Battery light on

Tiny
DWRIGHT48066
  • MEMBER
  • 2004 DODGE NEON
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 47,000 MILES
My car has a bad strong smell (not gasoline or anti-freeze) when my car sits at idle. The lights and power also dims until I hit the gas. Sometimes my battery light will even come on. It also makes a "weeee" sound that gets higher pitched as I hit the gas. Could it be my alternator or a belt? I lost my job so I don't have the extra money for diagnostics by a mechanic and these repairs I can do myself. Thanks for your help.
Thursday, November 20th, 2008 AT 6:10 AM

29 Replies

Tiny
2CARPRO JACK
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,533 POSTS
Sounds like you may have a bad drive belt or belt tensioner. There isnt much room on those cars, but you will need to see if the tensioner is holding tension on the belt.If it is, remove the belt and see if any of the accessories are rough when turned by hand. Since the belt has been slipping, a new one may be needed

Lets check this guide out

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-a-car-alternator

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Thursday, November 20th, 2008 AT 7:59 AM
Tiny
IMPALASS
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,112 POSTS
Hello -

If you can narrow the odor down to the type that would help. You know it isn't fuel or antifreeze. Then is it rubber, electrical, oil something like that?

Next, sounds like it isn't getting enough power and is getting ready to die, ie battery lights etc, it may be a belt slipping..... So do the below and do a good visual inspection on the belt.

The nice thing about the below, it is free.

Please go to Auto Zone or O'Reilly's and for FREE they can pull the codes to the car. Most important: Once they check your codes, if they find something and you don't get it fixed and need to get back with us, please make sure you tell us exactly what the code was, number and all. Example, if the code was E0568 O2 Sensor bad. Then make sure you give us all of that. While there for FREE also they can bring their tester out and check your battery, alternator and starter.

If the above doesn't show anything, we may need to do the below test... You can anyway if you would like.

We need to figure out if it is electrical or fuel related. Pull a plug wire off of the spark plug and insert something into the end of it and have someone try to start the car and have the metal object really close to a piece of metal on the engine and see if you are getting a good strong popping blue spark. Don't have your hands on any part of the metal! If there is no spark, then it is electrical. If you are getting good spark then you need to get a fuel pressure check on the fuel pump to ensure it is putting out okay.

Let me know what you find out and we will take it from there.

Also, if you need to get back with me let me know what the 8th digit of your VIN is.
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Thursday, November 20th, 2008 AT 7:59 AM
Tiny
DEKAY1313
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2003 DODGE NEON
2003 Dodge Neon Two Wheel Drive Automatic

I have been having trouble with my girlfriend's neon for a while now. The battery light keeps coming on. The battery is a little low on water, but nothing to be too worried about. Lately its been dying on my alot. Tonight it wouldn't start, so I had athe nieghbor help me jump it. Now the spedometer wont register. Any ideas?
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Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 4:04 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BLUELIGHTNIN6
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,542 POSTS
You need to have the charging system tested first. Local part stores such as AutoZone will test your alternator and battery for free of charge, both on and off of vehicle. Post results of the tests. If after replacement of the defective battery and/or alternator, the speedo is still not registering we can deal with that then.

Thanks for using 2carpros. Com!
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Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 4:05 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DEKAY1313
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Replaced the battery. Bat light still comes on. And now on the odometer it flashes "fuse."
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Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 4:05 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BLUELIGHTNIN6
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,542 POSTS
Okay, check your fuses.

Just because battery is replaced doesn't mean the alternator is good. If alternator is faulty it will eventually drain the new battery too. You need to have it tested.

Thanks for using 2carpros. Com!
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Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 4:05 PM (Merged)
Tiny
PETERNH
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 2000 DODGE NEON
  • 270 MILES
Autozone tested battery said it was good got my alretnator replaced and my charge system was tested it said I had a bad voltage regulator so I replaced the computer and its still on along with low idle
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Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 4:05 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Do you have a multimeter to do some testing?
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Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 4:05 PM (Merged)
Tiny
PETERNH
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Not on hand at the moment
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Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 4:05 PM (Merged)
Tiny
PETERNH
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Also have battery out on slow charge
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Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 4:05 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
When you get the multimeter and get the battery charged let me know. We will go from there.
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Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 4:05 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MORETHAN29
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2000 DODGE NEON
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 155,000 MILES
My neon has 15500km on it. Recently the battery light comes on. Tonight I noticed that the interior lights, spedometer anf radio, where not a bright as they normally are. What is wrong and what should be done to repair it?
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Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 4:05 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ROB2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 258 POSTS
If I were you I'd get the alternator tested soon, Check the belt first! It sounds like the battery is not being charged.
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Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 4:05 PM (Merged)
Tiny
PGRELA
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1999 DODGE NEON
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • MANUAL
  • 64,000 MILES
About a month ago, the engine developed a whine. Finally took it to Advance Auto to have alternator checked. They said the battery is good, the alternator is bad. Took it to mechanic and had new alternator installed. Picked up car, drove less than a mile and battery light came back on. Took car back to mechanic who tested for two days and said it appears to be a computer problem and must go to dealer. At this point, the alternator and battery are still good. Take car to dealer who says their diagosis is that car needs a new alternator($498.00) and battery($102.00). I already spent $255.00 last week for a new alternator. What's going on? Could there be some sort of short or something? Also, I generally drive less than 8,000 miles a year an the battery was installed in June of 2007.
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Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 4:05 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ZACKMAN
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,202 POSTS
Have someone else check the wiring from the alternator to the battery. Simple test. With the engine running, use a voltmeter to check the voltage on the alternator. You should have more than 13 volts, but less than 15.9 volts. Then test the battery (still with engine running). You should have about the same voltage you have at the alternator.

If the voltage fluctuates too much, than the voltage regulator is faulty. I am almost certain that the regular is a part of your computer.
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Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 4:05 PM (Merged)
Tiny
AFELTUS
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1998 DODGE NEON
Electrical problem
1998 Dodge Neon 130000 miles

Sometimes when I turn my car on a battery light comes on. I just got a new battery a couple of weeks ago and it still does it. I checked the cables and they are on right. I'm scared that one day my car will just quit working. What do you think is wrong with it?
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Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 4:07 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BMRFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 19,053 POSTS
Check alternator belt
check charging system and fuses
do an alternator test
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+1
Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 4:07 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CDZ1969
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1996 DODGE NEON
1996 Dodge Neon

battery light came on thought it was altenator. Had it checked. Good. Replaced battery. Drove for two days. Back on. Did the codes check. Came out generator and regulator. What is this and how can I replace this?Please help
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Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 4:07 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DOCFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,828 POSTS
Have alt. Checked again most likely a bad diode.
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Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 4:07 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ARONSMOBILEPERFORMANCE
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
If alternator is still testing good but you're not getting charged check the wire, it runs from back of alternator to the starter where the battery cable bolts up.
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Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 4:07 PM (Merged)

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