I paid closer attention on the ride home. The lights start to glow after a 30 min trip at highway speeds. Once I'm down to city driving again, they start. They don't glow for the initial city driving before the highway.

I also noticed that my a/c has apparantly gone out (compressor I think). Would that affect it at all?

I have a new battery and my alternator was recently checked.

Thanks all,
Bridget

Hello Bridget,

This same thing happened to me in the 745 last week. I was driving at night, in the rain using a lot of electrical power. Some of the warning lights were dim for a while then the ABS light came on followed by the SRS light and the car pretty much quit within a couple minutes. As Spook mentioned it's a charging problem.

If ypu have the Bosh alternator look here: http://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-900/ElectricalStarting.htm#AlternatorGettingWeakRegulatorBrushReplacement

for info on how to check the brushes on the regulator. It's easy to do. Mine were worn out and I got a new set for $5. I took the alternator to a shop where they replaced the bearings and tested it with my fixed regulator.

It was so nice here today I went for a bike ride instead of installing the alt- maybe tomorrow.

Look all around the electrical part of the FAQ's for some great info.

Good luck,
Chuck
--
1988 745t 157k mi, 1995 945 120k mi

Dear Bridget,

Good a.m. and may this find you well. Did the warning lights come on suddenly, i.e., while you were driving, or did they stay lit - albeit dimly - once the car started?


Here are two possible causes:
(a) The alternator is not charging the battery, and the battery is about to give out. Symptom: the car won't crank at all, or the starter will turn, but weakly.
(b) Corroded and/or loose connection(s) behind the instrument cluster.

Cure for (a). Check the alternator belt. Is it there? If so, is it loose? (You should be able to depress it, with your index finger, about 3/16"). If you can depress it more than that, it is loose, and likely slipping. Do you hear a "screech", when you accelerate strongly? That, too, is a sign of a loose or "glazed" belt. A belt get "glazed", when the inner surface - in contact with the pulleys - works a little loose. Then, slippage "polishes" the rubber surface, making it even less able to grip. As the belt slips, friction heat builds up, weaking the belt. Eventually, the belt fails.

If the alternator belt is missing, loose, or glazed, replace it. If the battery has run-down, a "jump start" should put it right. If the battery is at the end of its working life (i.e., 58-62 months, on a 60-month battery), it doesn't owe you much.

I do not know which alternator - Bosch or Nippon Denso - was used in the 1991 Models. In either case, though, they seem to be very durable. If you have more than 250K miles / 400K Km, the alternator may need attention.

Cure for (b) Remove the cluster (see the FAQs) and check connections. In addition to the multi-wire plastic connectors, the screws at the back of the cluster, that secure the flexible circuit card to instruments should be checked, to ensure they're snug and free of corrosion.

Hope this helps. Please report your findings.