Topic: help! brake and battery light stay on!

[87hillbillyoter]

hey guys. i searched, and im told its a bad alternator or bad connections to the alt, and that might be the case, but there is something i didnt see. when i get it up to high revs, the lights shut off. and i mean HIGH revs. id tell you what RPMs it was, but i dont have a tach. any idea what this could be?

it just started today on my way home. its an 87 22r. thanks in advance!

[Larryb]

My 91 4runner did exactly as you described, changed the alternator and problem solved. My alternator even showed good when checked on the autozone tester. Be sure to check all your connections are good.

[kneedownnate]

im told its a bad alternator, and that might be the case, but there is something i didnt see. when i get it up to high revs, the lights shut off. and i mean HIGH revs. i

You probably answered your own question right there    Now drive down to toyota, give them your vin# and get replacement brushes, spend 15 minutes putting them in and 

[bigarms23]

yep get a new alternator

[87hillbillyoter [OP]]

ok thanks guys. do you think this is something i need to do right away or do i have a little time because i have no money right now...

[kneedownnate]

Right now, you never know when they'll stop making contact, which sounds like it's pretty much right now.  Seriously, spend the $10-20 for brushes and be done with it    DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON A JUNK ALTERNATOR!

[BLACKDOG]

Right now, you never know when they'll stop making contact, which sounds like it's pretty much right now.  Seriously, spend the $10-20 for brushes and be done with it    DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON A JUNK ALTERNATOR!

I'm with nate.  New brushes and a good cleaning and it'll be good as new.  A heck of a lot cheaper too, and easy

[86rustbucket]

how simple is the brush install?  any soldering?

[Early]

Is there anything else that this combination of lights mean? Brake and Batt.  

Such as lower brake fluid, power steering fluid, alternator grease ?

I feel as though my 80's 3 series has more than one meaning for this combo. Just a thought

O and x whatever on the brushes thing. just do it. Mine has gone bad in the dark twice, no power no lights, no good. (your lights drain more power from a  batt than the motor does iirc)



edit:
The brush install is a couple philips screws i think, maybe flat heads, bring both just in case. 

[86rustbucket]

everytime my brake light comes on its just the little button that the e-brake handle pushes down.

pull handle and turn clockwise slightly to fix that problem

[86rustbucket]

just found this while searching for the brush replacement

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/maintenance/alternator_brushes/

[Early]

86rustbucket: I meant the combo batt/brake . But mine used to do what your talking about also. Which coincidently automatically turns you cruise control off. That sucked for a while.


edit:nice link

[87hillbillyoter [OP]]

thanks guys. yea my brake is definitely off, when i pull it out the light gets brighter. i checked all my fluids, all good. also when only the brake light is on, means your low on brake fluid. thanks for all the help guys.

[kneedownnate]

how simple is the brush install?  any soldering?

Cake, no soldering, and hardest part is removing the alternator    I have a pic somewhere of the tools required I think...

[Sleeve of Wizzard]

just ordered the brushes from toyota and it came to just under $30! yikes but I don't want a pep boys alternater  I'll post up if it shuts my Lights off.

[junya92toy]

30bucks to keep your factory alt that will last another what 15 years? or a pepboys that might not even work off the shelf, thats a hard choice.

[87hillbillyoter [OP]]

yea got em, fixed it, and shes runnin perty now

[toyota sr5]

happy to hear

[Sleeve of Wizzard]

Sorry I forgot to post that when I removed the alternator I could see the contact better and it was corroded. cleaned it up and it fixed the problem.