1996 Leagacy Outback electrical problems, Please Help! Long

[fly1747]

I recently brought a 1996 Legacy Outback with aprrox 101,000 miles.
The car has the 2.2L with 5 speed manual. After buying the car I
replaced all pads and rotors, O2 sensors, and the cat.

About two weeks into ownership while driving the ABS light came on,
windows and wipers slowed, radio stopped working and lights dimmed. I
thought the alternator was quiting. The car some how recovered and the
problem ceased until a week later when I had the same symptoms and the
car finally died. The next day I changed Alternator and Battery on the
side of the road and the car ran fine.

My problem is now, whenever I press the brake pedal, my exterior and
interior lights will dim. If my blower is on setting 3 or 4, it will
slow as well. The problem is worse when the car is at idle and barely
noticeable when at RPM.

I am clueless as to the problem. Could I have gotten a bad reman.
alternator?

Thanks,
Matt

 

[mulder]

I recently brought a 1996 Legacy Outback with aprrox 101,000 miles.
The car has the 2.2L with 5 speed manual. After buying the car I
replaced all pads and rotors, O2 sensors, and the cat.

About two weeks into ownership while driving the ABS light came on,
windows and wipers slowed, radio stopped working and lights dimmed. I
thought the alternator was quiting. The car some how recovered and the
problem ceased until a week later when I had the same symptoms and the
car finally died. The next day I changed Alternator and Battery on the
side of the road and the car ran fine.

My problem is now, whenever I press the brake pedal, my exterior and
interior lights will dim. If my blower is on setting 3 or 4, it will
slow as well. The problem is worse when the car is at idle and barely
noticeable when at RPM.

I am clueless as to the problem. Could I have gotten a bad reman.
alternator?

Thanks,
Matt

It is very possible. First thing to do is check all the main power and
ground connections including the battery terminals (they can be loose
or corroded on the inside between the clamp and post and still look ok
at a glance, you have to take them off to check).
If the connections are all sound, connect a voltmeter across the
battery terminals. With the car off and key out the battery should
read 12.5V or better, if it's less the battery does not have a full
charge. With the engine running the reading should be in the
13.5-14.5V range, below 13 indicates a weak alternator (assuming the
battery is ok).
If you suspect the alternator is bad pull it and take it back to the
place where you got it and have them test it. If it's NG and still
under warranty they should give you another one.

 

[fly1747]

Thanks for the reply, I hooked a meter up to the alternator and was
getting about 13.9 at idle. Could it be another internal problem with
the alternator, volatage regualtor, etc?

Thanks again,
Matt

 

[bj]

off hand, you could try pulling the fuse for your brakes and see if you
get the same response with the dimming...if there is a short to ground
in your brake system or it is drawing too much currrent..this should
tell you.dimming should end...then find the short


other ideas...

belt slipping
try pulling other fuses to see where all the current is going...
alternator voltage should be around 14-16 i'm guessing

 

[mulder]

Thanks for the reply, I hooked a meter up to the alternator and was
getting about 13.9 at idle. Could it be another internal problem with
the alternator, volatage regualtor, etc?

Thanks again,
Matt

There could be bad diodes in the alternator and you'd still see normal
voltage with a meter. Only a scope can show failed diodes.
Your battery could be the problem as well, don't rule it out.

 

[fly1747]

I am going to go with either the alternator or battery. Before the old
alternator died, I did not have this problem with the lights dimming.
It was only after I replaced the two items did I have this problem.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

I am going to go with either the alternator or battery. Before the old
alternator died, I did not have this problem with the lights dimming.
It was only after I replaced the two items did I have this problem.

Thanks,
Matt

You would not be the first person to get a poorly reman alt. I think
also, pulling the brake system fuse is a good dea.

I have also heard of problems within certain dual-element bulbs whereby
a broken filament droops onto the good filament and causes odd problems.

Still, I say alt.

Carl

 

[johninKY]

Check the battery output with every electrical turned on. I'd be curious
to see what the battery output is with a full load on it.

Based on your description of the problem I would suspect corroded battery
terminals and/or cables.

 

[fly1747]

The battery is new. When I replaced that along with the alternator,
all cables and terminals looked good.

Last night I was messing around with different accessories on in the
car, etc.

With everything turned off and only the interior dome light on, when I
pressed the brake pedal, that light dimmed. Which I couldnt believe
because it draws such little power.

Matt

 

[mulder]

The battery is new. When I replaced that along with the alternator,
all cables and terminals looked good.

Last night I was messing around with different accessories on in the
car, etc.

With everything turned off and only the interior dome light on, when I
pressed the brake pedal, that light dimmed. Which I couldnt believe
because it draws such little power.

Matt

The dome light dimming had nothing to do with the dome light itself,
but the voltage drop that resulted from the brake lights.
Even new batteries fail sometimes, and if the alternator is not
charging the battery properly it may be weak. A bad alternator can
quickly ruin a battery regardless of how old or new it is. Both need
to be fully tested to evaluate their current condition.

 

[Eric Cartman]

The dome light dimming had nothing to do with the dome light itself,
but the voltage drop that resulted from the brake lights.
Even new batteries fail sometimes, and if the alternator is not
charging the battery properly it may be weak. A bad alternator can
quickly ruin a battery regardless of how old or new it is. Both need
to be fully tested to evaluate their current condition.

Dont mean to start the fur flying in here, but you guys are barking up the
wrong tree...
Look at the facts, if it was drawing that much power, it would have blown
the fuse or started a fire by now...
This is voltage drop, pure and simple. the problem will be in the fuse box
or the fusable link serving the box.
If the battery and cables were that bad it WOULD NOT START.
Remember, the starting circuit does not go thru the fusebox.
He gave the key symtom, the radio stops, the lights dim all the stuff on the
fusebox.The fusebox is protected by the fusable link. (usually about 50-80
amps).
This has nothing to do with "Grounds" as all this equipment has its own
local chassis grounds.

My advise (take it or leave it) is to look at the positive wires from the
battery. One goes to the start solonoid, the other feeds the fusable link
then the fusebox.Since this is a voltage drop and a big one, look for melted
or damaged connectors.The wire size is usually a stranded #8.

This problem is not in the brakes, not at the battery, is not the battery
and certainly is not the alternator by any means.
Hopefully the original poster will let us all know when he finds it, but i
bet coffee/doughnuts its right where I say it is...

 

[altgeezer]

I believe you are correct about it being an alternator.
If you take to AutoZone, or other parts place,
they will check it for free for you.
(Of course they want you to buy one, if it is bad.)