battery wont hold charge

[lharper]

My daughter has a 97 contour and the battery light stays on dimming brighter and lower with acceleration. We replaced the battery however they crossed the cables when installing then changed back after realizing it. She had it tested on engine analyzer and the mechanic said bad alternator. We replaced alternator and it drove for two days and continues to not hold charge. The battery cables were checked and replaced also. This has been going on a month and driving us crazy to figure out. If a dealership puts it on engine analyzer and can't figure it out then hoping maybe someone else has had same problem and can advise! Thanks!

[beyondloadedSE]

i bet the alternator relay is blown. Usually when the alternator goes the relay goes with it. Mine had the same problem after i replaced the alternator, and turned out to be the relay.

[LC-x]

If i'm understanding your post correctly ... the battery light seems to be now working correctly .

If the charging system checks out ok and the battery passes a load test you might want to check for a parasitic draw.In other word a component in the vehicle is draining the battery when the vehicle is not running.

To check for this remove the negative cable on the battery and use a circuit tester (test light) between the removed negative cable and the Negative terminal on the battery. If you see a bright light (it may gradually fade) you have excessive draw that would drain your battery over a period of time. A faint glow which fades is normal on most vehicles , good luck

[lharper]

Well my Daughter took it back to Ford Dealer and they spent the whole day testing all the wires and they told her just when they were about to give up on it...........they found a fuse on the engine that had blown. The fuse was only 6.00 but it cost her 110.00. My daughter was so happy she paid her bill with a SMILE ON HER FACE and COULD NOT THANK THEM ENOUGH! HOORAY!

[beyondloadedSE]

Originally Posted by lharper

Well my Daughter took it back to Ford Dealer and they spent the whole day testing all the wires and they told her just when they were about to give up on it...........they found a fuse on the engine that had blown. The fuse was only 6.00 but it cost her 110.00. My daughter was so happy she paid her bill with a SMILE ON HER FACE and COULD NOT THANK THEM ENOUGH! HOORAY!

was it the alternator relay like i suggested earlier?

[meintool]

Originally Posted by beyondloadedSE

was it the alternator relay like i suggested earlier?

where is the alternator relay?

[beyondloadedSE]

Originally Posted by meintool

where is the alternator relay?

if its the V6 its behind the rear valve cover on the wiring harness. Pop off the cover and you should be able to see it.

[Super Wally]

Does anyone know where the fusible link is located on the 2.0 Contour?
Thanks

[lestro]

Originally Posted by Super Wally

Does anyone know where the fusible link is located on the 2.0 Contour?
Thanks

Don't know for sure if it's what you're wanting, but I believe there's a mega fuse on the intake manifold, between the alternator and battery

[mikshad]

I have a 1996 Contour that won't charge. I believe it is the mega fuse. But I don't know what it looks like, or where it is located. If you find out please let me know.

[carlos80]

Originally Posted by beyondloadedSE

was it the alternator relay like i suggested earlier?

there's no such thing as an alternator relay, at least not on Ford products

[Super Wally]

There is a 175 amp mega fuse located on the engine.
If you remove the plastic air cover from the intake and look down behind the center of the intake there is a rectangle box about 1 inch by 3 inch. The cover snaps off and located inside is the fuse. Remove the two nuts to take the fuse out. The problem I was having was the battery light was glowing dim to bright depending on engine speed and the battery was not charging.
I replaced the fuse and everything seems to be working fine now. It is a lot cheaper than a new battery or alternator. The car was a 1997 Contour with a 2.0 zetec engine.