T/C + ABS light - Stereo turned off - lights dimming

[GoldenHolden]

Hi, I own a 2001 VX series II HSV Clubsport R8
I have read some posts about T/C light coming on but none seem to describe what has happened to mine. Searched Google to no avail

Went on a road trip last weekend (4 hour drive) 1 hour into the drive (up a windy gorge) the TC and ABS lights came on and stayed on. The stereo then switched off. Got to the other side of the hill and turned the car off. Tried to start and the battery was flat. Got it jump started and drove to try and charge the battery only to have it go dark and then once I turned the lights on they would go dull for a while and then go fine again. When they went real dull the TC and ABS lights would come on again. So I was thinking that it must be the alternator. Got to my destination, turned car off, went to bed, got up the next morning and the car started fine. Looked around the alternator but didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. Drove around in town for a couple of days and still fine. Drove back to home (4 hour trip) and what do you know!!! The bloody thing went fine with no issues at all!!! Even thought I ran the AC, lights and wipers!!! No issues at all!!

Now I'm thinking a faulty Voltage Regulator? Holden here in NZ say that if it is that it's the first that they have heard of it!

Any help would be appreciated!!

Shane

[Woodchukka]

It sounds like the brushes in the alternator are worn and getting a little short or getting stuck in the brush holders. They can move away from the commutator stop charging and then you run only on the battery until it dies however they can slip back out and continue charging like there was never a problem. How many km's are on the car? Is or has the power steer pump leaked onto the alternator? If it happens again and you can safely get something to give the alternator a firm tap (not flog it with all your might) the alternator this can shake them free and all is good (for a short while). If that works then it is likely the brushes.

[GoldenHolden]

Thanks for the reply!
The cars done over 160 000km. Can't remember exact numbers. I did not notice any fluids on the alternator. In fact, from what I could see it looked really clean if that makes sense. Thanks for the tip, I will give it a try next time!

[nwrightau]

Hey man I had a pretty similar issue on my VY calais - turned out it was the alternator voltage regulator. ABS/TC light would go on and off all the time, when it got worse all the lights dimmed and just about every light went off and on, voltage reg replace and no dramas. That was when it was a 6 thought, not sure if you can replace just the voltage reg in an ls1 alternator so you might need to replace the whole thing.

Also check the charging lead that goes from the alternator to the battery, mine snapped in two bits.

[Bling Bling]

Check battery terminals and check charging rate (13.9 to 14.2) good luck.

[smash69]

When I bought my cv8, the previous owner was going insane chasing a intermittent fault that would shut the stereo down and throw a couple of dash lights every now and then.
After owning it a couple of days I noticed the negative terminal clamp was cracked nearly all the way thru, but from the bottom where you could barely see it.
Put a new terminal clamp on, has never happened since.

[GoldenHolden]

Just rang Holden here in NZ, about $900 for a new voltage regulator!!!!! Good old Holden aye!! Cheaper to buy a new alternator at around $500!! I will contact some auto electricians and see what they can do. In the mean time I will check all the cabling and connections again. I did do a quick check but found nothing out of the ordinary. Battery terminals were tight and didn't move. Plugs on the back of the alternator looked fine and were plugged in properly and the cable looked fine then. But I will get underneath and have a better look at it all.

[IJ.]

Brand new Bosch Alternators on e-bay for around the $200 mark, surely shipping can't be that much to NZ.