So, I turned on my car today and every dash light was on. My shift light, and all the lights on the center dash.

What could cause that?

 

Was it running??

You need to specify what you mean when you say you turned the car on. Was your engine running? did you just turn the key one click? Did you stall the car out?

If you stalled the car, THAT would definitely cause what you're describing.

 

I could be mistaken; I could be thinking of just the idiot gauge cluster.

But I think about everythitng comes on when you stall the car. Car could think it was stalled? That's all that comes to mind for me.

 

if u turned on ure car, and all the idiot lights go on then u need a new alternator.

 

^^i agree^^

 

^^i agree^^ or your belt broke

 

^^ yeah or ure alt belt broke and its not charging ure alternator. But its the alt, so change it before it drains ure battery any more and then ure gonna need a new batt.

 

It is either your Alternator failing or the plug on the back of the alternator is bad/disconnected.

 

I started the car and it ran. Drove it home, and sometimes the lights would flicker on and off.

The battery gauge thing was reading the 13.5 volts.

I have two belts, and it doesn't look like either has broken.

Thanks for the ideas. Maybe the alt is just going out? Bummer.

 

i have the same issue. The lights flicker on and off b ut the Alternator is fine and charges well. It might just be old solder points that have cracked and lose/make contact on bumpy roads. Remember these cars are old and we might need to re-solder a lot of things.