hazard2600

My '88 suddenly will not kick over.
Last night on my way home from work, I noticed something strange. I hit my brake and my radio powered off. And if I cranked my heater fan from off to full blast, my whole dash would lose almost all power. My guage cluster lights would go extremely dim but not all the way off.
When I used my turn signal, my radio would go off too.

It kinda sounds like a grounding issue. But this morning, my truck wouldn't start. I get the "click" from turning the ignition. But the guages and dash lights wouldn't turn on and my radio wouldn't start either. Then to test my battery power I turned on my headlights. They had full power!

My Battery is a brand new Optima so I know it isn't a dead battery. Besides I have plenty of current. I checked all the fuses. I even threw my battery on a charger anyways. So now I'm lost.
The only thing I think it could be is either a ground cable or the Alternator. But I can't see why my alternator would be shot if my battery is not run down. *sigh* any thoughts???

91_4x4runner

I had the same symptoms in my 91 4Runner and it turned out to be a bad alternator.

nunsa

Greetings,
Check your positive and negative battery cables, they've been know to corrode on the inside of the cables without you even knowing it!
Check your relay's and circuit breakers, no kidding they actually have some!
Under the hood if I remember by the passenger side and there's also another one I believe by the fuse panel and one more on the passenger side behind the glove box and One more behing the steering wheel, yes I think that's it!
Have your alternator checked make sure that she's putting out, check the wires and cables on that also, I know you have a brand new battery, but just 'cause you get 12 volts doesn't make it good you should have it tested under load as any local autoparts store will check that out for free usually. One more thing, make sure you have no codes an one more, check the wiring in back of the fuse panels these gremelins hang out there from time to time as a bad wire.
Take Care and Good Luck!
Harry

Zachariah1023

mine used to do that. its actually common because a buddy of mines 94 did that umm i had to replace my battery cables because they corroded. it works fine now.

Dr.Feelgood

One more thing, check the bundle of wires located under the dash next to the parking brake lever. Sometimes they will rub against the lever and wear through the insulation, shorting the wires together.

regularguy412

Sounds a lot like the dead alternator syndrome. I'm skeered to find out when mine does it.

Mike in AR

F0RSAKEN

Thats what my Saab did when its alternator died. Over the course of two days my dash lights/head lights got dimmer and dimmer, then one day when I was driving it started cutting out real bad and sputtering, then it finally died and wouldnt crank or anything.

celica

sounds like alternator. Tha battery can only handle so many amps without an incomming charge. So you were driving on the battery. Most of the current is directed to keeping the motoer running, not the lights, etc. The next morning you would have bright light from the battery regaining some of its life but not enough to crank over the motor.

The other thing can be your cable connection. I would have full power gor everything but when I applied a load it would start because the connection was loos from a bad clamp.