trancenental

Hi there,

I'm having some charing system issues I think. After discovering that my car wouldn't turn over outside of Wal Mart, and thus forcing me to use their bathroom *shudder*, I got my car home with a jump. Being too late, I just bought a new battery and put it in, so I had a way to work and back and to get it checked out. I had a Optima yellow top, less than 2 years old, so I was obviously worried it was something bigger. I took the Pro into Pep Boys, where they said it was the alternator, so I just paid up and had them put a new one in, since I really didn't want to try to get it out in my garage. Just today, my battery light starting coming on and off, usually at random times.

Now, I've been having issues with my E brake light doing the same thing, but I just attribute that to a floating ground or something, and since I know it's not engaged, I don't even worry about it. However, since this is the battery light, and I just put a new battery in, and had a new alternator put in, I'm obviously a little more tense about it.

Any ideas? I plan to take it back, but I won't be able to get it in until Monday at the earliest, and I'd rather not bum rides or take the train unless I really need to.

The car runs strong as is, but I'd rather not have to jump it on a new battery.

Thanks!

Roddimus Prime

an optima battery should last 5years easily. I wouldn't have just bought an alternator without having comprehensively tested first.

In my NAPA store we can provide a full graphical printout of your entire charging system and it will even go as far as to tell you , "The alt is good...you should check your starter solenoid"....messages like that.

Don't go randomly throwing parts at your car to fix it. Try to find out what's causing the issue.

for instance, I bet your brake light coming on is because you're low on brake fluid.

Da P-Funk!

X2. it might be the ECU which acts as the regulator.

trancenental

I forgot to mention the first thing I did have the diagnostic at Pep Boys, which showed it to be capoot, so that to me was no problem to replace.

But that aside, any idea what may be causing it?

Didn't even consider brake fluid for the light. ... still obv.

straydoginc

After 2 years of owning my Protege 5 the factory battery went kaput. I got jumped and ended up at advanced. Luckily the alternator was still good, so i replaced the batery. (they wouldnt' do it for me due to the strut bar over the battery being part of the suspension, go figure) While i was there i also got new battery connectors and did that in their parking lot.

No lights kicking on like yours but you may wanna look into replacing the connectors and hitting up NAPA for a full diag.