Gauge Cluster Indicator Lights

[glantv699]

So as many of you in the Mid-Atlantic region know, it's been raining here since Friday. I was driving home today in terrential rain and my car did something I've never seen before.

Simply put, when I hit any pooled water on the road, my red BRAKE indicator light and the one that looks like a battery flashed on together for an instant, then shut off. This happened about 5 times during my ride. Could this just be the engine taking in small amounts of water? At one point I was also running the defroster/AC and the orange light within the fan speed knob began flashing at a constant rate....never saw it do that before.

Another problem I've been noticing lately, mainly when driving at night because the dash is lit up, the brightness of the cluster randomly dims then returns to normal brightness. There is no distinct pattern but the two parts of the "cycle" are noticeable, especailly because the headlights follow suit. Is my alternator going? The AC/Alt. belt has been chattering/sqeaking a bit but it's relatively new. When highway cruising and holding the throttle steady I can see on the tach and hear from the exhaust some more patterned variability as well.

Car is 11+ years now and @ 102,6XX - most recent major service was 2008 - did ignition wires, spark plugs, new starter, timing belt, water pump, fluids flushed, Alt./AC belt replaced, oil is changed every 3-4,000 miles

Your diagnosis?

[littlerick]

have you had the alternator checked?

[RedLine DOHC]

my lights do the same shit... my volt gauge reads 13 and the lights in and on the car dim in and out... WTF, It drives me nuts. would that be a dead giveaway for the alternator?

[SkylineG1]

Your alty is going. That was the same thing that happened to my wife on her way home one night last year November. If your battery is old consider getting a new one to compliment the new alty.

[RedLine DOHC]

ya the batt is like 6 months old and my last one froze... I wounder if thats what got the alty cause this has been happening all summer

[Jeffylou87]

Change the alty, before it locks up on you.. Like mine did when I had to cut the belt and run on battery only on my way home..

[RedLine DOHC]

the thing is already trying to, when its cold the atly tears the shit out of its belt, so no power steering when that thing gos..lol and the worst I ever had to drive home with was a blown hydraulic line at the clutch slave, starter bump in second and ran every stop sign and red light on the way home. good thing the streets of iowa roll up at 11