Battery light comes on, what does it mean?

What does it mean when a battery light comes on while you are driving? This is for our Ford van. It started happening in severe cold, and the light son the van would dim. Now, the battery light just comes on two or three times while driving but the lights don't dim.

- John

Reply to
JB
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Reply to
Mike Behnke

As someone said have the charging system checked. When the light is on, try turning off all electronics (headlights, radio, rear defrost, fan), does the light go off?

Reply to
Bill 2

JB wrote in rec.autos.tech

Light comes on because the alternator is not charging. The reason your ligts dim is that the battery was running out of charge. It could be because of a bad or loose fan belt, or because the charging system has a loose connection. Or even the alternator is failing. Have it repaired before you find yourself stranded.

Reply to
Dick C

Here's some unlikely scenarios:

(1) The severe cold freezes the belt. The belt refuse to keep up with the pulley and slips.

(2) Coolant freezes, seizing the water pump which is part of the alternator belt, - don't know about Ford van.

(3) High resistance occurs during severe cold between the nearly worn alternator brushes and slip rings, which may eventually fail contact.

Reply to
Indiån §ummer

Reply to
Anthony Diodati

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