OK, who here can claim to be the master of electronics when it comes to the wiring, etc of our cars?

Everytime I put in the rear defog, my battery guage drops into the orange. If I give it gas it goes back up. I've replace the battery and had the alternator tested. So those two aren't the issues. The belt is tight so I know the alternator is charging the battery properly.

Oh yeah, and my rear tailights are acting wierd. When I put the signals on, instead of all the bulbs flashing on and off together, they alternate, kind of like a cop cars does when he has his lights flashing.

My Cruise control is no longer working either so maybe it's all linked?
Any ideas?

 

1: check spoiler brake lights

Second, there is supposed to be resistance on the rear window, are the wires getting hot? (the ones leading up to the rear window)?

check the voltage drop between rear window (negative prong) & ground, i'd have to look at it but have no time sorry dude, I'll check mine on the weekend & ask you for your numbers & we can compare, to me it seems like your POSITIVE wire going to the rear window defrost is shoring out to the frame bud, it could be anywhere on the car, I'd check the voltage at the prong at the rear window when defrost is on, if there is none, than there is a short along the line.

 

Most cars will actually go below spec when the rear defrost is on. Those things draw a lot of amps and they arent meant to be on very long. How did they test the alternator? A lot of guys test the max output of them... which is great and all but it doesnt tell you if the alternator is producing enough to run the car under normal circumstances. The way to do really test an alternator is to turn on all the normal stuff (lights, wipers, stereo) at idle and see what the volts drop down to before battery voltage. Turning the rear defrost on will almost always drop it down to battery voltage. Ask if other 4th gens do this or not. I bet they do.
CoryM