Loose Connection Somewhere

[stanger42]

94 Rodeo
3.2 V6
5 Speed Manual
4WD

My problem is there's a bad connection somewhere that causes the Brake light, Fuel light, and the Battery light to come on. WHen they come on, the A/C blower motor quits working. I moved some of the wires under the hood and made sure all the fuses and relays were seated tight and that seemed to get rid of it. That was about a month ago. I had it fixed and then about 2 weeks ago it started to do it again. I repeated the porcess but this time nothing worked. I've decided that it's a wire or set of wires in the engine compartment itself because at idle it's usually gone and comes back when i rev the engine or start to move. Bumps in the road cause the lights to flicker but they remain on. It's kind of annoying, not so much that the lights are on but that the A/C doesn't work. I took it to the local service station and they installed a battery hold down and told me that it shouldn't do it again but as soon as I got it out of the parking lot the lights came back on. When I asked them about it they told me "Well, it's really hard to diagnose/find electrical gremlins." which I can understand but it seems like they didn't do anything for me. Any ideas on how I might fix the problem? I'd rather not take it to a dealer because I don't have the kind of that they are asking

thanks

[stanger42]

on a possibly unrelated note, the car has a hard time starting sometimes. when I turn the key i just hear a click. I have been told that it's possibly the starter going bad. I'm going to replace the positive battery cable and hope that helps. It's in pretty bad shape so...

[95.5 Rodeo]

If the new positive battery cable doesn't fix the problem......

Check your battery ground cable and all ground straps carefully. They should be clean and tight. Check your alternator output (with the engine running ) with a voltmeter, it should be around 14.5 volts at the battery. Check the water level of the battery and its voltage with the engine off, should be close to 12 volts. You didn't have a battery hold down, not good. Any acid corrosion anywhere? If so, look there first. Have a buddy sit in the driver's seat and look at the lights and listen to the fan blower while you busy yourself under the hood carefully pushing and pulling on any wire you can find. Do you drive a lot on bumpy roads? I've seen batteries with broken internal connections do a lot of strange things. That may explain the intermittent starting problem. Also, recheck your relays and fuses to make sure they are seated. Make sure you have a good battery, alternator and the cable connections are good before you replace that starter.

Let us know what you find.

Good luck,
Dale

[stanger42]

The battery was replaced with a brand new one after I found out two of the six cells were bone dry. That wasn't very long ago...week or two ago. Alaska's roads are pretty bad, even on base, so I drive on bumpy roads every single day, but nothing that should cause a whole lot of damage I would think... The alternator is also brand new. It was replaced in mid April. There is no corrosion anywhere. This weekend I'll get under it and check all the ground straps and make sure they're clean and tight. I'm guessing the cables will play a big role in the staring issue.

[Jenkitty1]

Originally Posted by stanger42

94 Rodeo
3.2 V6
5 Speed Manual
4WD

My problem is there's a bad connection somewhere that causes the Brake light, Fuel light, and the Battery light to come on. WHen they come on, the A/C blower motor quits working. I moved some of the wires under the hood and made sure all the fuses and relays were seated tight and that seemed to get rid of it. That was about a month ago. I had it fixed and then about 2 weeks ago it started to do it again. I repeated the porcess but this time nothing worked. I've decided that it's a wire or set of wires in the engine compartment itself because at idle it's usually gone and comes back when i rev the engine or start to move. Bumps in the road cause the lights to flicker but they remain on. It's kind of annoying, not so much that the lights are on but that the A/C doesn't work. I took it to the local service station and they installed a battery hold down and told me that it shouldn't do it again but as soon as I got it out of the parking lot the lights came back on. When I asked them about it they told me "Well, it's really hard to diagnose/find electrical gremlins." which I can understand but it seems like they didn't do anything for me. Any ideas on how I might fix the problem? I'd rather not take it to a dealer because I don't have the kind of that they are asking

thanks

Dear Strranger42, I own a 1993 Isuzu Rodeo and I have the exact same problem, any suggestions? I have checked all the fuses and wires and I can not afford to take my suv to the dealership. Any info would be of great appreciation.
Thanks so much
Jenkitty1

[stanger42]

actually I was able to figure out the problem. There is a plastic plug that goes into the back of the alternator. The clip that holds that plug in place has broken on mine. I'm sure you can rig something to fix it but my dad says more than likely I'll have to go to a dealership to get that plug permanently fixed. hope it helps.

[Ramblin Fever]

Let me know, please, if that fixes the issue, as I've had similar problems too. Funny thing, is the problem started occuring after a new alternator and battery as well as your rig.

[rodeo02]

Low system volts (under 14V with the truck running IIRC-) will give you the batt, brake, fuel lights. Usually it's a bad alternator. Aftermarket or rebuilt alternators usually dont work at all, or dont last long. It's a tough pill to swallow, but OEM alternators work best on these trucks.
G/luck
Joel

[rayb]

i am also having the same exact problem.Anyone figure out the cause?

[rayb]

I found the fix, it was the alternator.