My 1997 4Runner with 203,000 miles has begun exhibiting a strange problem that seems to be electrical. While driving the engine stumbles, the brake light on the dash comes on, then in most cases the engine catches again, the brake light goes out and I drive on. So far it has never actually stalled the engine entirely, but I've lost power to a dangerous extent. Often this happens two, three, as many as six times in succession before it seems to clear. I've noticed a high-pitched small motor bearing noise from under the hood at about the same time, as though a bearing in perhaps an alternator or other similar sized unit is wearing out. Ok, I understand it is an old enough truck that any of these things could be normal wear and tear, but it is Christmas, and a long weekend till I might get a chance to have diag codes read. I'm not even sure anything will have registered. I am most puzzled by the clear connection between the brake light and the apparent electrical problem.
Any ideas I might look at tomorrow, any hope that the brake light indicator is just an indicator that some code is being logged?
Thanks, Jere