Weird problem no. 312

[M0R81U5]

My Legnum started developing an unusual problem a few weeks back and until today has been pretty intermittent.

The headunit (an aftermarket DVD jobbie) loses all power for a second or two, then kicks back in again. At first it would sometimes happen just as I press the brake pedal to slow down. But today it was literally happening everytime I touched the brakes and also everytime I switch the engine off, but keeping accessories on.

Also today as the stereo shut itself off, the check engine light lit up for about 4-5 seconds, then went off again and hasn't come back since. And this morning, all the dash lights lit up like it does just before you start the engine. I thought I'd stalled it but it was still running...weird.

The H/U has been in there for about 18mths without drama, it's not newly installed.

I'm thinking maybe a dodgy earth, or the H/U itself is poked....but the brake pedal thing has me a little stumped.

Any ideas?

 

[Scottie]

I think Bradc had a similar problem. I would be checking your earths first. Does it lose power when the headlights are on? Just thinking it could be a weak alternator.

 

[M0R81U5]

I thought that as well, but nothing else is ever affected and nothing else seems to trigger it other than brakes and shutting the car off. It has very occasionally done it without me braking, but not today.

Power is all fine with lights, air con etc on

 

[bradc]

My ST-R occaisionally does the exact same thing. It isn't triggered by the force of braking, simply the brake lights coming on. Sometimes it will do it every single bloody time I touch the brakes for a day, then it goes away. At the moment I don't think I've seen it happen since about March! (I remember I was at a show when it last happened)

I haven't bothered to try and track it down, but I would suggest checking continuity and for loose cables.

 

[M0R81U5]

My ST-R occaisionally does the exact same thing. It isn't triggered by the force of braking, simply the brake lights coming on.

Yes! Mine is in the 'let's do it every damn time you touch the brakes' phase and is driving me nuts. 99% of my driving is in stop start peak hour rubbish, so it's massively frustrating.

The prot frickens however...today I gave it a bootful in the 12meters I had til I had to stop again and this time under hard acceleration the high vis dash went out for a couple of seconds.

Looks like a family of gremlins have made their home in my Legnum...

 

[VR-04-TT]

My car did the exact same thing before the whole dash just started flickering and it turned out to be a dead alternator. Hopefully your problem isn't as severe.

 

[M0R81U5]

Sorry to revive a dead topic, but I think i may have inadvertently fixed this issue...the day after I bought a brand new alternator

Originally when I got my car it had one of those funky 'lightbox' numberplate dealies for the translucent backlit plates they have in japan which I removed when I got my slim numberplates. Being the lazy sod I am, I just disconnected the plugs to the lights and tucked them up as far up behind the front bar as I could, up above the drivers fog light kind of area. The stereo cutting out etc had gotten so bad I just permanently switched it off and used my ipod when driving. Also the headlights etc were starting to dim when I braked so I figured for sure it had to be the alternator. So I ordered a new one from Supercheap for ~$600.

The same day I was fitting my intercooler and as part of stripping the front end I decided to get rid of the lightbox wiring. It was spliced off of the wiring just before the parkers on the drivers side headlight. When I pulled the wiring out, a tiny trickle of water dripped out of the bullet-style connector that I had undone back when I removed the number plate dealy.

Anyways, it's been about a month since I fitted the cooler and that particular problem hasn't come back. I don't know if this is definitely the cause or if I have done something else without realising it, but I do know the problem was there before I stripped the front end and not there afterwards adn I haven't yet fitted the alternator *shrug*

 

[bradc]

Interesting! My ST-R had an automatic headlight on device on the dash that was disconnected when my stereo was fitted, maybe that has been causing the same thing for me.