Battery Light on?!, Please help Options

[99GT]

Alternator went out, burnt some wires. Got fresh wires soldered in to replace the burnt ones.
Now the car is in good and running order, nothing inside seems sluggish. I had everything I could on while driving 10 mile trip to and from.
E lights, rear defrost, wipers, radio full blast, heat full blast. The car made it without no issues.

No corrosion at battery.
Charged the battery before putting in, but battery was good previously.
I also tried a different good working battery. (light still on)
Battery cable ends are tight.
All the negative cable, and grounds are tight on both ends.
Alternator belt is secure and tight, but not too tight.
All the connections on the alternator are secure.
Brand new alternator.

Please help. I'm stumped.

This post has been edited by 99GT: Jan 3, 2009 - 10:35 PM

[hurley97]

I don't see "replaced alternator" in there.

[99GT]

Brand new $150 alternator.

[stephen_lee]

wire could have burn for the sensor to the light, is your voltage at least 13.6 at idle?

[99GT]

wire could have burn for the sensor to the light, is your voltage at least 13.6 at idle?

You mean check the voltage from my battery with a multimeter? I'd still have to check that I guess.

How much is the sensor to the light? Where is it located? Any other things I could still check before buying more things?

I'll double check the alternator belt.

This post has been edited by 99GT: Jan 3, 2009 - 10:42 PM

[stephen_lee]

wire could have burn for the sensor to the light, is your voltage at least 13.6 at idle?

You mean check the voltage from my battery with a multimeter? I'd still have to check that I guess.

with the car running, yes

[99GT]

Does anyone have the part number for the battery light sensor? If it comes down to that. Thanks.

What else can it be? Thanks.

[99GT]

wire could have burn for the sensor to the light, is your voltage at least 13.6 at idle?

You mean check the voltage from my battery with a multimeter? I'd still have to check that I guess.

with the car running, yes

So I don't have a multimeter. So what would it be the cause if it was higher or lower than 13.6?

[stephen_lee]

the sensor is in the alt

[99GT]

new alternator so sensor should be good.

[stephen_lee]

oi meant the wire between the alt and the dash light. its pretty much a direct wire

[99GT]

So I would have to replace that wire?

[stephen_lee]

eh its integrated. check the voltage first.

[99GT]

So got it tested... everything is fine.

Some friends said that it could be that I need a tune up?

Spark plugs, wires, cap, etc.

Could it just be that I need a tune up? But battery light was never on before the alternator swap.

[hurley97]

No.

Have the alternator tested, it could be defective.

[99GT]

After work I'll take the alternator in to have it tested.

Is there a fuse for the alternator?

[stephen_lee]

yes, its a 100 amp fuse in the fuse/relay box under the hood

[Hanyo]

So got it tested... everything is fine.

Some friends said that it could be that I need a tune up?

Spark plugs, wires, cap, etc.

Could it just be that I need a tune up? But battery light was never on before the alternator swap.

NEVEREVER assume the brand new part you bought is 100% fail proof.

Get your charging system tested at your local parts store. I know at AUTOZONE/ Kragen they test your battery/ charge system for free.

a tune up doesn't affect your alt. light.

It can be a bad voltage regulator in the alt that is causing your light to turn on.

Do a very simple test.

Turn your headlights on against a wall at night with the engine running for 5 minutes and then turn off your engine.

If your headlights are brighter against the wall with the engine off, then your alternator is not making power and you will need to get your brand new alternator replaced.

[99GT]

NEVEREVER assume the brand new part you bought is 100% fail proof.

Get your charging system tested at your local parts store. I know at AUTOZONE/ Kragen they test your battery/ charge system for free.

a tune up doesn't affect your alt. light.

It can be a bad voltage regulator in the alt that is causing your light to turn on.

Do a very simple test.

Turn your headlights on against a wall at night with the engine running for 5 minutes and then turn off your engine.

If your headlights are brighter against the wall with the engine off, then your alternator is not making power and you will need to get your brand new alternator replaced.

Got everything checked out from Checkers. Everything was fine.

Last night my sis bought me a new battery for xmas. Talked to the guy at oreilly about it, he was stumped and wanted to see my car tonight. I'll see what he comes up with.

Could I have burn some wires further up the wire leading to the gauge cluster?

Also the light was still on after the new battery. Took the negative and positive off for 5-6 hours and had them back on but the light never goes away.

I checked the 100A alt fuse, looks good but that was at night, haha I'll re check the amp after work.

I'll do what you said tonight.

This post has been edited by 99GT: Jan 6, 2009 - 8:05 AM

[Random_Stranger]

my light comes on sometimes and I have to pop the hood, get that cluster of wires that plugs into the alternator and push them in while wiggling. I don't see it move, but when I go back to my gauge cluster to see if the battery light is still on, if I did it right it goes away. I guess I need a new one or something.

[DEATH]

Random - you have a wire fixing to come loose. Should find it and fix it now.
OP - If you have done all you say I agree with Stephen - the wire going to your gauge cluster must have burnt somewhere. Locate it and do a continuity test on it

[99GT]

I'm gonna try an alternator from muggs first then there apart the wiring harness again.

[99GT]

I went and got everything retested.

With the new batt, my sis bought me.

14.25 at idle.

The oreilly guy said that when we redid the harness, we should of used the same gauge wire. I used some bigger gauge wire when we did it.

Do you guys think that might be my problem?

But anyways my new used complete harness came in.

[Random_Stranger]

Random - you have a wire fixing to come loose. Should find it and fix it now.
OP - If you have done all you say I agree with Stephen - the wire going to your gauge cluster must have burnt somewhere. Locate it and do a continuity test on it

Really? I thought it was just that plug in part. Ok, I will check it out this weekend. I haven't driven my poor car in a week. Waiting on some funds for spark plugs and such. Plus trying to get to that rear mount hopefully this weekend.

[spotv6]

dont know wether this would help
but i had battery light come on
on investigation the wiring that goes to the plug on the alternator had snapped which results in the battery light on the dash coming on
could be worth examining the plug?

[99GT]

I will look into this. Thanks.

[GriffGirl]

Any lights on other than the battery light? Does it go off and on at times? I'm having the same problem - battery light is on and eventually after driving a little while, the airbag light comes on too. Drove hard over a pothole this morning and the battery light went out and didn't come back on the whole way to work.

I've narrowed it down to a bad ground or bad alternator. I also very recently replaced my alternator, and then the battery (which it turns out I didn't need to replace, so now I've got 2. )

Check all your grounds. One of mine completely melted (which was why I couldn't start my car, and erroniously bought a new battery). I replaced that ground and then it was good for a few days, and then the light came back on. So I replaced other grounds, added a few, and still - evil red rectangle. I keep being told too that it's a regulator issue, which means the alternator is bad. I was also told that testing the alt won't always tell you there's a problem; it might just tell you there's a generic "charging system" problem which is really vague.

[99GT]

All accesories running at idle I was still at 14.25.

All grounds check and cleaned, No other light, Alt tested also, new batt, alt fuse checked.

althought last week attempted to take out my harness for a new one, my cell is on now.

[GriffGirl]

Did you ever get this resolved?

I'm 10 or 12 days on a replacement for my replacement alt and still no electrical issues on the new one. yet. Fingers crossed...