1997 Chevy Cavalier battery light came on

1997 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
128,000 MILES • 4 CYL • FWD • AUTOMATIC
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TTIMMERS
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  • 2 POSTS
the battery light came on when i was driving home from work this am. rechecked before going back to work light did not come on but interior and headlights seemed dim. my daughter started driving home this pm and all the lights went very dim when she got home and turned the car off it would not restart just made clicking sound is the battery or alternator.
Nov 9, 2008 at 12:43 PM
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BLUELIGHTNIN6
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 16,542 POSTS
Sounds like it is your alternator. The battery is used to get the car started. Once the vehicle is running, it then runs off of the alternator. If the alternator fails, the vehicle uses what little power the battery has stored until the battery dies as well. You will need to have both tested at a local auto parts store (for free). The battery may just need a good boosting to get it back to normal condition, the alternator will need repairs or replacing.
Nov 9, 2008 at 1:00 PM
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TTIMMERS
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Can I charge the battery on a jump box enough to get it to town approximately 10 miles
Nov 9, 2008 at 9:08 PM
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MMPRINCE4000
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 8,548 POSTS
[quote:a47a9a97f8="ttimmers"]Can I charge the battery on a jump box enough to get it to town approximately 10 miles[/quote:a47a9a97f8]

You should be able to get 10 miles on a FULLY charged battery. Turn off all electrical loads, AC, radio, lights and drive slowly (under 40).

The battery will more than likely have to be recharged again.
Nov 10, 2008 at 1:00 AM
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