If you need tools go to Google Maps and type "Harbor Freight", then go there. Alternators are relatively easy to change. You can easily fix any issue with your car with the wealth of knowledge available on the net and YouTube. No need to go to an "auto-electrician", again this is overkill and worse case. These can both be done with the parts still on your car in the parking lot. If all the basics pass the test, then go to any major auto parts chain and have them run a load test on your battery in addition to a charging test on the alternator. Touch the tops with your finger and try to wiggle. If everything is clean and tight you should move on to the fuse box.Only touch the bolt you are tightening on the Positive side. Take care when using metal tools on the Positive cable, you can ground the battery out or worse. Start at the top near the battery and follow cables to other end. Then follow the cables to their respective opposite ends. Try to move the cables at the battery, they should be firmly attached. If cables and battery are clean, then you should make sure everything is tight.They sell $2 battery terminal cleaners at ever auto parts store as well. If the cables have white dust on them, then the ends of the cables and the battery post need to be cleaned. A visual check of your positive and negative battery cable should be first after the above, best part is it's free! You are looking for corrosion where the cable meets the battery (White dust on cable at the battery).If it is more than 3 years old, have it tested. Check if there is a date sticker on the top of your battery.These are more than often the culprits anyways, so best to save time and money. When troubleshooting you should always start with the easiest and/or cheapest solution. Unplug your phone too, since every little volt counts.A bad alternator or battery is by far worse case scenario. To eke out every minute of charge, turn off as many electronics as you can: radio, air conditioning, heated seats, even the headlights if it's daytime. Once you turn the engine off, it might not come back on again. Use whatever charge is remaining in the battery to get somewhere safe, either an auto repair shop or your home. ![]() ![]() If the battery isn't being charged, the electrical systems will start to fail. If there was enough juice for you to start the car, then you can safely drive the car on however much charge is remaining, but it won't last long - maybe 30 to 60 minutes max. Either way, it's something you want to check out. It could also mean there is a minor problem with the battery like corrosion. If it stays on while the car is running, it probably means there's something wrong with the alternator. The battery light comes on when you start your car, and it might linger for a second or two, but it usually turns off pretty quickly. So, the light is telling you "your alternator is not properly charging." It's not telling you "your battery is bad or needs to be replaced immediately." You don't have enough information yet. It looks like a little battery, or sometimes it says "Battery." A simple circuit looks at the voltage that the alternator is producing and turns the battery light on if that voltage is low. Because your car is so dependent on the battery, any car with a combustion engine and a 12-volt battery has a light on the dashboard that warns you if the recharging system fails.
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