Intrepid 2004 battery light comes on/battery alternator good

[Laurie62]

My son bought a 2004 Intrepid SE in August 2006 from a local Chevy dealer to drive to work in and sometimes I would drive it to town (33 miles away). Originally used in a "Rental fleet", it has been a very dependable car needing only the basic maintenance/upkeep work since buying it.

Then about two months ago, the battery light began to comes on/stays on after first start. Or after driving out the gate a short ways, it would come on and immediately I would turn around to head home.

I know how to perform basic car maintenance on far older cars. However, you have to be a rocket scientist/contortionist to work on newer ones. My son checked the battery and even took it in to replace but it checked out fine. He took out and took in the alternator in to AutoZone in case that was the culprit. IT checked out fine. He checked the voltage regulator and IT showed in proper range. In the meantime, he noticed the belts needed replacing and did so.

After putting everything back, the light did not come back on for several weeks. Until four days ago. The battery and alternator checked out fine. The belts were replaced and in proper tension. So what was wrong? But This time, I Had to go to the Post Office and drove seven miles to it with the light on. When I started it up again, the light never came on. For the rest of the day when driving to and around Parker Az it stayed off. Stayed off the Next day.

But Friday, it came on again but still had to make a short trip with it "showing". After making a stop at the post office and starting it again....the light stayed off.

What in the "OD Heck" is going on?

Since my son now has a truck for work, he has let me use the car for my purposes more of late. So the Intrepid has become my main source of travel and to take my husband to doctor's appointments when his old Dodge van goes through it's "Up and Down" periods. (which is becoming more "Down" than "Up" of late...needs a ring job badly) Any help is appreciated.

[autojoe]

probably brushes inside alternator or the springs are weak.you have to test with light on and see what is happening.have to check charging voltage while light is on.

[Laurie62]

Thank you for answering. Your observation is probably right.

Earlier today while driving out my gate to take my husband to a doctor's appointment, the light came on again. Stopped the car, turned the engine off and waited a minute. Then turned it back on and the light did not come on for the rest of the day driving him to the office, around town and home.

After coming back from town, I told my son what happened and with this new round of "light on"/"light off", the alternator will be replaced. I live in a very rural area of Arizona and better a new one than to find myself suddenly stranded with a "dead car" in the middle of my thinly populated county. Or stall on the state route with a semi coming up fast behind me.

Before back here, I read in another forum someone else's sister had a light flickering and similar "light on" problem with her 2002 Intrepid. Figuring the alternator was bad, he removed it and took it to AutoZone to be checked out. According to them, the alternator was fine but the brother still had a "gut feeling" something still wasn't right. Took it home and opened the case. The brushes were in bad shape and ate half of the spinning mechanism.

My lights do not flicker and have no other electrical problem. However, my son and I both have a "gut feeling" the alternator's brushes are worn with this new episode. Or as you pointed out, the springs are becoming weak. Maybe "why" the light doesn't come on after the car is started again.