Battery Light
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Freshman User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 34
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Battery Light
2000 EXP with 170,000 miles and year old Battery.
Two months ago battery light was flickering and would go off and stay on for different length of time over a week's time. Only once did I notice a very small drop in the guage. Some days it would not come on at all. Took car to have battery and alternator checked and test showed everyting working ok. Said it might be the cables. I used baking soda and vinegar to clean the battery terminals. After a day or two the battery light stayed off. Now, after two months , the battery light is comming on agian in the same manner as before.
Is it time for a new alternator or can battery cables actually go bad?
Two months ago battery light was flickering and would go off and stay on for different length of time over a week's time. Only once did I notice a very small drop in the guage. Some days it would not come on at all. Took car to have battery and alternator checked and test showed everyting working ok. Said it might be the cables. I used baking soda and vinegar to clean the battery terminals. After a day or two the battery light stayed off. Now, after two months , the battery light is comming on agian in the same manner as before.
Is it time for a new alternator or can battery cables actually go bad?
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 878
Likes: 0
From: Cornelius, Oregon
"used baking soda and vinegar to clean the battery terminals"
Why would you use vinegar? Baking soda is a base and as such it will neutralize any spilled battery acid, but vinegar is also an acid and does nothing except neutralize the baking soda before it has a chance to do anything to the battery acid.
Anyway, to answer your question, yes cables do go bad, especially if you get acid down inside the insulation where it's really really hard to get out. It will corrode the cables to the point that they can no longer carry enough power to start the engine, etc. IF the battery and starter are testing OK, then replacing the cables is probably your next step. BTW, you might want to check that both ends of both cables are nice and tight.
Why would you use vinegar? Baking soda is a base and as such it will neutralize any spilled battery acid, but vinegar is also an acid and does nothing except neutralize the baking soda before it has a chance to do anything to the battery acid.
Anyway, to answer your question, yes cables do go bad, especially if you get acid down inside the insulation where it's really really hard to get out. It will corrode the cables to the point that they can no longer carry enough power to start the engine, etc. IF the battery and starter are testing OK, then replacing the cables is probably your next step. BTW, you might want to check that both ends of both cables are nice and tight.
