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Three warning lights normal when overheating?

1K views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  smj999smj 
#1 ·
A friend of mine has a 1990 Sentra in pretty decent shape. Lately the engine gets hotter than usual in stop and go driving, cools down again when driving normally. Sounds exactly like the radiator fan is not coming on when it should. The strange thing is, the tail light, e-brake and alternator warning lights come on when the temp gets high, and go out again when the temp drops. I'm thinking this is maybe "normal" - Nissan wired up the dash so these lights come on to make sure drivers notice when the engine is getting hot. My friend's mechanic thinks it "may be the alternator" which doesn't seem right to me. Alternator wouldn't explain the other 2 lights, and why would the alternator be related to engine temperature?

Ian Mothersill
Vancouver, Canada
 
#2 ·
If multiple dash warning lights illuminate, it is an indication of a charging system problem. Easiest way to confirm would be to check the voltage when this occurs; it should be between 13.2-15.0 volts. As far as the relation to the overheating, I can't say, unless the alternator is breaking down internally when it gets too hot or perhaps the alternator is weak and the electric fan is shorted and creating a lot of draw on the system? These are just shot-in-the-dark guesses. You symptoms of overheating at stop and go driving or idling but fine while driving are consistent with a improperly working fan.
 
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