# Battery Panel Light

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-panel-light/20515>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [October 8, 2008, 5:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-panel-light/20515 "2008-10-08T17:40:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Seen1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e480ec/32.png) [@Seen1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Seen1)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 5:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-panel-light/20515/1 "2008-10-08T17:40:25Z")

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Have '98 Linc TC with 150k+ miles. Battery light has been coming on with greater frequency. Have changed cables, battery & belt with no resolution. Always seem to have good startup juice, but after ~5 min driving, light comes on but then goes out with driving time…any ideas?

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**Author:** ![willey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a9adbd/32.png) [@willey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/willey)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 6:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-panel-light/20515/2 "2008-10-08T18:12:03Z")

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You need to have the charging system checked. It sounds like the alternator is failing.

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 8:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-panel-light/20515/3 "2008-10-08T20:28:43Z")

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First stop for me would be the auto parts store. Most will check the battery and charging system for free. The best part is for the most part they generally do a good and honest job. Have yours checked, it may well turn up the problem. Yea, let them check the battery as well even if it is relatively new, it could have been bad out of the box.

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**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 4:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-panel-light/20515/4 "2008-10-09T04:21:38Z")

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Yep, when the battery light goes on it means that the charging system is putting out too low a voltage and needs to be checked. Most likely need a new alternator.