Battery Light

qps2010, Sep 16, 7:32am
Our battery went flat at beginning of week and we charged it up and stayed charged until this afternoon. Battery light is on and car is revving in neutral/park. Do you think the revving and the battery light is connected! We have had a squeeling belt noise intermittantly for the past 2 weeks as well. TIA.

mugenb20b, Sep 16, 7:41am
You may find your alternator belt is no longer where it should be.

mileyfan73, Sep 16, 7:42am
Not sure why it would be revving but the light being on and your belt squealing would suggest it needs tightening.It's too slack to do its job of keeping the alternator charging the battery.

marte, Sep 16, 7:46am
Battery light on the dash!
Means the alternators dead I think. Did for me.
Turned the car off, started it again, light came on, buggered rectifier, it happens. $150 for new alternator (cheap!) fixed problem.

The squealing noise from the belts mean its loose, that can be anything, loose belt, lost bolt off alternators common too. That won't cause the light to come on though.
If its squeals when its raining & when you turn the headlights on, normally means the belts loose.
But I'd say do some maintenence, go to a battery place & get them to check the battery & alternator, check whats wrong.

Expect to pay for new alternator, new battery -maybe- maybe not- if winters over- maybe not, new belt, maybe 2 belts
( they wear at the same rate, fix one & the other breaks soon anyway, engine overheats & now you havedud engine, that'l cost more then a belt & a cheap adjustment.)

Don't ever quote "what some other guy said" to another guy. EVER!

qps2010, Sep 16, 7:46am
Lol. Hubby is holding the reminants of some form of rubber belt that was on the motor of the car. Does the alternator cause the car to rev!

marte, Sep 16, 7:47am
If the squealing noise stopped at the same time the light came on.
I'd say "YEP!"

mugenb20b, Sep 16, 7:51am
What kind of car is it!

qps2010, Sep 16, 7:55am
It's a 1995 mazda 626.

mugenb20b, Sep 16, 7:56am
4 cylinder engine or a V6! And, no, alternator has no effect on idle speed.

qps2010, Sep 16, 8:07am
6 cylinder 2000cc.

marte, Sep 16, 8:37am
Ah, if the thing thinks its not generating enough power, they up the revs to compensate.

Buggered belt, easy cheap fix. Lucky.

mugenb20b, Nov 5, 5:14pm
Well! Have you checked all your drive belts on the side of the engine! Are they all there!