wiring trouble in a 91 sentra?

Question

hello...i have a 91 nissan sentra and i when i drive my e-brake light and battery light will come on simultaneously and sometimes flash super fast, each time making this sound as if it were sparking. when my headlights are on and this happens, my headlights dim and then get brighter and then return to normal once the two lights turn off. i think that the wire for the ebrake light and the wire from the batt light are crossed somewhere...but im not sure so im asking...Thanks in advance

Answer 1

Sounds like you have a short on that circuit. The only way to identify, if and where, is to perform voltage drop testing across the circuit. Its probably behind your instrument cluster and this is why your hearing the electrical short. Unless your knowledgeable about wiring and electrical testing, you should take it to a mechanic. If its a simple short it shouldn't be expensive. Hope this helps. Good luck.

Answer 2

Were you in a recent car accident?
Did you have the car worked on or repaired, recently, even if just for an oil change or light bulb change?
Is it possible that the recent heat wave caused wire insulation to melt, or dry and crack?
Is the parking (emergency or e-) brake on?

If the answer to any of the above questions is "Yes", then you may have a "short" on your hands. It can be difficult to trace, unless you have a fair idea of where the problem may be, given the above questions.

The "sparking" you hear, might be just the emergency lights flashing as opposed to "arcing" (i.e., electric flow between two points).

It could be that the computer sensor is a little out-of-whack. After writing down your favorite radio stations, disconnect the battery for about fifteen minutes, then reconnect it and see if the problem goes away (if you are not technically competent, then don't do this!).

Other than the above, there's little anyone can do to help you, online. If you had work done, recently, bring it back to the shop and complain. If you had an accident, have a mechanic look it over and fix it (given the symptoms, it sounds more annoying than dangerous, but better safe than sorry).

Good luck!