Charging warning light

REDATOM

MEMBER
SAAB

I have a 1996 Saab 900 se turbo and it has over 120,000 miles. It has an automatic transmission. Most recent repair was the A/C charge 3 weeks ago, and again earlier today. It was blowing hot air, but the mechanic found no leak.

Here's the symptoms. When I was in the process of parking my car today, the charging warning came on along with the signal chimes. The steering wheel began to stiffen and resist as I was turning the car to park. The A/C was not blowing cold air. As I got out of the car, I saw coolant leaking all over the ground and as I popped the hood up I smelled some burnt rubber and steam near the coolant reservoir.

Is possible that the drive belt was broken causing the other system such as the water pump, power steering pump air compressor to fail all at once?

Besides possibly guessing that the alternator, voltage regulator, or the pulley, what else can cause the charging warning light to go off?

Thanks,

ian

2 Replies

MERLIN2021

MECHANIC
17,250 POSTS

Did you actually see a broken fan belt? If yes that can and will cause all of your symtoms! As far as your A/C. Three weeks and now it needs another recharge? Mechanic can't find a leak of this magnitude? My guess is the evaperator core. Stick a probe tip into the a/c register on the dash, then turn on the fan, see what happens!

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Sunday, August 26th, 2007 AT 5:19 AM

REDATOM

MEMBER
3 POSTS

Hi Merlin,

Thanks for the feedback, I appreciated it! Yes, the drive belt was completely pushed off from its pulleys. Alternator, and etc. I just noticed it this morning. I didn't see any cracks, abrasion or chunks missing, but I was only able to a small portion of the belt, I didn't want to pull it out.

The coolant was completely drained this morning and I refilled it and a few hours later, it started to leak again, small drips under the front end of the passenger side. I suspect one of the hoses attached to the cooling reservoir is cracked or punctured, perhaps the radiator or the water pump is leaking.

With the A/C, it wasn't my usual mechanic who fixed it, he was on vacation so I went to another place. The guy sure did a haphazard job for $100 bucks.

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Sunday, August 26th, 2007 AT 2:13 PM