I have a '98 Escort SE and for the past month or.

STEPH2

MEMBER
1998 FORD ESCORT
180,000 MILES

I have a '98 escort se and for the past month or so the battery light perodically comes on. We changed the battery and alternator. However the light continues to come on. When I have my lights on and the battery light comes on too, my head lights appear to be as bright as the high beams. Recently I was driving and the light came on again, then my air conditioner quit and ran like a low fan, then my radio, and gages went off. Soon after my car slowly died. It has done this twice so far and we can not figure out what it could be. Possible the solenoid?

2 Replies

BOB GIMUCHIE

MEMBER
1 POST

Most likely one. Of your belts. My guess is the seprpentine belt

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Monday, November 5th, 2012 AT 5:30 PM

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,727 POSTS

Measure the voltage on the fat wire bolted to the output terminal while the problem is occurring. If it's normal, (13.75 to 14.75 volts) or too high, suspect a loose connection on the bolted-in fuse in the under-hood fuse box. If that isn't used yet on your car, check the large copper nut on the starter solenoid. This is not a solenoid problem. Ford likes to use that stud with the battery cable as a convenient tie point. They often work loose and cause intermittent no-crank and no-charge problems. The clue is the voltage on the output terminal will be significantly higher than the battery voltage.