Hi there s2ki members

The symptoms are

1.) At random times, the Radio doesn't turn on for the first 5 minutes after I turned on the car.

and

2.) If I am at idle, whenever I turn on my high beams the engine will picks up revs just a little bit.

I am sure that this is a common problem because I read up a post on it before but just forgot the process to fix it. And I did a search but nothing really came up.

I don't believe I will have to totally replace the alternator, but instead just a certain part inside the alternator..?

 

I'm sure someone knows about this..

 

noone rebuilds alternators anymore. if your charging voltage is near or above 14 your alternator isnt the problem. but i think the radio is just a bad connection or another electrical problem. and the idle jumping is a reaction to the extra load on the engine caused by more magnetism being created by putting extra load on the alternator. as if something were to be holding the belt back. check the connections at the back of your radio

 

With regards to 1., my S2000 does exactly that - try unplug the audio controls (wrapping the Start button) - see if it still does it - mine works fine when uplugged, but does what you describe when plugged in.

 

I had that on my 'tegra. It was a bad ground. I spent a bunch of money rebuilding the starter, coolant sensor (temp gauge was whack) and an alternator. Also, under-hood fuse box with the voltage load chip in it, and all to no avail. I was just a loose ground bolt tranny-to-frame. It was that thick multi-strand wire.

Go to a darkish environment (garage). turn ign on, not the engine. Look at your all lights on the dashboard, backlight on buttons, and see if their brightness is different.

They use different grounding points. The good ones will be brighter (normal bright). The ones going to the bad ground, slightly dim.