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1992 Loyale electrical issues


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Hello, so I bought a '92 loyale 6 weeks ago off craigslist, 240k mi on it. Its my first car and I'm really excited but a couple weeks ago the tail running lights went out and I got pulled over. I replaced the bulbs, still out. Brought it to a mechanic and after checking some stuff he is hesitant to start checking wires for shorts. He doesnt have a wiring diagram and cant find one online. I know little about cars and less about car wiring, so any help is very appreciated!!

 

More info:

-All fuses were checked by the mechanic and are good

-Headlights work

-Mechanic removed headlight switch and all four of those copper switch things move and get power

-Mechanic also checked tail sockets for voltage, brake light side works but tail light side doesnt, he said.

-Hazard lights work (besides front left)

 

-Car battery is from 2014, has lower but okay voltage according to walmart battery test. One of the two O clamp things on the battery is cracked and I'm going to replace it. 

-Went to start car a couple mornings and battery was dead, but could start up immediately after jumper cables were connected

-Dome light is out

-Front left blinker is out

-Dashlights just failed a couple days ago

-Cigarette lighter doesn't convert power or heat up. This is important because I need to plug a converter in.

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You need to check the voltage on the battery when the car is off, then when running. Those numbers will help figure out the starting problem.

 

Someone may post a link to an online / download able factory service manual. They show all of the wire colors, routing, connector pins.

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Okay I just flipped the rocker switch on top of the steering column both ways and no luck. I'll get those numbers on the battery voltage tomorrow. Thanks for the responses!

 

If anyone does have the manual, that would be amazing. My wagon is a 4x4 1.8L manual 5-speed.

Edited by subbiecamping
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That rocker switch on every one I've had turns on the parking lights only, when the key is off.  Many people first learn of it when it drains their battery the first time.   It exists because normally, all of the lights are switched off when the key is switched off, which saves you from finding a dead battery after driving somewhere on a rainy day and forgetting to switch off the lights when you park.

 

Things / threads to read -

 

Any of the coolant system / overheat / head gasket threads.

Timing belt threads.

Stay on top of these 2 things, and you can have a reliable inexpensive car.

 

Typical OEM alternator life is 150K miles.  At about that mileage, one of the brushes wears down enough to loose contact with it's slip ring, and it no longer charges at full output.  you eventually find out when the car won't start due to low battery charge.

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These cars do wacky things with a discharged battery. When me and my chick were camping the dome light stopped working and that was the only clue we got that we had a dead battery! Thank god for hills and manual transmissions!!

Hook up your jumpers again and try all the crap that doesn't work. If you can start and drive it, fo it! But don't go too far from home and turn the car off! If it doesn't start again or dies somewhere, (stay in the neighborhood!) then you need a new alternator

As far as your tail lights, just wire in a couple of new sockets, these cars have a common style of socket. Or better yet, go to the junkyard and take the whole harness

Edited by sparkyboy
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Sorry for the delay, battery voltage when off was 657 volts and the battery is rated at zero fahrenhiet is 700 volts. I replaced both terminals.

 

The only improvement I can tell is it maybe possibly starts up a little faster, but so far I still get low battery warning. The dead on start up only happened two days in a row a while back and hasnt happened since.

 

I'm going to buy an online manual and see my mechanic by the end of the week about testing the sockets and then checking for shorts. I'll post updates as they come up.

 

Something I forgot to mention: when I'd have the radio on, the speaker on the right side of the car only works intermittently. I'm reading up on the alternator and this issue sounds characteristic. However, my headlights still seem fine. But I haven't been driving at night since the tail lights went out so I cant be sure. Any recommendations on where and what alternator I should buy?

 

Also, I think the previous owner said the timing belt was recently replaced. Is it possible it was put on too tight, causing the alternator to wear down?

Edited by subbiecamping
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Something is confused about the battery. No car battery is 700 volts.

 

Resting voltage should measure 12.6V fully charged good condition battery. 12.0V fully discharged.

 

Timing belts have nothing to do with the alternator. They are under the black plastic covers on the front of the engine.

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Was definitely confused, sorry!

I'm looking at the battery-test receipt now: Voltage 12.77, measured 657 CCA, rated 700 CCA, temp 70F.

 

Good to know that about the alternator. Does it sound like there is an alternator problem though? I'll check the relays when this PNW windstorm dies down, unfortunately no garage. Mechanic checked the wiring where it meets the sockets and it was faulty, so the sockets themselves should be fine. The last few days its had slow rough starts, possibly cold weather related.

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Sounds like the battery is good. If the alternator not charging sufficiently is causing problems, it would show up as slowly lowering resting voltage. It also may show up as lower than 13.8v on the battery terminals while the engine is running. Check with everything electric off, around 1000rpm.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Walmart wouldn't test the battery while the engine was running.

 

I took it to a Subaru dealership and this is the diagnostic report:

"found fuse blown, installed circuit breaker to monitor current draw. power from switch ok. grounding is poor at all park sockets. the only wiring schematic we had was for 88 loyale. close but some wire colors were not consistent. determined cause to be faulty rocker switch on top of column. part is no longer available new."

 

I guess the first mechanic missed the burnt fuse. You guys were on target about the rocker switch. I'm going to get one used from a pick-and-pull. Since picking my car up, the rocker switch does turn the running lights on!

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