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Old 02-28-2012, 10:18 PM   #1
ohtwo wagon
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Default major electrical problems...help asap.

So let me just start off by saying that I'm quite a noob at this stuff so I'll do my best to explain. Own a 02 wrx wagon, recently had battery problems (died in the middle of a traffic light) so i bought a new battery couple days ago.

I brought the car to the shop for a few minor fixes and prosport gauges install. Everything was working just fine before hand.

So i receive the car back with the gauges installed and I'm quite happy. But on the way home, I realize my ebrake light + battery light were kept on and still are on even when the ebrake is clearly down. THEN a short moment later, I notice my cig lighter is not working. Figured out it was a blown fuse but it keeps blowing (changed it 4 times).

I let it be for a few days hoping it would go away....wrong. Today while I was driving I turned on my headlights and simultaneously, the abs light came on and my gauges kept shutting off and resetting, clock, hvac all started to flicker and dim and remain like that which was sketchy being that I was already stranded once.

To top it all off, everytime I hit the breaks, my cluster speedo would go to 0mph and back up as i return back to the gas as if it was about to die on the spot.

NOTES:
  • Gauges were tapped via ignition so I was told.
  • Im bringing it back there, hes away for a week so I just need input for now.
  • Ebrake+ Battery light occasionally shut off for about 10 min then turn back on.
  • Cig Fuse keeps blowing after 4 attempts at replacement.
  • Have LED footwells powered to a homemade cig lighter and were 100% fine before the gauges

This is my daily, thats why I asked for input rather then just wait the weeks and be clueless until he returns. Thank You
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Last edited by ohtwo wagon; 02-28-2012 at 10:25 PM.
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Old 02-28-2012, 10:31 PM   #2
aerosaaber
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something is causing a short. Could be related to recent gauge install of the led lighting.

remove/unhook everything and then see if the problem persists.
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Old 02-28-2012, 10:45 PM   #3
Cougar4
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Whenever the battery warning light is on it means the alternator is not working and the battery isn't getting charged. It sounds like some of your problems were due to a low charge on the battery. It sounds to me the alternator may be going bad but there may be something else causing the warning lights to turn on.

To see if the cigarette lighter is shorted internally disconnect it and then see if the fuse still blows out. If it still blows out then you will need to trace the power wire to it and see where it is contacting ground. Check the areas where the work was last done first.
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Old 02-29-2012, 04:24 PM   #4
ohtwo wagon
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Good idea, I was thinking it was the alternator since my car just dropped dead at idle at a red light.

I was also reading that when the ebrake + battery light is on, the alt. is at fault.
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Old 03-04-2012, 11:33 AM   #5
boxer fanatic
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Yes the alternator is responsible for all AC power in the car. Any parts store should be able to run a load test on both the battery and alternator.
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Old 03-04-2012, 03:58 PM   #6
ohtwo wagon
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^ thanks for the advice. I find it so weird that my mechanic who installed everything ran a load test and read high voltages via starter and alternator. But I should double check regardless.
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Old 03-04-2012, 07:18 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by boxer fanatic View Post
Yes the alternator is responsible for all AC power in the car.
AC power? In car?
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Old 03-04-2012, 09:01 PM   #8
aerosaaber
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maybe he meant ACC (accessory) but really the alternator is kind of responsible for all the power...
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Old 03-07-2012, 11:31 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aerosaaber View Post
...but really the alternator is kind of responsible for all the power...
That does not even make sense.
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Old 03-07-2012, 07:32 PM   #10
aerosaaber
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there is no other source of power
no flux capacitor or mr fusion
so all the power must come from the alternator (though it may be routed through the battery first)
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Old 03-08-2012, 05:51 PM   #11
ohtwo wagon
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bump update. finally had time to worry about the subaru. So since I was getting high readings when my mechanic tested the alternator, I decided to see if those readings were genuine.

I took the (brand new) battery of 2 weeks to AutoZone to get the current status of the battery. Seems to be that the battery was only at 31% out of 100. So since my belts have less then 1000mi on them and torqued to specs from the dealership, that wouldn't be the problem. So I narrowed down the problems. I want to conclude that it is the alternator since it is not charged at 100% but I just wanted to confirm before I swap out for a new one.

Any inputs? Thanks.
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Old 03-08-2012, 11:04 PM   #12
Cougar4
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Unless there is a bad connection somewhere the trouble would seem to be the alternator, if the battery is ok at least.
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Old 03-09-2012, 11:21 AM   #13
ohtwo wagon
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cougar4 View Post
Unless there is a bad connection somewhere the trouble would seem to be the alternator, if the battery is ok at least.
what specific "bad connections" to check before concluding it is the alternator?

Thanks.
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Old 03-09-2012, 12:51 PM   #14
Cougar4
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Check the voltage difference between the output of the alternator and the positive battery connection whith a good load on the system. There should be less than a half a volt difference if the connection is good.
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