Like many of you I haven't been driving much accept to go and sit and hang out at the park and listen to music. Today, I wasn't really listening to music but just sitting with the car off, in the mode where you can listen to music still without all the lights on. I've been doing this on and off for weeks now. On the way home everything was fine until I pushed the gas to the floor to pull out fast into traffic. 10 sec after that the battery light came on first and then the check generator light. Back in January the battery tested fine as still charging up and holding a charge fine.

I checked the battery voltage with the car off. 12.18 volts. With it on and the lights on it was 11.50. Everything else seemed fine on the drive home. All the electrical worked and the car did not stall. It has 164k and has not had the alternator replaced. I've tried looking it up, but can't find anything on the generator light except one post on this forum that wasn't answered. I wonder did I tweak a harness or something when I pulled out and turned so hard?

Will the battery charge if I drive the car for some length of time? I have a charger as well.

Hmm, I just noticed in the pics I took while driving, that the temp seems high. I just went out and let the car idle and it was right in the middle, so I am not sure about that until the next time I am driving.

Thanks
Eddie

 

You might need to relace the alternator. If the car is running, you get should get plus 14.xx volts

 

Look to see if the belt is still on the alternator.

 

It is off. Good call. Thanks I recently had the starter replaced and the radiator. Is ihaving enough tension on it usually what makes it slip off or having too much?

My power steering and brakes also stopped working this morning when I drove it into the driveway to charge the battery.

 

Also, it putting the belt back on something simple? Or are there complications? The belt seems to be intact, from what I can tell. I haven't taken things apart fully.

Actually, I guess if it came off and is still intact then I should be able to put it right back on. Hopefully the tensioner is easy to get to.

 

I would change the belt. Maybe it came off because of no tension, or maybe because there was strecth/wear/tear.

 

There is a Carquest by Dayco in stock. It seems Bando is recommended on this forum, but others said Dayco. Any problems with Dayco?

 

As I look at the tensioner it is tight up against the pulley above it. I can push it away with a lot of pressure and it will bounce back. SHould it be touching that other pulley? I guess maybe with belt on it it would not be touching. Also, there is some oilish substance on the underside of the tensioner wheel. And there is some burnt plastic stuff that is on the backside of the tensioner pulley like it is rubbing on something. I cannot turn the wheel of the tensioner pulley, only push it away from the pulley above. Shouldn't it be able to turn? Is something broken? I just put a socket on the tensioner bolt and the whole mechanism seems to be moving around in multiple plains. So I am guessing broken tensioner that I must have pushed over the edge with my aggressive acceleration?

I hope that coolant residue isn't a worse sign.

 

Here's the answer to the question of whether the pulley is broken.

 

Time to replace the belt drive components and make sure those are old coolant stains

 

I just had my battery replaced a week ago in my 2007 LS460. Driving today and all of a sudden my battery light comes on with the check generator message, along with electrical power limited on dashboard. I've read it could be the Mark Levinson radio draining it, or just need an alternator. I headed over to Auto Zone to have them test my battery but was told the battery was NOT even at 50% so he could not test. Any suggestions, or 1st step in diagnosing what could be the issue?

Thank you

 

My 07 had the same messages. New alternator fixed it.

 

It's also possible the new battery is faulty. It's happened to me. Put a charger on the battery and have it tested again. Check the battery voltage with the car running, the alternator should be putting out 13-14v at the battery. If not, it's likely the alternator.

 

You should also check the drive belt that turns the alternator. If the belt is broken or comes off you would likely experience the symptoms that you have described.

 

Hello, and thank you for the response. I am no expert and would like to know when I charge my battery to get tested again, I am having trouble finding WHERE EXACTLY do I hook the negative clip from the charger to in my 2007 LS460? It is stating in instructions to make sure the clip is connected to a metal part of the frame or engine block. I have no clue what they mean by that, I am learning, but I cannot find where I should hook this up to. An illustration would be nice, and I am sure it is just a part of my car where this would go, I just don't want to short anything out. Thank you

NOTE..I am also charging my battery while installed in my vehicle so that I can just take it up to the nearest shop to have it tested again.****