dikolaffub Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 Ok, I'm hoping someone on here knows what I should be looking into. Last week, I was heading home from a rehearsal when my bassist and I smelled a burning smell coming through the vents. It definitely smelled like an electrical burning type smell. We drove to the nearest station and opened the hood to see if there was smoke, etc... I couldn't see any. I also didn't see anything burned or pitted fuses or relays. We closed the hood and headed back down the road. By the time I got to his house, the brake & batt indicator lights came on. Now they come on and then sometimes turn off. They happen both at the same time, never separate. So, any ideas where I should look? Like I said, I've checked every fuse and every relay I could see (I'm sure there's some hidden ones I can't find). The battery is still good and nothing is burned on it. The vehicle drives just fine, so I'm not thinking it's a critical issue, but I would like to fix it. My pathy is a 1997 XE. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 Get your charging sustem checked good, brake&baytery light together is the usual tell-tale of a failing alternator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clkindred Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 X2 Mine did the burning smell for a couple of weeks, then the alty just flat out died, a number of indicator lights came on and stayed on, I disconnected the battery while the engine was running and the engine died, so it was running on the battery and was not getting any from the alty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devonianwalk Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 With the smell and the indicator light signal, I'd go with these guys recommendation of checking on the alternator. The electrical smell is likely coming from the voltage regulator that is integrated in the alternator body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E_ROCK Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Get your charging sustem checked good, brake&baytery light together is the usual tell-tale of a failing alternator This. Happened in my Maxima....died 60 miles into a road trip and had to get towed home. No warning signs before the road trip but the brake & battery lights came on during. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XPLORx4 Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Sounds like it's time for a new alternator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmiguelon Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 For the brake light flashing, you have to refill the brake liquid. Maybe you have a leak on the calliper and smell burns when liquid touch the disc brake hot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XPLORx4 Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 When brake and battery lights go on simultaneously, it's a sign that the alternator is failing or has failed. On a A/T equipped Pathy, the "AT TEMP" light also glows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 (edited) When brake and battery lights go on simultaneously, it's a sign that the alternator is failing or has failed. On a A/T equipped Pathy, the "AT TEMP" light also glows. The "A/T OIL TEMP" light is only present on 4WD models. Technically, the light still works, there's just no temperature probe on 2WD vehicles as far as I know, so it'd never actually light up should the ATF be too hot. I added a bulb to that spot on my 2WD R50 just to have the additional warning lamp should my alternator fry. Edited April 3, 2012 by Towncivilian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dikolaffub Posted April 3, 2012 Author Share Posted April 3, 2012 I can't thank all of you enough for your information. You guys were dead on. I took my pathy over to Autozone and had them throw a tester onto the battery while the engine was running and turns out the voltage regulator had failed. I gotta admit, I am surprised the engine didn't die. I drove on it like that for over a week! Anyways, I dropped a new alternator in it and everything is good now. Thanks!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 glad we could assist and you got your problem resolved, thats what were here for anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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