brake/battery indicator lights

Hello all and thanks in advance for any help you can give me!

I have a 99 maxima with just over 66K. I recently started having some
issues. For a few weeks prior this issue, the engine was cranking very slow
but only when the engine was cold. I figured that it would probably be
needing a battery soon as this was the Nissan original battery in the car.
On thursday, 12/13, I was traveling down the road about 4:00 when suddenly I
lost power to the radio, fan, and all of the other accessories. Next, all
of my indicators lit up but the engine was still running. I was on a busy
road with only a ditch next to me so I drove it about a 1/4 mile til a point
where I could pull off. As soon as I came to a stop, the engine stalled.
I tried to start the car but it was as if the battery was dead - no
cranking, no power to the radio, just clicking. At that point I suspected
the alternator. I had a portable unit that jump starts dead batteries in
the trunk so I tried to use it to start the car to see what would happen.
The engine ran for about 15 seconds then stalled once again. $75 later, I
had the car towed about 8 miles to the local Midas where I usually get any
work done on the car. The tow operator mangled the bottom of the bumper
because I was on uneven ground which as you could imagine really
"brightened" the situation. When the car arrived, it was about 5:45, just
15 minutes before they closed so I told them to wait until the next morning,
but they insisted on getting it in that moment.
They started the car with their portable starter and brought it in.
They told me that they tested the alternator and it was charging. They told
me I did need a new battery however so I let them put one in. I did not
know that the battery plus installation would cost me a rediculous $145 ($22
of which was labor - batteries are pretty heavy?). After I payed and got in
the car, the check engine light was on. He told me to bring it back
tomorrow morning and they'd take a look. When I left I realized that the
driver's side headlight was out and that the windshield sprayer pump did not
work. Also, everything was a little dim - wipers moved slow, dash lights
were dim, headlights dim, etc. I also could here one of the pumps
"whining".
I brought it back the next morning which was now friday, 12/14 and they
told me that the check engine light was from the mass airflow sensor. They
reset the light and it hasn't come back on so far. They told me the
headlight was out because the socket was melted and the sprayer pump was
fried. They replaced both for a "convenient" $128. Everything was still
dim but I left. Later that night, about 7:00 pm, the same thing happened as
the night before - lost power, stalled, then dead battery. Another $75, it
was towed back to Midas.
I left the keys in the key drop so they called me the next morning,
Saturday, 12/15. They said they tested the alternator and it was still
charging but a half hour later they tested it again and it stopped charging
so I had an intermittant problem. They replaced the alternator with a
reman. alternator and new belts for $548. I came to get the car and now
nothing was dim and the whining sound went away. I thought I finally was
done with all that mess. Later that night after the car was sitting about
6-8 hours, I started the car about 10:00pm and the belts were squealing bad
and I the brake and battery indicators were on. The squealing and the
lights went away as soon as the car warmed up.
I took it back again Monday 12/17 and they tightened the belts and told
me the lights were probably on because the loose belts weren't driving the
alternator fast enough. I brushed it off and left. The squealing never
came back but the brake and battery indicators still come on every time the
engine is cold until it warms up, about 3-4 minutes after it starts. I am
through dealing with Midas. My question to you all is...do you have any
idea what may be causing the indicators?

Again thanks for any help in advance.

-Nick L.

On Dec 24, 7:18 pm, "N.H.L ---> KSU '11" <no emails please> wrote:
> Hello all and thanks in advance for any help you can give me!
>
>     I have a 99 maxima with just over 66K.  I recently started having some
> issues.  For a few weeks prior this issue, the engine was cranking very slow
> but only when the engine was cold.  I figured that it would probably be
> needing a battery soon as this was the Nissan original battery in the car.
> On thursday, 12/13, I was traveling down the road about 4:00 when suddenly I
> lost power to the radio, fan, and all of the other accessories.  Next, all
> of my indicators lit up but the engine was still running.  I was on a busy
> road with only a ditch next to me so I drove it about a 1/4 mile til a point
> where I could pull off.  As soon as I came to a stop, the engine stalled..
>     I tried to start the car but it was as if the battery was dead - no
> cranking, no power to the radio, just clicking.  At that point I suspected
> the alternator.  I had a portable unit that jump starts dead batteries in
> the trunk so I tried to use it to start the car to see what would happen.
> The engine ran for about 15 seconds then stalled once again.  $75 later, I
> had the car towed about 8 miles to the local Midas where I usually get any
> work done on the car.  The tow operator mangled the bottom of the bumper
> because I was on uneven ground which as you could imagine really
> "brightened" the situation.  When the car arrived, it was about 5:45, just
> 15 minutes before they closed so I told them to wait until the next morning,
> but they insisted on getting it in that moment.
>     They started the car with their portable starter and brought it in..
> They told me that they tested the alternator and it was charging.  They told
> me I did need a new battery however so I let them put one in.  I did not
> know that the battery plus installation would cost me a rediculous $145 ($22
> of which was labor - batteries are pretty heavy?).  After I payed and got in
> the car, the check engine light was on.  He told me to bring it back
> tomorrow morning and they'd take a look.  When I left I realized that the
> driver's side headlight was out and that the windshield sprayer pump did not
> work.  Also, everything was a little dim - wipers moved slow, dash lights
> were dim, headlights dim, etc.  I also could here one of the pumps
> "whining".
>     I brought it back the next morning which was now friday, 12/14 and they
> told me that the check engine light was from the mass airflow sensor.  They
> reset the light and it hasn't come back on so far.  They told me the
> headlight was out because the socket was melted and the sprayer pump was
> fried.  They replaced both for a "convenient" $128.  Everything was still
> dim but I left.  Later that night, about 7:00 pm, the same thing happened as
> the night before - lost power, stalled, then dead battery.  Another $75, it
> was towed back to Midas.
>     I left the keys in the key drop so they called me the next morning,
> Saturday, 12/15.  They said they tested the alternator and it was still
> charging but a half hour later they tested it again and it stopped charging
> so I had an intermittant problem.  They replaced the alternator with a
> reman. alternator and new belts for $548.  I came to get the car and now
> nothing was dim and the whining sound went away.  I thought I finally was
> done with all that mess.  Later that night after the car was sitting about
> 6-8 hours, I started the car about 10:00pm and the belts were squealing bad
> and I the brake and battery indicators were on.  The squealing and the
> lights went away as soon as the car warmed up.
>     I took it back again Monday 12/17 and they tightened the belts and told
> me the lights were probably on because the loose belts weren't driving the
> alternator fast enough.  I brushed it off and left.  The squealing never
> came back but the brake and battery indicators still come on every time the
> engine is cold until it warms up, about 3-4 minutes after it starts.  I am
> through dealing with Midas.  My question to you all is...do you have any
> idea what may be causing the indicators?
>
> Again thanks for any help in advance.
>
> -Nick L.

Nick,

I would go to Autozone or Checker and get a free electrical
inspection. Sounds like the charging system is not quite right as
that is the usual cause of the lights you describe. Now, it could be
as simple as a loose connection at the battery, alternator or
starter. Or, just a loose fuse or fuse link. Once you have the
system inspected post what they find. I do not go to Midas because of
what you described in your experience with them. Last time I went
there was in 1981 and I have not been back because of a similar
experience.