Check battery light is on for my ford escape. It came on late last night. Is it safe to drive my car?
Check battery light is on for my ford escape. It came on late last night. Is it safe to drive my car? - 1
It means that the battery isn't charging. Get it checked out or it could leave you stranded.
Did you check your battery?
Safe yes but if the battery is not charging, which is extremely likely when an amount of the charge has been drained the car will stop/not start so you could be stranded anywhere.
The other answers are correct. You can drive, but expect to be stranded.
There are several possibly reasons for the battery not to charge:
- Bad battery.
- Bad alternator.
- Bad voltage regulator
- ECU (car's computer) failing to tell the alternator to charge the battery.
- (My truck's favorite) Engine speed sensor failure.
When my truck's engine speed sensor broke the computer thought to itself, "Mustn't try to charge the battery, because the engine is not running."
The lesson? Don't simply try swapping parts (battery, alternator, voltage regulator, wires, headlight switch, glovebox latch resonator, exhaust pipe fluid absorber, muffler bearing applicator) but instead have the trouble diagnosed by a good mechanic.
The first thing you should think is to make sure your Battery Terminals are CLEAN and Tight. The Light is telling you your Battery isn't Charging. You should not be able to move them with your hands. Grab them and try to rotate them. That's probably all you can do. Go to a Parts Store and let them check your Alternator for Free.
The battery light means that the battery is not being recharged by the charging system. So you have an alternator or electrical issue that will need to be diagnosed. Most likely it's the alternator or regulator which is built into the alternator itself. Many auto parts stores will check your system for you for free.
No… You'll get stranded when the battery gets drained all the way. You can charge it with a portable battery charger set to 12 volts, 10 amps, for 6 hours and then drive it to an auto store to get the battery and charging system tested for free. Make sure to have the headlights and other electrical accessories turned off. You'll only have 30 minutes of drive time that way. You likely need an alternator.
Safe? It means you won't get far before it quits on you/
Safe to drive until the battery goes completely dead; at which the engine will quit running, unless it is a diesel engine. Check your battery and alternator for proper operation. Test battery voltage with engine off and then with engine on. Voltage should be higher with engine on--alternator working properly. If battery is less than 12 volts and alternator is working properly, then replace battery. Fully charge battery should last for several hundred miles if the alternator is bad. Turn off unnecessary items such as AC, radio, head lights, etc… When alternator light is on.
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