Hello everybody,

Currently racing down to the Bay Area to a family emergency in our 2001 f250, 7.3 4x4. As we were driving down the highway, 75 mph or so, the battery light came on. We pulled over, tightened the battery terminals and began driving again. The light returned again. Stays solid for a bit, flickers, goes away, then comes back solid. Ammeter on the dash reads just past the middle on the higher side, regardless of the light being on or not. Please help, this is a life or death situation and we have to make it there. Thank you very much in advance.

 

1) Crud on the battery terminals or connections.
2) Alt. or wiring to battery loose connections

Above all else check grounds!

 

If your ammeter is reading good, you should be good to go. You are running a diesel and it ain't gonna quit on ya, but if your lights dim...

 

Thank you so much for your help. Will check alternator wiring and grounds. Terminals are nice and clean.

 

The battery light illuminated on modern trucks really means there is a problem with the alternator, it's probably not charging properly.

 

Could be the alternator, as it is original. Problem appeared the day after having a diesel mechanic repair the clutch pedal.

 

Happened on my 02 before. Was alternator the batteries were still fine

 

Check the connections at the starter. They could be lose. Everything runs through the starter.

 

Step one of just about every repair is "remove negative battery terminal cable". I've been surprised in the past with how little visible dirt can cause a problem. I know you said you tightened em, but I'd take em off and really get int here good and make a good connection. If you have jumper cables, you can run one from the negative terminal to ground, and if the light goes away, then that cable is your problem at some point. Since the light has been somewhat intermittent then I'm more likely to believe a ground wire issue than a component issue.

 

Even better, run the cable to a clean, unpainted portion of the alternator itself. Good idea. This would be an indication that there are poor grounding and connections.