Problems again :P - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

juarez · 05-09-2004, 04:11

Alrighty, this is interesting.. been driving around lately, and the battery light flashes on for 1-2 seconds, or less a few times in a row, and this happens 2-3 times in a row, then not again for another hour or more of driving.

Firstly, what does this battery warning light indicate? Just low voltage?

Here are the three possibilities:
1) Mum suggested that she had this problem ages ago, then the battery died shortly after.. it is 2 years old now, so it might be dying.. I dunno

2) Earth strap is ****ed, or some connection somewhere is ****ed somehow.. what should I look for?

3) Alternator is dying.. does it sort've stop generating power for half a second every now and then? I would have thought it would just stop dead when either the bearings seize or the coil somehow burns or something...

Anything else it might be? As I said, no affect on the car, although occasionally lately, it will just lose power for a little burst here and there (might be cause I'm running it low on LPG)..

swoopa · 05-09-2004, 04:18

check if the alternator has a removable bush pack(on the end of plug in to alt) if so start car and look behind it for sparks loosen till it stops the volt gauge pulsing if it does this ,just replace the bushes $50

qwikcorty · 05-09-2004, 04:40

when my alternator went, it died because the brushes wore through the copper bush on the shaft through to steel. i got 2 days driving from just the battery while i waiting for a new alternator. I thought i would have stuffed the battery by doing that but its fine.

juarez · 05-09-2004, 17:36

Ok, so I took a measurement of the battery voltage, came out at 11.58v (engine off)...

Is this good or bad?

galapogos01 · 05-09-2004, 18:48

thats bad!

Need PSI · 05-09-2004, 20:24

ive had the same problem since i bought my car 1.1years now. only two weeks ago it started getting really bad, and the light stayed on, the next thing i knew i couldnt go get parts at work because my battery was dead flat, and once i got it going again every time i touched the brakes the speedo and dash would turn off. the regulator at the back of the alternator was hammered and the centre of the alternator was full of oil and gunk. the cost for my old man to get a change over was 165bux when i could have got it through work for 110bux. first try cleaningyour battery terminals and earth straps with hot water then wire brush them lightly, if that dont work then its more then likely your alternator.

Glock · 05-09-2004, 21:02

I had this problem, the battery light would flicker on and off then sometimes stay on while driving. I had the voltage and cables checked and everything was fine, the problem turned out to be an oil leak from the head into the alternator, I can't remember how much it cost me to repair, but it was about 300 from memory.

juarez · 05-10-2004, 01:36

Well, I can only hope it is a battery problem, not an alternator problem, but not sure how I can check it :( The only reason I said alternator is cause the alt. belt has been chewed twice lately, and I thought the alternator might be seized up..

As for the earth straps etc.. where should I be looking at (aside from the battery terminals) to clean the other ends of the connections? I'll give all of that a cleaning, but I don't think that will be the problem :(

not ford · 05-10-2004, 03:44

Check the voltage at the battery when the engine is idling, it should be ~14.2V.

Aussiblue · 05-10-2004, 03:52

Suspect voltage regulator in alternator; not too expensive.