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2001 Kia Magentis - weird electrical issue
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the4a
New User
Mar 20, 2015, 6:12 AM
Post #1 of 6
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2001 Kia Magentis - weird electrical issue
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Having some weird electrical issues with my Magentis. It started last weekend when the oil light came on, and then slowly faded away as I was driving (I checked, the oil level was OK). It came on again the next day and then faded away again, but the day after that the battery light came on with it. The stereo started cutting out next, and when we pulled over the car wouldn't start.
Had it towed home and replaced the alternator yesterday, and everything seemed to be OK. Took it for 3 drives and there were no issues. This morning the oil light came on again, though, and once again faded away before I got to work.
Could it be another bad alternator? A bad battery? I'm stumped on this one.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Mar 20, 2015, 6:23 AM
Post #2 of 6
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Re: 2001 Kia Magentis - weird electrical issue
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I tend to doubt any connection with a non charging alternator now fixed and the oil light. Which light? Many there are two, one to say check level and one should mean low oil pressure - that one if real is quickly fatal for your engine so need to know the real pressure with a gauge put on the engine to find out for sure. If sender is faulty take it from there. YOU MUST KNOW YOU HAVE PROPER OIL PRESSURE OR WILL LOSE THIS ENGINE!
T
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the4a
New User
Mar 20, 2015, 6:40 AM
Post #3 of 6
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Re: 2001 Kia Magentis - weird electrical issue
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What makes me suspect electrical is that it's the same alternator symptoms starting again. The oil pressure light isn't going on/off, it's slowly fading away until it's dark again. Could be a coincidence, and I'm going to get the pressure checked, but that's precisely how the issues started last weekend.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Mar 20, 2015, 7:02 AM
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Re: 2001 Kia Magentis - weird electrical issue
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Yes - the real oil pressure is a must and I suggest until you know for sure if you hear engine rattle/knocking or the oil light again shut it off at once.
You simply must know mechanically on engine even if that isn't it there's a chance it's real and1-2-3 fatal! No grace on that.
So if alternator and all are repeating original problems you probably do have a wiring issue that could cause both. IDK how close the warning bulbs are but slight chance one makes another close by seem on or dimly on. You can tell your alternator isn't charging as car will lose power slowly, directionals stop blinking, engine loses power, lights ALL are dim and so on then you are stuck when engine quits. The oil is an engine heart attack warning - get the difference?
If this is all caused by lousy wiring and connections you would need to start looking around for corrosion issues and move on to electrical tests when they are know OK if so,
T
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the4a
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Mar 20, 2015, 7:54 AM
Post #5 of 6
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Re: 2001 Kia Magentis - weird electrical issue
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Thanks again. I know the oil level itself is fine, but I'm going to get the pressure checked.
My father-in-law suspects a bad grounding issue, which I'll get checked at the same time. He says that can produce low pressure (which would explain the light), and we have had intermittent noise in the stereo that I assumed was a speaker going bad (my son likes it loud) but, in hindsight, could have been our first warning.
(This post was edited by the4a on Mar 20, 2015, 8:28 AM)
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Mar 20, 2015, 9:05 AM
Post #6 of 6
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Re: 2001 Kia Magentis - weird electrical issue
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Right about grounds - all must be good from battery on and assorted straps and other to body metal or engine block metal. You can use a jumper clip (good one) to add ground item by item for some testing.
REAL OIL PRESSURE IS NOT ALTERED BY A GROUND, LOUD STEREO AT ALL - a warning with false info can. That's why you take out the oil pressure switch and put a gauge in that hole and watch the oil pressure - nothing electrical except with engine running and assorted temps and RPMs would be nice. Oil pressure is mechanical made in oil pan by the engine turning physically such that even a non starting engine would produce oil pressure if cranking well. Got that? Is this car worth a whole new engine for being wrong? That's what's at stake.
Lights and gauges get their signals electrically to see inside on dash and can be bad gauge, wiring anywhere along right to the gauge which can be bad or perhaps whole instrument cluster isn't getting a good connection at a plug or all wrong - we don't know yet without and worry about real oil pressure first.
Most oil pumps, pump properly if oil level is right. Reasons for low oil pressure warnings can include a problem with the pump itself, the pick up screen may be plugged with debris or sludge (not good at all,) a truly worn engine, or then switch/sender on to gauge anything.
Real low oil pressure or the horrors of NO oil pressure the engine would about always have a knocking sound first and no real telling how long before it would seize up - game over if that happens. Get testing,
T
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