Bad Alternator? 98 Ls400

[Jarebear]

I was coming back from school today and as I was getting close to my apartment, a headlight leveling warning came up on my dash, then the battery light, then the car said check vsc, and then my radio started turning off. Bad alternator? Or bad battery?

[1990LS400]

See if there any stored error codes. Have your battery tested. Make sure that your battery clamps and terminals are absolutely shiny clean with no hint of corrosion. Swipe a clean cloth or paper towel underneath and around your PS pump to verify that it is not leaking fluid onto the alternator - check the PS pump fluid level too. The information you provided is not inadequate for diagnosing the problem. Guessing can be very expensive.

[pj8708]

See if there any stored error codes. Have your battery tested. Make sure that your battery clamps and terminals are absolutely shiny clean with no hint of corrosion. Swipe a clean cloth or paper towel underneath and around your PS pump to verify that it is not leaking fluid onto the alternator - check the PS pump fluid level too. The information you provided is not inadequate for diagnosing the problem. Guessing can be very expensive.

I agree. The information provided is not "inadequate" for diagnosing the problem.( I just had to Jim.)

[landar]

Good catch. Double negative. If the OP knows how to use a voltmeter, that is probably all that is needed to determine the issue.

[steve2006]

IIRC 1998 models do not have the PS pump located above the alternator?

[1990LS400]

IIRC 1998 models do not have the PS pump located above the alternator?

Well I hope the PS pump is still above the alternator since the repair shop I use told me a couple of years that the PS pump on my 2000 LS400 was just starting to leak fluid on to the alternator. I then had the PS pump replaced. At least it took over 11 years for it to start leaking. I went though countless PS pumps on my 90 LS400 over the 13+ years I had it.

[landar]

Well the PS is located slightly left of the alternator so it is not as likely to drip on the alt. but I would not want to place any bets on it NOT leaking into the alt. because the PS fluid could run along the right side of the PS pump and into the alt.