Nissan Repair: 98 Nissan Sentra electrical problem, nissan sentra, gauge panel

Question
Hello.

I have had my 98 Nissan sentra for about two years now and it's been a great car until today. It was just fine when I parked it yesterday. I got in it to go to work this morning and it wouldn't start.

As I turned the key, I got a low volume whine, as if a coil or cap was going or has gone bad. Most of my gauge panel lights came on, but all that had lit, had lit very dim. My locks, windows, stereo and cig lighter port were all dead.

I checked my battery with an all-in-one battery tester/charger/air compressor and the battery checked fine. I tested for continuity on all of the seemingly pertinent fuses in the dashboard fuse box. All of which also checked fine.

I decided to check for more symptoms with external lighting and found that none of my external lights work. Furthermore, when I pressed the hazard light button, I got the same sound I mentioned earlier, only it was much louder with the hazard light button then it was with the turning of the key.

I know that alot of what I have read from this website points to the alternator, but I am no auto-mechanic and I want to make sure that I am not taking any info, read thus far, out of context.

What would you say is most likey to be at fault for this description of symptoms and why?

Thank you.

Answer
Curtis,

Take the battery out and charge it.  Then if the amp meter or volt meter reads low I would change the alternator.  But, from all indications you battery was low on charge.  Yes, it might check good but if the charge is low the car will do all the things you are talking about.  And, it got that way by either the alternator being bad or something in the car running the battery down.  If you have an aftermarket stereo, alarm or such this can run the battery down.  So, battery charge first and then check the system to see that it is charging.  If it is then look for something like the dome light or one of the aftermarket devices running the battery down.