Weird Dash Lights
- Thread starter Toysport
- Start date
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When my alternator went out I was getting both of those lights. It made me wonder if the low power from the bad alternator was making the brake light turn on due to low power to the sensor or something. Not really sure, but when I replaced my alternator the lights went away.
Just to test your alternator, start your 4runner and check the voltage at the battery. If your alternator is good then you'll have 14v at the battery when the vehicle is running.
Just to test your alternator, start your 4runner and check the voltage at the battery. If your alternator is good then you'll have 14v at the battery when the vehicle is running.
The voltmeter gauge sits in the middle between the center line and 18V.
I don't put a lot of faith in what my dash gauges tell me. With these sensors and wires being as old as they are, their accuracy may not be 100%. Get a multimeter and physically check the voltage at the battery with the vehicle running.
If everything checks out then I would check your grounds throughout the engine bay (alternator especially) and the dash.
If everything checks out then I would check your grounds throughout the engine bay (alternator especially) and the dash.
combatmedic
Banned
Lol yeah, I fill the tank up @ the pump till it clicks and the fuel gauge says I'm at 1/2 tank.. Doh
That should be a huge indicator of a bad alternator or a ground issue.
That is usually from the windings on the coil of the fuel level sender inside of the gas tank. My gauge does the same thing too but I don't really use that gauge as a good reference. I just fill up every 250 miles.
I'm happy to report back that those two lights in the dash disappeared. I drove the truck around town and it didn't comeback.
Before this issue happened, I gave the engine bay and the under car a good wash, and that's when they appeared. The issue with my battery happened the day I bought the truck (8/11/12). The battery didn't have a tie down therefore it's free to move around and it catches the power steering pulley, the pulley gave it a good gauge on the side of the battery, enough for the fluid acid to leak out... that's how it died.
I guess all it need is time for the engine bay to dry up completely.
Thank you for everyone's input.
Before this issue happened, I gave the engine bay and the under car a good wash, and that's when they appeared. The issue with my battery happened the day I bought the truck (8/11/12). The battery didn't have a tie down therefore it's free to move around and it catches the power steering pulley, the pulley gave it a good gauge on the side of the battery, enough for the fluid acid to leak out... that's how it died.
I guess all it need is time for the engine bay to dry up completely.
Thank you for everyone's input.
Tinman1985
New member
Yup. You probably fried the alternator when cleaning it. I've done the same thing before.
SilentYoda3
New member
the same thing happened to me. Battery slid over to cath the power steering pulley. Luckily i found mine before it leaked. Now it's tied up with bailing wire :cheers: Glad you found the issue, but i'd check the alternator next man.
So far the truck is in working order. I found a blown relay (AM2) and replaced it. I was told that that relay powers the engine circuitry. When I bought my new battery, before I found the bad relay, the truck fired right up but soon die if you let it sit for more than two hours. I replaced the relay noon time today and about 5pm she fired right up. I may have fixed the culprit (w/c is the relay).
So far that's the good news, and hopefully it will start tomorrow and if so, that's going to bring a big smile in my face.
So far that's the good news, and hopefully it will start tomorrow and if so, that's going to bring a big smile in my face.
