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Trust My Mechanic

Your Free Car Repair Advice and Auto Repair Help

ABS Light On and Battery Dead

Austin Davis, November 30, 2007September 30, 2014

I have an electrical problem with my car. Starting a few weeks ago, the ABS light started staying on all the time, but the performance of the car was not affected. A few days after that, the Charging System light also came on and stayed on.

One day as I was driving home, the electrical power compeletely drained out of the car, and luckily I was close enough to coast into my driveway. The next day, the car was stone dead.

The battery is only 1 year old. I can jump start the car, but as soon as I remove the negative terminal of the jumper cable from the engine block, the car dies again. (The ABS and Charging System light remain on after jump starting). Can you figure out from those symptoms what is wrong?

Thank you,

Chuck

Howdy Chuck,

 

I am going to bet you have a bad alternator. The easiest/quickest/cheapest way to correct the problem is to visit your local starter and alternator repair shop and let them rebuild your alternator. Of course get them to test it first, but it sure sounds like a bad alternator to me.

Have a great Thanksgiving….in spite of the alternator!

Keep me posted will ya.

Blessings,

Austin Davis

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