battery light on in car while driving Page 10

When the battery light pops on mid-drive, it’s usually the charging system waving a white flag, not the battery being “a bit tired”. Limp it home and you risk the car dying as voltage drops; turn off non-essentials, keep rolling, and aim for a workshop pronto. If the dash starts flickering or the steering goes heavy, you’re running on borrowed electrons.

• Alternator or voltage regulator fault
• Loose or failed serpentine belt
• Dud battery or crusty terminals
• Wiring/earth issues

Quick checks: look for a missing belt, sniff for hot electrics, and don’t shut the engine off unless you’re somewhere safe because it may not restart. Get it tested with a multimeter (around 13.8–14.4 V at idle is healthy); anything near 12 V while running means the alternator’s having a lie-down.