When The Battery Light Comes On Does This Mean The Battery Is Going Dead?

The generator light came on while I was driving but the next day all I heard
was a clicking sound when I tried to start it. Headlights come on dimly. Is
this usually just the battery or something more serious? Before this I had
no indication that the battery was getting weak. The little battery light
would come on when I first started the car and then go off as is normal.

>The generator light came on while I was driving but the next day all I heard
>was a clicking sound when I tried to start it. Headlights come on dimly. Is
>this usually just the battery or something more serious? Before this I had
>no indication that the battery was getting weak. The little battery light
>would come on when I first started the car and then go off as is normal.
>

It probably means that your alternator went, and ran the battery dead. If the
battery is fairly new, replace the alternator and you should be fine. If the
batt is getting old, replace it as well.

"BANDIT2941" > wrote in message
...
> >The generator light came on while I was driving but the next day all I
heard
> >was a clicking sound when I tried to start it. Headlights come on dimly.
Is
> >this usually just the battery or something more serious? Before this I
had
> >no indication that the battery was getting weak. The little battery light
> >would come on when I first started the car and then go off as is normal.
> >
>
> It probably means that your alternator went, and ran the battery dead.

Someone who knows cars told me that if the lights come on even dimly, it's
not the alternator just the battery. Anyway, how much does it cost to
replace the alternator on a '96 Saturn SL?




If the
> battery is fairly new, replace the alternator and you should be fine. If
the
> batt is getting old, replace it as well.

In article >, bandit2941
@aol.comNHRA says...
> >The generator light came on while I was driving but the next day all I heard
> >was a clicking sound when I tried to start it. Headlights come on dimly. Is
> >this usually just the battery or something more serious? Before this I had
> >no indication that the battery was getting weak. The little battery light
> >would come on when I first started the car and then go off as is normal.
> >
>
> It probably means that your alternator went, and ran the battery dead. If the
> battery is fairly new, replace the alternator and you should be fine. If the
> batt is getting old, replace it as well.


If you replace the alt, charge the battery up prior to running the car
so as not to overwork the new alt. If I were you I would probably check
for a parasitic draw as well.

> Someone who knows cars told me that if the lights come on even dimly, it's
> not the alternator just the battery. Anyway, how much does it cost to
> replace the alternator on a '96 Saturn SL?
>

On Sauternes that battery light is actually an indicator that the alternator
is going out. I had to replace mine on my 95SL1 early this year or late
last year.

Since I didn't have the tools to do the work myself I had to take my car
into a shop to do the work. I can't remember exactly how much I spent, but
I did save some money by buying the alternator from an autoparts store
myself and then taking it to the mechanic to be installed. That way the
shop did not have to charge me a mark up on the part.

I did not change my battery when I changed the alternator and have not had
any problems with it.

Mark.

Zaphod wrote:
> I can't remember exactly how much I spent, but
> I did save some money by buying the alternator from an autoparts store
> myself and then taking it to the mechanic to be installed.

Did this affect the warranty or repair garuntee that the shop normally
provides as part of their service? IIRC, many shops won't allow you
to give them the replacement parts, since they say they can't be sure
where the part you gave them came from.

-rj
98SL2

"Blah Blah" > wrote in message
...
> In article >, bandit2941
> @aol.comNHRA says...
> > >The generator light came on while I was driving but the next day all I
heard
> > >was a clicking sound when I tried to start it. Headlights come on
dimly. Is
> > >this usually just the battery or something more serious? Before this I
had
> > >no indication that the battery was getting weak. The little battery
light
> > >would come on when I first started the car and then go off as is
normal.
> > >
> >
> > It probably means that your alternator went, and ran the battery dead.
If the
> > battery is fairly new, replace the alternator and you should be fine. If
the
> > batt is getting old, replace it as well.
>
>
> If you replace the alt, charge the battery up prior to running the car
> so as not to overwork the new alt. If I were you I would probably check
> for a parasitic draw as well.

Where are the most likely places to look if the battery is being drained?

In article >,
says...
>
> "Blah Blah" > wrote in message
> ...
> > In article >, bandit2941
> > @aol.comNHRA says...
> > > >The generator light came on while I was driving but the next day all I
> heard
> > > >was a clicking sound when I tried to start it. Headlights come on
> dimly. Is
> > > >this usually just the battery or something more serious? Before this I
> had
> > > >no indication that the battery was getting weak. The little battery
> light
> > > >would come on when I first started the car and then go off as is
> normal.
> > > >
> > >
> > > It probably means that your alternator went, and ran the battery dead.
> If the
> > > battery is fairly new, replace the alternator and you should be fine. If
> the
> > > batt is getting old, replace it as well.
> >
> >
> > If you replace the alt, charge the battery up prior to running the car
> > so as not to overwork the new alt. If I were you I would probably check
> > for a parasitic draw as well.
>
> Where are the most likely places to look if the battery is being drained?
>
>

You usually pull one fuse from the fuse block at a time to see if there
is a large drop in amps being drawn. First you need to know what the
typical draw is. A google search for "parasitic draw test" should
provide you with what you need to know.

Look under the car for a puddle of electrons.

;-)

"John" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Blah Blah" > wrote in message
> ...
> > In article >, bandit2941
> > @aol.comNHRA says...
> > > >The generator light came on while I was driving but the next day all
I
> heard
> > > >was a clicking sound when I tried to start it. Headlights come on
> dimly. Is
> > > >this usually just the battery or something more serious? Before this
I
> had
> > > >no indication that the battery was getting weak. The little battery
> light
> > > >would come on when I first started the car and then go off as is
> normal.
> > > >
> > >
> > > It probably means that your alternator went, and ran the battery dead.
> If the
> > > battery is fairly new, replace the alternator and you should be fine.
If
> the
> > > batt is getting old, replace it as well.
> >
> >
> > If you replace the alt, charge the battery up prior to running the car
> > so as not to overwork the new alt. If I were you I would probably check
> > for a parasitic draw as well.
>
> Where are the most likely places to look if the battery is being drained?
>
>

Presumably your battery is dead now, but the battery light indicates a
problem in the charging system, most likely your alternator is bad.

--
Robert Hancock Saskatoon, SK, Canada
To email, remove "nospam" from
Home Page: http://www.roberthancock.com/


"John" > wrote in message
news
> The generator light came on while I was driving but the next day all I
heard
> was a clicking sound when I tried to start it. Headlights come on dimly.
Is
> this usually just the battery or something more serious? Before this I had
> no indication that the battery was getting weak. The little battery light
> would come on when I first started the car and then go off as is normal.
>
>