Is this an Alternator Problem? Lights get really bright, and fog light bulbs blow out, also...

Vinson Mok vmok00@yahoo.com
Sun, 7 Apr 2002 19:04:03 -0500


This has happened to me on several occasions, especially at night when I
have the headlights on.  It has happened while I was accelerating away from
a stop light several times, as well as constant cruise on the freeway doing
approx 70-75mph.  The headlights and dash lights will suddenly get VERY VERY
bright, almost like I'm high beaming someone.  The battery and brake lights
in the cluster will flash or light momentarily.  The fog light bulbs
blow/burn out.  And you can hear a lot of clicking noises coming out from
under the dash that sound like relay noises.

It seems to me that some sort of voltage regulator isn't functioning
properly, causing voltage spikes.  I can see how this would happen when
accelerating as the RPM changes will turn the alternator at different
speeds.  However, it will do this  under constant cruise as well.  I am also
puzzled by the clicking noises coming out from under the dash when this
occurs.  They sound like relays snapping back and forth maybe 1 to 3 times a
second, for a total of 1 to 15 times.

Thanks.

-V