91 Lincoln Towncar - Steering issue/Battery Icon

[91lincoln]

So today I'm driving down the road. Notice a sudden hardness in my steering wheel , right as that started my battery icon on the information console lit up.

It was extremely hard to turn corners at cornering speeds , almost like I was out of power steering fluid etc.

Does this just need a new battery? My confusion comes from the battery icon being lit and the steering problem. The 2 happend at the same moment so I'm wondering if a dying battery would have any effect on the steering. Mind you the car still drove down the road as it was before. Got home , shut off engine , started right back up , but this time the battery icon stayed lit.

Thanks for any helpful comments, hope it's just a battery needing replaced

[junk yard doggie]

Check to see if your belt came off. Water pump and ac will be out as well. If that's the case Don't drive it any more until the belt is replaced.

[91lincoln]

Yep. Belt it is. How easy is it to replace this myself? Mind you the only tools I have is a so-called "Mechanics Socket Set" , got it from AutoZone for like $40 lol..

Water Pump out , AC out , Air Suspension out , Turn Signals out etc etc the list is quite long lol..

Thx again m8 ^5

[remark123]

Pretty simple repair if you have the serpentine belt. Using the proper socket on the idler pulley, Rotate the pulley opposite rotation of the belt and slip the belt off of the pulley. idler pulley is the one with nothing connected to it. Pulley is spring loaded to tension the belt, simple repair. Just make sure that you know how the belt runs when replacing, usually there is a diagram on the header panel. Should take less than a half hour to do. If you cannot leverage the pulley easily, slip a piece of water pipe over the socket drive, you'll be surprised how easy it is to do!

Mark