Charge Light and Brake Light on.

[imike420]

We got some much needed rain here in southern California yesterday and needless to say I took full advantage of the mud. The engine compartment got pretty soaked and dirty (not to mention the rest of the truck) and right before I was about to head home, the Charge light and Brake light came on at the same time and stay on. They both go out whenever the RPMs are very high, but immediately come back on as soon as the RPMs drop again. The brakes still work fine and the fluid reservoir is full, I have not driven it much and I am not sure if it is charging or not. Any ideas?

 

[fourwd1]

It means a bad alternator, usually the brushes.
You can replace them yourself if you're handy.

 

[imike420]

I was afraid of that, lol. Thank you for your help. I'll go pick one up as soon as the autozone opens. I'm not familiar with changing the brushes.

 

[shuly]

I was afraid of that, lol. Thank you for your help. I'll go pick one up as soon as the autozone opens. I'm not familiar with changing the brushes.

Changing the brushes is all that is usually ever wrong with alternators (if you haven't been playing in mud) But you need a special tool to facilitate easy removal of the pulley. If you can do that though, it is usually 5-10 bucks to fix. But then again replacing an alternator with just a wrench is 100 bucks, w/o the extra labor.

 

[ovrrdrive]

But then again replacing an alternator with just a wrench is 100 bucks, w/o the extra labor.

Try $175 after you buy a new gallon of antifreeze... I just did mine this week.

Good news though is that I now have a lifetime warranty so I at least won't have to buy one again.

 

[imike420]

Yeah, I was playing in the mud. I got the new alternator for $79.99 and a new battery for 84.99. It took about 20 minutes to get everything in and my 'runner is back to normal.