OK, I have a '90 Q45 that did the following:
In normal driving, the brake light was coming on faintly. Then at idle it would come on brightly along with the ABS light; after a few seconds the message window would read "Battery Charge Low".
Rev engine, message disappears, ABS light off, still faint brake light.
Batt is 2 yrs old, in good shape.
Dying alternator? Bad voltage regulator? Bad battery?
Dennis? Anyone?
Thanks,
Ray
Help Diagnose This...
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RayRandolph
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Sat Sep 07, 2002 7:57 am
- Car: '90 Q45 60k Toxico Blues, sway bar, Michelin Pilots, '94 Q45 rims
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Q45tech
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- Car: 1990 Q45 342,400 miles 22 years ownership with original engine
1995 G20t 5 speed 334,000 miles 16" 2002 wheels - 205/50/16 Sr20ve vvl
If you saw the condition of most battery cables and terminals on customer cars and their failure to keep the engine compartment clean [and non corroded from allowing batteries to remain installed too long].........beatup cracked battery trays allowing the acid to dribble down on relays and cables under the battery ........you would want to charge them $8000 as punishment......$800 seems like just getting probation instead of serving time!
Remember Cleanliness is next to godliness so few [engine compartments] get any prayers.
Remember Cleanliness is next to godliness so few [engine compartments] get any prayers.
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Q451990
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- Car: 1990 Q45 - 118K, 2022 Toyota 4 Runner, 2004 Frontier M/T - 108K, 2012 Xterra (Mom's), 2023 Rogue (Inlaws)
- Location: Columbia, SC
- Contact:
I've had to replace my battery on average every 23 months... I know this because it has a 24 month free replacement warranty 
This car is hard on batteries - so I wouldn't rule out the battery either! You might want to have the system load tested to see if the alternator is working properly. NEVER go with a non-oem alternator - they have a very poor track record.
Heath
This car is hard on batteries - so I wouldn't rule out the battery either! You might want to have the system load tested to see if the alternator is working properly. NEVER go with a non-oem alternator - they have a very poor track record.Heath
just had a problem like that last night driving the radio kept cutting off radar cutting on and off headlights when real dim shut it off and it would not start new battery so i knew it was not that....got it started inthe morning disconnected the battery and it was the alternator....anyone know of a place thats cheaper than 350buck which is what the dealer charges out in massapequa/1997 q45t
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Q45tech
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- Car: 1990 Q45 342,400 miles 22 years ownership with original engine
1995 G20t 5 speed 334,000 miles 16" 2002 wheels - 205/50/16 Sr20ve vvl
Off brand rebuilds are very very bad they just clean up the old units and maybe install new/used bearings.....they disassemble hundreds and reuse the good worn parts in various units to make a good one.
We tried every rebuilder in US but had too many warranty failures in 12months 12k. We were losing our shirt trying to save owners money!
If you want to gamble try a junk yard unit they may last longer than most rebuilts......
If $350 scares you .........are driving the wrong car? This is an area you don't want to skimp on!Always install a new Quality battery when changing the alternator or you may overtax the new alternator in trying to charge a bad or weak battery.
We tried every rebuilder in US but had too many warranty failures in 12months 12k. We were losing our shirt trying to save owners money!
If you want to gamble try a junk yard unit they may last longer than most rebuilts......
If $350 scares you .........are driving the wrong car? This is an area you don't want to skimp on!Always install a new Quality battery when changing the alternator or you may overtax the new alternator in trying to charge a bad or weak battery.
not afarid to spend the $350 just trying to see whats out there:thinkerQ45tech wrote:Off brand rebuilds are very very bad they just clean up the old units and maybe install new/used bearings.....they disassemble hundreds and reuse the good worn parts in various units to make a good one.
We tried every rebuilder in US but had too many warranty failures in 12months 12k. We were losing our shirt trying to save owners money!
If you want to gamble try a junk yard unit they may last longer than most rebuilts......
If $350 scares you .........are driving the wrong car? This is an area you don't want to skimp on!Always install a new Quality battery when changing the alternator or you may overtax the new alternator in trying to charge a bad or weak battery.
I've had good luck with some of the local re-wind shops with alternators and starters on other cars (not the Q). Ask around the independent repair shops to find out who is producing the best rebuilds locally. These guys wil all have the same complaints Q45 gave. Cheap price normally equals shoddy work.
Some rebuild shops do excellent work. New bearings, re-wind the rotors and armatures, new electronics. Often these hand-made rebuilds are more reliable and more efficient than the factory unit.
You will have to hunt to find these shops. They are NOT the norm.
Once you find one of these shops, you will never use anything else.
The shop I use in Tampa took a Hitachi alternator from an early Zcar (all of 45 amps) and rewound it to produce 75 amps. It is eight years old and still running.
Some rebuild shops do excellent work. New bearings, re-wind the rotors and armatures, new electronics. Often these hand-made rebuilds are more reliable and more efficient than the factory unit.
You will have to hunt to find these shops. They are NOT the norm.
Once you find one of these shops, you will never use anything else.
The shop I use in Tampa took a Hitachi alternator from an early Zcar (all of 45 amps) and rewound it to produce 75 amps. It is eight years old and still running.
labor is 2hrs at 85bucks per..massapqua,liDrewQ45 wrote:The work involved in replacing the alternator makes it the kind of task you don't want to repeat anytime soon. I replaced mine early last summer with a dealer unit. I imagine one would pay through the nose to have the dealer perform the labor.
..Drew....
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Q45tech
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1995 G20t 5 speed 334,000 miles 16" 2002 wheels - 205/50/16 Sr20ve vvl
Agree you can find specialty shops but they won't want to mess with it unless you bring them all the parts as only the Q uses the 110 amp alternator and they would have to order everything from the dealer who doesn't keep the bearings or diode pack or regulator in stock because they just sell the factory remans.
By the way I visted 7 shops around ATL trying to get someone to rebuild an alternator when they saw it no way unless I brought them 2 sets of all parts.........the labor would have been around $100 plus parts maybe another $100.
If you can get the parts why not. If you can change it why not.
It's just thant most national chain remans are junk [lowest bidder]
By the way I visted 7 shops around ATL trying to get someone to rebuild an alternator when they saw it no way unless I brought them 2 sets of all parts.........the labor would have been around $100 plus parts maybe another $100.
If you can get the parts why not. If you can change it why not.
It's just thant most national chain remans are junk [lowest bidder]
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