battery light
Thread Starter
still alive
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 841
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From: Huntsville, AL
battery light
I was driving the Civic the other day when I noticed the battery light had come on. I changed my alternator belt and checked the tension of it. Since then the battery light will still come on. I hear no squeaking from the alternator belt and the terminals are tight. Could the alternator be going bad? It's the same alternator the car had 193,000 miles ago.
のんびり～(´ε｀)
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: San Jo, Cali
How old is your battery? Typical batteries only last about 2-4 years before they start dying. As for your alternator, if you want to see if it's charging properly, go to an auto parts store and have them test it. Or, just do the ghetto check and start the car, then pull the negative battery lead off. If the engine keeps running nomrally, your alternator is fine. If it stalls and dies, start looking into a new alternator.
Thread Starter
still alive
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 841
Likes: 0
From: Huntsville, AL
Well, today I was driving along with the usual battery light on when I noticed the clock was getting dim so I shut off my headlights and by the time I got to AutoZone, the car was running, but the batt was so low that I couldn't use the turn signals. I got the battery checked and checked my terminals. Both were good. I had to jump the car to leave AutoZone and then the battery light went off. I think my alternator is siezing up or is just tempermental, because driving home it was fine the whole way. I still drove with my headlights off.
The testing machine at the place was messed up so I couldn't test it.
The testing machine at the place was messed up so I couldn't test it.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,994
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Alternator. First, make sure the alternator frame is grounded properly, and its wires are on tight. If the battery were bad, I don't think the idiot light would come on. That comes from the charging system, & it doesn't know how to detect a bad battery.
Be careful about just disconnecting the battery with the engine running. Voltage spikes aren't too healthy for your ECU.
I'm guessing the voltage regulator. Maybe its brushes are just worn out; 190k miles is pretty good for brush life.
Be careful about just disconnecting the battery with the engine running. Voltage spikes aren't too healthy for your ECU.
I'm guessing the voltage regulator. Maybe its brushes are just worn out; 190k miles is pretty good for brush life.