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I have a 1995 mx-3, 118k miles. This has happened 2 times sinced ive owned the car (2-3 months). When i drive and i step on the brakes everything cuts out. My stereo shuts off and turns back on, the heat restarts as if i turn it off and back on, all my dash lights go on and off, my speedo and tach and temp guage also go to the bottom and then back to the areas that they were at, and also my headlights go out and turn back on. This all happens within a split second and everything returns to normal untill the next time i hit my brakes. It will go on untill i shut the car off and turn it back on. It wont do it again for probably about a month. It seems like a huge power surge or something like that.

Also, after this happened on sunday 12/20, i turned the car off and tried turning it back on but it wouldnt crank. The dash lights came on half the time but didnt even come on other times. When i turn the key it doesnt do anything and in order for it to start i have to take the key out of the ignition and put it back in and turn it. It then starts. The performance of the car is not effected by this but i was just wondering why it does this. The alternator was relaced about 2 years ago. Maybe something with the ignition? Wiring? I have no clue. Thanks to everyone in advance. All the help and advice is appreciated.

My guess would be you have a bad/extremely loose ground wire somewhere, most likely leading to the alternator. I know in my car the RPMs drop by a hair for a split second when I brake at idle (it's more noticeable) and it's probably cause of the 15 year old ground wires.

Did someone run a non fused electrical wire around the pedal linkage and now it's shorting out?

yeah, it is electrical. Short or poor ground, but could be most anywhere and it is just that the brake lights are showing the issue more clearly. Start going over every wire in the engine bay looking for frayed spots or poor connections. Look for the grounds and make sure they are clean-ish and secure to the car chassis. Then move to the interior drivers footwell and do the same. GL!

PATDIESEL wrote:yeah, it is electrical. Short or poor ground, but could be most anywhere and it is just that the brake lights are showing the issue more clearly. Start going over every wire in the engine bay looking for frayed spots or poor connections. Look for the grounds and make sure they are clean-ish and secure to the car chassis. Then move to the interior drivers footwell and do the same. GL!

I will see what i can find. Thanks!!

i giggles a bit when I read this. not to insult the original poster, but because I am all too familiar with this issue. the fiancee had a 1995 mx3, with the EXACT same problem.

the solution was needing a new alternator.

THEN, believe it or not, not even a year after getting the new alternator, it started to happen again.

Also, this was only prevalent AFTER the installation of a sound system in the car. So, a ground issue could have very well caused the problem.

All in all, the cause was a bad alternator, which was only bad because of other issues.

I can see how this could be the case. In my 95 MX-3, when I would hit thebrakes, having such a weak alternator already, the lights would dim. Being bad it could cut out all together.