This light indicates that the engine is not running so your alternator cannot produce electricity to keep the battery charged. if you have come to a stop and it turns off, be sure to start your car again so your alternator can produce electricity.
the good news is that most cars (80%) utilize a voltage regulator in addition to an alternator in order to regulate and maintain power when idling in place. mine does, and it stays on all day long even though i'm only driving about 40 miles per day. the bad news is that if you notice this light blinking at all (often accompanied by rapid charging), this means something has gone wrong with the charging equipment or wiring making constant charging impossible without disconnecting from battery ground
is it safe to drive my car with the battery light on?
safety experts recommend getting the battery checked as soon as possible. carrying a faulty battery may cause a critical shortage or a shutdown of your air-bags. keep driving with this condition and you'll be risking the chance of driving off road and causing injury to yourself, my passengers, others around me on the road, and even pedestrians.
what causes the battery warning light to come on?
the battery warning light typically indicates that the alternator is not producing enough power to keep up with vehicle's electrical demands, which include the vehicle's many onboard electronics.
the battery warning light will illuminate when this happens, because it is a signal that there isn't enough electricity for all of the car's components. to ensure everything runs smoothly, try checking your headlights and interior lights before stepping on the gas pedal – these are two common culprits for draining engine power. there are also several things people can do to test their alternator to know if it needs replacement or repair. the easiest way may be by simply listening closely to what it sounds like when their engine starts- if they hear an unusual whirring sound this could be
how do you know if its a battery or alternator?
batteries are usually the more obvious culprit when problems with vehicle electrical systems occur. when the battery is dead, the lights will probably be dim and intermittent at best. other symptoms include inability to start or crank up, inability to power automatic door locks, clicking noise when turning key in ignition, etc.
alterantors regulate voltage coming into your vehicle's electrical system just like a fridge does for keeping food cold inside. vehicles last so long these days that it's quite rare for alternators to require replacement before batteries do; they work great in keeping things humming along unless something goes wrong internally (e.g., downed wires). but if all of sudden you find yourself looking at an alternator repair shop after doing some troubleshooting
