azari

As I was driving on the freeway, I happened to look down at the speedometer, and I saw the following warning lights on (all at the same time): Parking brake, Low coolant, Battery, Low engine oil, and Blown out headlights (a total of 5 warning lights). I pulled over a bit later, put the hood up and there was coolant in the reservoir full (couldn't check oil level, because car was warm of course). Also, checked the head and tail lights and they all worked. Everything else was also perfectly fine. So I started driving the car again, to where I wanted to go. On the way back, all 5 lights were on again, and once in a while they all would simultaneously go off, and a while later come back on again (this is all 5 lights at the same time). Had it been just the low engine oil light, I wouldn't have driven at all. What do you guys think? i think it's electrical, because what are the chances of having everything go wrong at the same time, and yet lights work, battery works, Parking brake is not on, and there is coolant in the reservoir? What could this be?? (alternator??)

hyperopt

State your vehicle year & mileage and when was the last time the alternator was serviced?

azari

1991, 78000 miles, never replaced alternator

rajah996

First check your battery. It may not be holding enough current.
If the battery is good, then check the alternator. IT is definetly
one of the two. Good luck with it.

-R

ATSOU

Yep.........battery or alternator

azari

something even worse happened. As I was driving the car in our neighborhood, the car just flat out died on me in the middle of driving. I came five minutes later and started it up and put it in garage. Before it died though, the speedometer lights and headlights and etc just faded a bit... so i'm pretty convinced it's the alternator. It's as a result of the leak that I have in steering pump which pours on it. How much is gonna be a new alternator? probably not so cheap, but anyone who knows, please let me know.

ATSOU

A rebuilt alternator with labor will cost you around $600+

jcolegrove

got a quote in dayton for $149 for alt and $200 from shop to put it in. $600 is too much.

rybikowsky

Try a battry first. over the decades, I have seen shorting batterys cause all kinds of strange problems. Borrow a battrey from something else. It does not have to be the same size as lexus Just so it fits where the old battry go's You dont want it to fall over or anything like that. Now drive the car for awhile. There is a chance that things will be alright. carpe diem. michael

blkstealthpaid4

All the lights you mentioned will come on when I pressed on the brake.All the lights will go offf as I gave it gas(whether drivng or at idle with the rpm up).It usually happened at a stop light.Then I knew stepping on the brakes took away juice from the connection.Sometimes when I tried starting it will have no ignition until I played with the battery terminal.I then sanded down all the terminlas and this did not help until I changed out the battery terminals.I don't get this issue anymore.
I moved on from that and now I have more problems with the suspension in the front and rear.
damn bushings on these cars!!!11

azari

Do the symptoms I mentioned in my last post (car dies in middle of driving) correspond with a bad battery at all??? Is it possible?? oh mannnn, I really hope it's the battery, I could save a ton of $$.

RODDMOD

azari

Lexuses don't have electrical problems, just owners that don't do maintance. These are some tips. If you don't know how old your battery is change it. If your batterys is more than 3 years old change it. If your power steering pump is leaking change it. If you let power steering fuild leak on your altenator change it. If you don't want to spend the money to keep a Lexus maintained buy a ford or chevy parts are cheaper.

Maeve

iTrader: (2)

From the symthoms you describe, I believe it has something to do w/ your battery. Take out off your car and take it to a gas station to check the status of it. If it is bad then replace it. You should be fine. If the battery is okay then your alternator has gone bad. While your car is running, the alternator should recharge your battery as it goes. If it doesn't then the engine will be consuming the battery and drains it out.
Goodluck.

azari

Rodmodd,

Your post doesn't help at all... I'm in a situation where I need useful advice at the moment... yours certainly doesn't fall under that category.

RODDMOD

I should have not added the ford a chevy thing for this I am sorry. It is just that this is a Lexus forum and sometimes it starts to sound like some of the duct tape and chewing gum fixes you find on some of the other forums. My post is filled with wisdom. If you follow it you will stay out of the type trouble you are in now.