My battery light continues to come on

[Ubel Knubel]

So, I recently started college (three weeks ago) and my car had been running superb right up until two days before my move-in date. My battery light would come on and then turn off and would continue this cycle for a very long time. So, my dad and I looked at the terminals and the positive one was black from being so hot, so we replaced the terminals and drove my car to my college (three and a half hours away) and about 20 miles from campus the light came on again, once we stopped at a gas station to refuel it turned back off. It didn't come back on again until about two days later when I went to my church out here and the idle was awful, it drove fine, the idle just sucked butt. So I went to Autozone and Orielly's and after forever it seemed like, got a new battery from Orielly's and this fixed the problem. Until last night. The light came back on, terminals look clean, they're tight, and it's anew battery. We recently replaced the clutch about 2000 miles ago and had the tranny out so maybe we didn't connect a ground back or something? let me know if you guys have any ideas as to what it may be. Thanks!

 

[kms1990]

the battery light means the system voltage is not within the correct range while the vehicle is running, this voltage is anywhere from 13.5-14.5 depending on electrical load. do you have any aftermarket stereo equipment, if so check for too much power draw on them. if not or no equipment is in the car check all your connections from the battery to the car such as its ground and where it hooks on to the fuse box, also check for corrosion in the wires as well. usually the battery light indicates a failing alternator component as this is what keeps the system at correct voltage while car is running, check that the wires are tight and corrosion free on the alternator and check the belt tightness for the alternator belt if all checks out swing it back by autozone or a local parts store near you that can test alternators and have it checked, you may need a new one.

 

[Ubel Knubel]

Well I had the alternator checked as well and it was good. we replaced the alternator about a year ago so it should be good. I only have a head units and a single 12" sub and I also have HID's. but my radio is always off and my headlights haven't been on when this happens. I'm going to go inspect it here soon and see what i find.

 

[915_P5]

I thinking alternator, could be faulty. Not charging the battery correctly.

 

[hotcracker69]

Well I had the alternator checked as well and it was good. we replaced the alternator about a year ago so it should be good. I only have a head units and a single 12" sub and I also have HID's. but my radio is always off and my headlights haven't been on when this happens. I'm going to go inspect it here soon and see what i find.

check the ground cable is connected .

just because the alternator was replaced a year ago doe not mean is good and cannot fail.

make sure the belt on the alternator is not slipping

 

[kms1990]

yeah check anything that touches the alternator

 

[Ubel Knubel]

so, the ground cable that is bolted to that plate on the strut tower was super rusty, so i got at it with a wire brush and that seemed to fix the problem. I drove to my church tonight (meet on tuesdays) and the light never came on. tomorrow I'm going to check the ground cable with the yellow line on it that bolts to the engine block. My dad suspects we didn't tighten it down properly and this is causing the problem. we'll see though. thanks for all the feed back guys!

 

[kms1990]

not a problem, glad we could help. let us know when its 100%

 

[Ubel Knubel]

Just to update you all, I found the crimp for the positive cable was corroded bad. So I cut it off and took what wire I had left, and screwed it down on the terminal where the two screws tighten that plate down. All is well in the pr5 land for me! Thanks again guys!

 

[hotcracker69]

Just to update you all, I found the crimp for the positive cable was corroded bad. So I cut it off and took what wire I had left, and screwed it down on the terminal where the two screws tighten that plate down. All is well in the pr5 land for me! Thanks again guys!

Glad we could help. Dont just repair it . Find out how to prevent it for.happening again. The do sell a spray to reduce or prevent corrosion.