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I am going to try to take my car to get a free test but I wanted to shoot this out to see if this has happened to anyone else or can tell me what might be going on.
I was at work and home is 70 miles away. I started the car and there was a slight restart sound but the car started. Drove a little and noticed my battery light was on. It stayed on all the way and just as I was getting into my home town the ABS light also came on. Then my car started to rev very high RPMs and I pulled over. I drove the rest of the way at very slow speed and got home and shut the car off. I tried starting it again but it just clicked very fast like when a starter is broken. I tried an hour later and it stared up just fine but the battery light was still on. Any ideas?
I am going to try to take my car to get a free test but I wanted to shoot this out to see if this has happened to anyone else or can tell me what might be going on.
I was at work and home is 70 miles away. I started the car and there was a slight restart sound but the car started. Drove a little and noticed my battery light was on. It stayed on all the way and just as I was getting into my home town the ABS light also came on. Then my car started to rev very high RPMs and I pulled over. I drove the rest of the way at very slow speed and got home and shut the car off. I tried starting it again but it just clicked very fast like when a starter is broken. I tried an hour later and it stared up just fine but the battery light was still on. Any ideas?
Start with the basics and have the battery tested.
My best guess--without having any idea about the make, model, model year, and odometer mileage of your mystery vehicle--is that your alternator is dying. I suggest that you drive to the nearest reliable mechanic and have the alternator output tested, along with the battery's voltage.
My best guess--without having any idea about the make, model, model year, and odometer mileage of your mystery vehicle--is that your alternator is dying. I suggest that you drive to the nearest reliable mechanic and have the alternator output tested, along with the battery's voltage.
I cant afford to take it in now to get it repaired. That's why I'm trying to gather as much free info as I can to see if I can do the repair myself or with the help of a friend. I am going to get a free test at an auto parts store and looking up a lot of self help youtubes and reading a lot of auto forums the next couple of days. I will be able to afford a mechanic in about a month from now so if I can do the fix myself all the better.
Seriously, drive up to Autozone or Advance auto parts. They can test your battery for free. It sounds like the battery isn't holding a full charge which is causing the electronics to flake out a bit. Just be prepared. Batteries can be a bit pricey.
I cant afford to take it in now to get it repaired. That's why I'm trying to gather as much free info as I can to see if I can do the repair myself or with the help of a friend. I am going to get a free test at an auto parts store and looking up a lot of self help youtubes and reading a lot of auto forums the next couple of days. I will be able to afford a mechanic in about a month from now so if I can do the fix myself all the better.
Are you up to the task of replacing the alternator yourself?
I ask because, if the alternator is dying, it will be gone long before your one month timeline.
A failing alternator's remaining life is a few days--at most--and it may well wind up killing the battery in the process.
Alternator would be the first culprit. All you need to test that is a voltmeter... 13.6 to 14.6 is what you're looking for.
Changing an alternator is simple parts changing, although some can be in awkward spots.
The Battery light came on when the alternator stopped charging. (Could be broken belt or broken alternator.)...
Then your car was running on JUST the battery and not recharging it. (Like a cellphone not plugged into the charger)...
Then the battery slowly ran down. Then your ABS system, which is a computer based system, no longer had enough voltage to power it. So it turned on a warning light...
And electronically controlled engines will increase the rpm's to power things turned on and to generate more electricity [via the alternator] as needed. You engine computer sensed the battery was low, so increased engine rpm's in an attempt to charge the battery.
And because the battery was not charged [due to a non-functioning alternator], the battery was too low to restart the car.
Charge the battery back up with a car battery charger and it will run like new - for a bit - until the battery drains again. Fix the alternator and charge the battery and all the problems will go away.
Update. It was a snapped drive or serpentine belt. Much better than a broken alternator. I have been reading up on how to replace them and I have to make sure the tensioner is not broken as well. Also the guy at the auto parts store said make sure you have a fully charged battery before starting the car with the new belt. Most of the work will have to be done under the right wheel as you cant get at it from the top.
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