pcumming

2001 Nissan Maxima dashboard dash light shows the word brake and a
battery symbol??

Went away on trip. Left car at airport. Car's battery was replaced from
Batteries Plus+ about 2 years ago.
Car runs fine and I stop and shut off car. After I turn car on, I
notice the "brake" text appearing on dash (instrument panel) and a
picture of a battery.


I shut off and turn on car. Symbols still there. I tighten hand brake
and loosen-still got brake light.


Soon car dies.


Had to get car jumped. Made it very slowly (guess it has electric fuel
pump) to an auto store about to close. I got a new battery and put it
in.


Indicator lights above (brake and battery icon) still on dash.


Car seems fine but I wonder IF:


1. Computer stored settings and they have not cleared the battery and
brake symbols/light on dash. Should I unplug battery and leave off
overnight to clear computer?


2. Perhaps I have a bad alternator. (I have no volt meter to
test-willing to bring it in to repair place, but would like some advice
first). There was a recall on alternators but that was prior to 2000.


Ideas?


I have no clue about the brake light. Had brakes done about 8 months
ago. Perhaps related due to diode in Alternator???

From what I read this could be an alternator-can I trust a non Nissan place to fix such? I will never let a non-Nissan place do my brakes WITHOUT genuine NISSAN pads-learned the hard way with two Maxima's. Non Nissan pads caused warping.


Thank you
Peter

Widget

I have seen this many times on this site. You have a bad alternator. Have it checked out and you will find it bad.

Bill

pcumming

Thanks Bill,

Today I drove car for about 2.5 hours. Had AC going, radio and left lights on. Stopped and started, went to a movie, supermarket, other places.....

Bought a digital voltmeter and it looks like I am getting higher voltage when engine revs as opposed to engine off or just idling which I think is normal.

*****Could the alternator be okay or slowly on its way out? Wish it would fail again rather than spending the money (am unemployed right now) on a new alt while car seems to be okay.

But then again I perhaps am just lucky as of last night and today with no warning lights on dash and seemingly charging since voltage goes up when revved.

Not sure how to test alt or even where to unhook it.

Thanks, Peter

Matt93SE

alternator is on its way out. the battery and brake lights come on on these cars when the alternator dies. why I can't explain, but that's the way they do.

it sounds to me that actually it's the diode pack/voltage regulator on the alternator. if you're in a decent size town, you can probably find an auto electric shop that's willing to rebuild the alternator and replace the failed parts for cheaper than the cost of buying a remanufactured one (often loaded with cheap parts of questionable quality). a new OEM one will cost you in the neighborhood of $500, so that's obviously out of the question.

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