Electrical troubleshooting dash lights

[galbiati]

Can someone please tell me what dash lights are supposed to be lit when the car door is open with the emergency brake on and you initially turn the key on to the 2nd click position? Thanks (I think I have a bad printed circuit behind cluster.)

[sdg3205]

The door lights, e brake light, door ajar light and the lights behind the HVAC panel

[galbiati]

The door lights, e brake light, door ajar light and the lights behind the HVAC panel

Thanks. Any way to check if my battery light works? Volts were dropping other day barely made it home, assuming alternator crapped out, but battery light never came on.

[Jonathan]

Thanks. Any way to check if my battery light works? Volts were dropping other day barely made it home, assuming alternator crapped out, but battery light never came on.

Hey,

Does your battery warning light normally work/come on? I don't know of a simple test for the battery light other than what you mentioned about when you turn the key in the ignition. I think the battery light coming on when you start the car is the way for the bulb to be tested.

How do your belts look? Everything still in place, in good condition, and tight on the right side where the alternator is? Any wires in that area look loose/disconnected/out of place if you look up from under the right side of the engine bay?

Do you think the battery could have been getting drained from something? Do you have LEDs in your door lights? Are your door plunger/switches hooked up and working well? Interior light left on?

Dirty grounds can cause some strange things to happen with the instrument cluster gauges. Could be a good opportunity to make sure the grounds are clean and contacts for your fuses and relays are all fine and fresh.

I know that bulb being physically in place is a requirement for the car to run. I'm not sure, however, if it were to go bad whether that would cause your alternator to stop charging the battery. Someone else could chime in perhaps that knows about this?

[Ron]

Thanks. Any way to check if my battery light works? Volts were dropping other day barely made it home, assuming alternator crapped out, but battery light never came on.
If the key is ON (run position) and the engine is OFF, the battery light should be ON.

[galbiati]

If the key is ON (run position) and the engine is OFF, the battery light should be ON.

Mine is not on with the key in the run position. I do have a bad printed circuit behind my cluster, many of the contacts are loose/seperated and I had to solder a ground for my right blinker to get that working again. Ill have to check for power in the wire leading to the indicator with the key in the run position. Can someone confirm that the wire leading up to the battery light is in fact green. I'd rather not pull my binnacle apart unless I am sure there is a problem up there 1st.
Thanks

[sdg3205]

You need the wiring diagram (http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?17-DMC-12-color-wiring-diagram&highlight=wiring+diagram)

[galbiati]

You need the wiring diagram (http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?17-DMC-12-color-wiring-diagram&highlight=wiring+diagram)

Thanks for the link. Looks to be brown and yellow according to the diagram. Does the oil light and lambda come on to test the bulb as well with the key in the run position?

[deloumis]

Thanks for the link. Looks to be brown and yellow according to the diagram. Does the oil light and lambda come on to test the bulb as well with the key in the run position?

The oil light yes, I believe the lambda light will only. Come on after so many miles, not when the key is in the run possition. Unless of course it is on with the car running.

[Bitsyncmaster]

You can test the battery light by letting the tension on the alternator belt off but keep that test short since your water pump is also stopped. The key on test should be enough to test the light.

[gulwng3]

Hey Dave, would a slightly loose alternator belt cause the battery light to flicker on and off. My battery light would randomly flicker when sitting in the car (in park) and holding the engine at 4000-4500 rpm (to warm it up for another reason), although the battery gauge read a constant 13 volts. If not, what could possibly cause this random flickering of the battery light in the instrument panel?

Andy

[Bitsyncmaster]

Hey Dave, would a slightly loose alternator belt cause the battery light to flicker on and off. My battery light would randomly flicker when sitting in the car (in park) and holding the engine at 4000-4500 rpm (to warm it up for another reason), although the battery gauge read a constant 13 volts. If not, what could possibly cause this random flickering of the battery light in the instrument panel?

Andy

I would not think at those RPMs that would be your problem but easy to find out if you just tighten the belt and retest.

[David T]

I would not think at those RPMs that would be your problem but easy to find out if you just tighten the belt and retest.

If the battery (charging) light is flickering the very first thing you do is to test the battery and make sure the connections are clean. Next you check the belt tension and then you test the alternator. If there is black goo dripping out of the bottom of the alternator it is time to have it serviced. If you have a lot of mileage it can be possible the brushes in the alternator are worn or the alternator got very wet.