Electrical Woes

nil94 · January 21, 2006

My new 97 GS300Sport has developed a strange electrical funny. While manouvering around car park / driveway the steering goes heavy and the dash lights all illuminate (but the engine keeps running). Blipping the throttle sometimes clears it. Once I made the mistake of switching the engine off only to find the Battery didnt have enough juice to start her up again. Yet after a jump start and a short run she can be back to normal. This is happening on a regular basis now. Other symptoms include the light on the AC switch flashing.

Last week two auto electricians diagnosed faulty alternator so I had that changed but the fault persists. It apears to be the turning of the steering wheel that induces the problem. I was thinking PAS pump maybe??

Any ideas?

Rob · January 21, 2006

Once I made the mistake of switching the engine off only to find the battery didnt have enough juice to start her up again. Yet after a jump start and a short run she can be back to normal. This is happening on a regular basis now.

have you tried replacing the Battery - sounds that the Battery isnt holding a charge

ROYT · January 21, 2006

As above....sounds like a duff Battery.....

dangerous brain · January 23, 2006

Could be an iffy earth. I'm sure there is a thread in the aristo bit about the earths around the ABS and power steering causing problems.

nil94 · January 23, 2006

Thanks for the tips. I'm presuming the auto electrician will have tested the Battery before diagnosing the alternator. Its a bit more complicated by the fact that I dont currently have the car. I'm refusing delivery until the trader I bought it from gets it fixed but its dragging on a little.

dangerous brain · January 23, 2006

If its at a traders he can easily swap out the Battery with another car to see if its that.

nil94 · February 2, 2006

For completeness thought you might like to know the final diagnosis. Makes no odds to me cos I've had a full refund and still looking at mk2's now.

Lexus dealership pointed fingers at anything with wires attached. Didnt seem to have a clue. Rang to say they had clocked up £200 in labour and found nothing, but they were just about to take the dash out!! Glad it wasnt my bill.

Local specialist diagnosed it over the phone(!) turned out to be the 2 piece pulley on the end of the crank which has some sort of rubber grommet that perishes and causes large pully driving steering pump and alternator to slip. 10 minute job, £20.

Looking at a couple of mk2 sports tomorrow.