FIXED: Brake pedal & high beams kills stereo dims lights & stalls engine
04-15-11, 09:01 AM
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FIXED: Brake pedal & high beams kills stereo dims lights & stalls engine
I just wanted to post this here since the people in the Club Lexus forums helped me resolve this issue. Hopefully this will turn up in a google search from someone else having the same issues and will lead them to a fix.
Problem/Symptoms: 1996 Lexus SC300
1. Occasionally would not start, jumping from another car would get it going.
Batter and Alternator tested out ok.
2. Stereo randomly cutting out, dash lights cutting out briefly while driving.
3. Problem progressively got worse, brake pedal started making stereo shut off.
4. High beams start to kill stereo along with brake lights, dash lights dim when brakes applied.
5. Brake Pedal causing major power drain which got worse until car would not start. Car would start with a jump, but would die as soon as brake pedal was touched.
Solution thanks to Club Lexus users:
Replaced Negative battery cable, cleaned and sanded connection point on engine block for the ground. Cleaned and sanded connection point under battery for the ground.
Once the battery had good clean grounding all of the problems were immediately fixed.
The car is actually running better now, starts smoother, idles smoother, shifts better, lights are brighter, and even the gas millage has improved.
I did not need to install any expensive after market grounding kits, I did not need any expensive cables or wires. $10 on a new negative battery cable and some effort to clean up the connections to make good contact and everything turned out better than expected.
Hopefully this will help someone else trying to find the ghost in the machine on these older model cars.
Problem/Symptoms: 1996 Lexus SC300
1. Occasionally would not start, jumping from another car would get it going.
Batter and Alternator tested out ok.
2. Stereo randomly cutting out, dash lights cutting out briefly while driving.
3. Problem progressively got worse, brake pedal started making stereo shut off.
4. High beams start to kill stereo along with brake lights, dash lights dim when brakes applied.
5. Brake Pedal causing major power drain which got worse until car would not start. Car would start with a jump, but would die as soon as brake pedal was touched.
Solution thanks to Club Lexus users:
Replaced Negative battery cable, cleaned and sanded connection point on engine block for the ground. Cleaned and sanded connection point under battery for the ground.
Once the battery had good clean grounding all of the problems were immediately fixed.
The car is actually running better now, starts smoother, idles smoother, shifts better, lights are brighter, and even the gas millage has improved.
I did not need to install any expensive after market grounding kits, I did not need any expensive cables or wires. $10 on a new negative battery cable and some effort to clean up the connections to make good contact and everything turned out better than expected.
Hopefully this will help someone else trying to find the ghost in the machine on these older model cars.
11-01-11, 07:37 PM
#2
Wanted to bring this forward for anyone having electrical problems. Daughters 93 SC300 was having some weird problems: Dash lights randomly not working, Brake lights NOT working when headlights were on, when trying to start, starter clicking.
Did as described,and all problems fixed. Hope this helps someone..........
Lexusdad
Did as described,and all problems fixed. Hope this helps someone..........
Lexusdad
11-02-11, 08:49 AM
#3
Im having the same issue on my 93 5spd SC except just the headlights dim when hitting the brake pedal along with the hyperblink for the turn signals. Going to give this a shot tonight for the headlight dimming issue and report back once finished. Have new battery and alternator tested at ok.
For the hyper blink, I think the pervouse owner swapped out the tail lights for the 95's which might be causing the hyperblink. Gunna do the resistor mod at some point.
For the hyper blink, I think the pervouse owner swapped out the tail lights for the 95's which might be causing the hyperblink. Gunna do the resistor mod at some point.
11-09-11, 06:15 PM
#4
I just wanted to post this here since the people in the Club Lexus forums helped me resolve this issue. Hopefully this will turn up in a google search from someone else having the same issues and will lead them to a fix.
Problem/Symptoms: 1996 Lexus SC300
1. Occasionally would not start, jumping from another car would get it going.
Batter and Alternator tested out ok.
2. Stereo randomly cutting out, dash lights cutting out briefly while driving.
3. Problem progressively got worse, brake pedal started making stereo shut off.
4. High beams start to kill stereo along with brake lights, dash lights dim when brakes applied.
5. Brake Pedal causing major power drain which got worse until car would not start. Car would start with a jump, but would die as soon as brake pedal was touched.
Solution thanks to Club Lexus users:
Replaced Negative battery cable, cleaned and sanded connection point on engine block for the ground. Cleaned and sanded connection point under battery for the ground.
Once the battery had good clean grounding all of the problems were immediately fixed.
The car is actually running better now, starts smoother, idles smoother, shifts better, lights are brighter, and even the gas millage has improved.
I did not need to install any expensive after market grounding kits, I did not need any expensive cables or wires. $10 on a new negative battery cable and some effort to clean up the connections to make good contact and everything turned out better than expected.
Hopefully this will help someone else trying to find the ghost in the machine on these older model cars.
Problem/Symptoms: 1996 Lexus SC300
1. Occasionally would not start, jumping from another car would get it going.
Batter and Alternator tested out ok.
2. Stereo randomly cutting out, dash lights cutting out briefly while driving.
3. Problem progressively got worse, brake pedal started making stereo shut off.
4. High beams start to kill stereo along with brake lights, dash lights dim when brakes applied.
5. Brake Pedal causing major power drain which got worse until car would not start. Car would start with a jump, but would die as soon as brake pedal was touched.
Solution thanks to Club Lexus users:
Replaced Negative battery cable, cleaned and sanded connection point on engine block for the ground. Cleaned and sanded connection point under battery for the ground.
Once the battery had good clean grounding all of the problems were immediately fixed.
The car is actually running better now, starts smoother, idles smoother, shifts better, lights are brighter, and even the gas millage has improved.
I did not need to install any expensive after market grounding kits, I did not need any expensive cables or wires. $10 on a new negative battery cable and some effort to clean up the connections to make good contact and everything turned out better than expected.
Hopefully this will help someone else trying to find the ghost in the machine on these older model cars.
I would use a universal parts store cable, but you have to have the connection at the frame below the battery.
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