[Mr Girlracer]

I had a similar issue when I got my FRP, though the faint light didn't tend to go off by using the indicators. In my case it was the alternator was failing.

If you have a digital tachometer then you can put it into diagnostic mode and take it for a drive with it displaying the battery voltage level (have your headlights on too to add extra load to the alternator)... If it starts to drop quite a bit then you'll know the battery isn't holding it's charge and so the alternator is to blame.

I ran my alternator into the ground though... You get other warning signs when it really starts to fail, the next one being the air bag light will start to flash then stay on during your journeys.

I had heard that if you have had your car/engine bay steam cleaned (maybe the dealer did prior to sale) then that can cause the battery light to faintly come on. However, if it is still doing it after a few days / further use then I would start to suspect the alternator.




If you have a digital tachometer and wish to try the Diagonstic mode, you can enter it by holding turning the key to position 1, then hold down the trip-reset switch and keep it held down, turn the key to position 2 and still keep the trip-reset held down for several seconds. The display will come up with a test display and then go to the first test mode which is GAGE (your dials will go to their max and back). You can now cycle through the different tests by pressing the trip-reset switch. When you get to one that says bAt then you'll see a number. It will probably be on or around 12.0 When in this mode with the car running and you take it for a spin, this figure could be up to around 14.0 but if it is starting to drop to 10.0 or below then you're alternator is starting to struggle. I think it was when mine got down to around 8.5 that power and drive all started failing.

The experience then is total system failure with other warning lights coming on and total loss of power... You'll not need the diagonostic mode to tell you there is a problem if it gets to that stage though!

This post has been edited by NeillBuchanan: 03 April 2006 - 03:17 PM

[pumani]

I had a similar issue when I got my FRP, though the faint light didn't tend to go off by using the indicators. In my case it was the alternator was failing.

If you have a digital tachometer then you can put it into diagnostic mode and take it for a drive with it displaying the battery voltage level (have your headlights on too to add extra load to the alternator)... If it starts to drop quite a bit then you'll know the battery isn't holding it's charge and so the alternator is to blame.

I ran my alternator into the ground though... You get other warning signs when it really starts to fail, the next one being the air bag light will start to flash then stay on during your journeys.

I had heard that if you have had your car/engine bay steam cleaned (maybe the dealer did prior to sale) then that can cause the battery light to faintly come on. However, if it is still doing it after a few days / further use then I would start to suspect the alternator.


If you have a digital tachometer and wish to try the Diagonstic mode, you can enter it by holding turning the key to position 1, then hold down the trip-reset switch and keep it held down, turn the key to position 2 and still keep the trip-reset held down for several seconds. The display will come up with a test display and then go to the first test mode which is GAGE (your dials will go to their max and back). You can now cycle through the different tests by pressing the trip-reset switch. When you get to one that says bAt then you'll see a number. It will probably be on or around 12.0 When in this mode with the car running and you take it for a spin, this figure could be up to around 14.0 but if it is starting to drop to 10.0 or below then you're alternator is starting to struggle. I think it was when mine got down to around 8.5 that power and drive all started failing.

The experience then is total system failure with other warning lights coming on and total loss of power... You'll not need the diagonostic mode to tell you there is a problem if it gets to that stage though!

Thanks for your help Ill try that tonight.

[pumani]

Thanks for your help Ill try that tonight.

Well tried this when started the cars battery was 11.4 after driving a few moments this went up and hovered at 14.2 - 14.1 during a 10 mile jaunt the batterlight did not glow, so hopefully it might just be the previous owner staem cleaned the car before I picked it up.

Thanks again for your help.

[Mr Girlracer]

Well tried this when started the cars battery was 11.4 after driving a few moments this went up and hovered at 14.2 - 14.1 during a 10 mile jaunt the batterlight did not glow, so hopefully it might just be the previous owner staem cleaned the car before I picked it up.

Thanks again for your help.

That's cool, glad to have helped!

[Midnight Blue]

Welcome to the site ...... as you've found out already you get plenty of useful advice on here. Hope you soon get the problem fixed so you can enjoy what Puma's are intended for .......... driving

[marc t]

Had the same problem with our pma. Garage had steam cleaned and when cold the alternator light came on (Only dim) It still did it after a couple of days so had the alternator swapped on warranty and all ok now.
The only weird thing was when the light came on, as soon as I turned load on (Lights, heater etc) the warning light went off?

[Mr Girlracer]

The only weird thing was when the light came on, as soon as I turned load on (Lights, heater etc) the warning light went off?

Extra load on the alternator probably causes it to compensate and temporarily hide the problem. Mine did that for a little while but I think it all happened within a month (which I covered many small journeys totalling up to around 1000 miles) - there is no saying that similar problems could occur over a drawn out period like that and might be a lot more sudden.

The next sign I got was the airbag light and then after a day or so (waiting for my appointment at Ford) the car moments before the failure also lit up the abs and traction control lights. They went out then came back on as I started to lose total power as I went to accelerate to overtake.

Pulled over and turned everything off. About 45 mins later I was able to get car the FRP started again and get it back about a mile and half the way I came to where there was an auto-electrical garage.

Ideally, if anyone exerpiences these symtoms and the battery light starts to comes back on again a few days later, I'd recommend getting the alternator looked at... It might be a much worse experience if your car has a system failure whilst you're overtaking on a fast moving busy motorway! I was very lucky with where I was at the time and that it was late at night so the roads were quiet.

This post has been edited by NeillBuchanan: 04 April 2006 - 11:45 PM