.

Thanks for the help and sorry for the long explanation!

-Jerry
 
Battery is 12.2V after a few hours of charging. Put the battery back in and fired her up and at idle it's at 18V and about 2000 RPMs it hits 19V... Alternator? Maybe a fuse somewhere?

Thanks!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
It might just be the regulator on the alternator, which you can purchase separately. However that said you still have to pull the alternator off to fix it.
 
Do not run the car anymore until fixed. You will pop fuses and the battery.

Source: experience.
 
Thanks everyone. My battery seems to die overnight while in the car with no lights or anything else on... I have the battery over at Les Schwab's getting tested and charged. I will pull the alternator tonight... ugh. The funny thing is I used to have a '99 SVT and dealt with problems like this often, then bought a Subaru that had no problems and had to sell it because I missed my old SVT so much! I knew this was coming! I think that is the definition of insanity...

Is there anything that might cause the battery to die COMPLETELY overnight from this with no draw? Just a bad battery? I guess I will know today when I get it back from Les Schwab...

Thanks again! You guys are awesome on here!
 
Regulator shorted to ground will take the battery out over night. Had this happen on my GTI twice - replaced regulator and all was fine. Of course this was on a VW GTI, not a 'Tour.
 
Replaced my alternator and all is well! Except... My high beams won't work and when my lights aren't on the high beam indicator flashes, and my dome light flashes with it. The DRL relay is installed in my car but I don't have the jumper because the car came with the relay installed. I am hoping to get the jumper from the previous owner next week. Can I just make my own jumper? And if so what "pins" do I jump to turn off the DRL's?

Thanks for all of the help so far!

P.s. That was my 3rd time doing an alternator in an SVT and man do I hate that job!
 
Jerry - I cannot locate the pin layout of the Standard Products DRL pn# RY1474, currently. The jumper is across the base of the socket, one pin/blade is 90 degrees to the other, side to side. Not sure if this makes sense. I left the relay at work for you but clearly remember the factory OEM jumper. It is a white plastic connector with the previously described metal buss bar (jumper) running across it. Of course this is relay box socket R-1 we are talking about. Found very good pic of the relay - you should see what I am saying, very clear, half way down this web page - http://www.apdty.com/ShopByVehicle....atid=172@@Lighting Relays and Sensors&mode=PA
 
We'll since I have a car I will stop by your office and pick it up tomorrow if that's cool with you! Thanks for all of the help on this one, everyone! If anyone has that DRL jumper pin override I would love to see it. I think I know what you are saying bill but I don't want to guess and mess anything up :)
 
I blinking high beam light is an indication that there is a light that is burnt out. I do believe this only happens when a DRL relay is installed.
 
BrApple said:
I blinking high beam light is an indication that there is a light that is burnt out. I do believe this only happens when a DRL relay is installed.
Click to expand...

I wonder if maybe both of my high beams got too much voltage and burned out when my alternator freaked out. I will look into this, thanks BrApple!
 
Jbalch said:
We'll since I have a car I will stop by your office and pick it up tomorrow if that's cool with you! Thanks for all of the help on this one, everyone! If anyone has that DRL jumper pin override I would love to see it. I think I know what you are saying bill but I don't want to guess and mess anything up :)
Click to expand...

Jerry - I will be here until 4:15 pm today (Monday, 13 Jan 2014) as well as Tuesday. It is here waiting for you.
 
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