Battery icon idiot light turns on

The brake light comes on because the anti-lock controller detects a low voltage. So yes, if the belt is not slipping the alt is probably failing.

The same thing happened on my 95 a few times. So far, in each case, the serpentine belt was slipping so there was limited or no charge coming from the alternator.

Check the belt condition and if good, get it tightened up.

Is this common with Maxima alternator failures? The intermittent part I mean. What I'm used to is... if the alternator goes bad it just goes. No off than back on again.

How long can this go on?

I recently had an alternator go bad on my '00 GLE. One time the output on the alternator was 13.5 volts and the next time 12 volts. Threw away a perfectly good battery before I found the problem. Make sure to test the alternator with a "alternator tester" not a volt meter....

Hi,

I had the same problem.

The brake lite comes on because the ABS is sensing a low-voltage state.

I changed the alternator, and all has been good since.

AZF

I had this problem on my 92 Max SE 5sp. I really never figured out what caused it but it usually happened after a rain. It may have be due to a short or power surge in the rear defroster.

Happily the fix was simple and replace it and you will be back in business until the next time it happens. Keep a pack of fuses (I think 10 Amps) once you have found the bad fuse mark the position. In my case it happened every few months., and the first time was after a heavy rain.

In my case the dashboard brake light came on and the alternator light glowed. I think it may have been the fuse controls the dashboard display and as I recall even though the alternator light was on the battery was charging fine.

I had this problem off an on for 4 years. I sold the car with 120K miles and it was a great car. I replaced it with an 04 Max SE. Like it very much.

-------------------------------------------------------- I had this problem on my 92 Max SE 5sp. I really never figured out what caused it but it usually happened after a rain. It may have be due to a short or power surge in the rear defroster.

Happily the fix was simple, replacing a blown fuse (I think that it might have been the one that controls the instrument panel module), replace it and you will be back in business until the next time it happens. In my case it happened every few months, and the first time was it was after a heavy rain. Keep a pack of fuses (I think 10 Amps) once you have found the bad fuse mark the position. You'll soon be proficient in this repair.

In my case the dashboard brake light came on and the alternator light glowed. I think it may have been the fuse that controls the dashboard display As I recall even though the alternator light was on the battery was charging fine.

I had this problem off an on for 4 years. I sold the car with 120K miles and it was a great car. I replaced it with an 04 Max SE. Like it very much.

Thanks much for the response. The problem on my Max is intermittent it seems. The light will go out after a few minutes/miles. It has done this about three times so far. I took it in to a local mechanic and he ran an electrical system charging test (with alterntor on car) and he told me it was running fine... handling the full car load (lights, defroster, A/C, fans, everything on) and no voltage sag at all... no fluctuation as systems are turned on/off. He didn't change any fuses and he advised putting an alternator in would be an expensive waste. Needless to say, the idiot light was out the whole time.

Intermittent electrical problems. How fun.

I can't find anything that doesn't work which would suggest which fuse is blown to change! That was the case even when the alternator light is on.

I cleaned the battery posts and tightened them with dielectric grease. There was some corrosion starting although connections seemed tight. I also noted the alternator has a separate cable connection at the battery post... I removed that, cleaned, put dielectric grease on and tightened it too. Maybe this will do it.

If the car is working fine except for the instrument cluster then the problem it is likely to be a fuse that controls instrument cluster. Check all the fuses, in my car they were located at the bottom of the dash on the far left behind a little door. The best way is to pull each one at a time and test it with an ohmeter (Nissan gives you a spare fuse and a fuse puller behind the little door). If you don't have an ohmeter you may be able to see the break in the wire on the fuse. Make sure you check the fuses that deal with the instrument cluster first, but do check them all .

Good luck.