# Weird battery light issue

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/weird-battery-light-issue/191189>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [June 19, 2023, 11:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/weird-battery-light-issue/191189 "2023-06-19T23:48:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jonpowersjunk\_185677](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@jonpowersjunk\_185677](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jonpowersjunk_185677)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 11:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/weird-battery-light-issue/191189/1 "2023-06-19T23:48:27Z")

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This problem started a few months ago. Intermittently when I start up my 2007 Camry for the first time for the day, the battery/charging system light will come on. It flickers off occasionally but generally stays on. After I drive it a few miles, turn off the car and then restart it, the light usually does not come on and will not come on the rest of the day. I feel like this is more likely to happen when it is a wet day or very humid.

With the car off, I read 12V across the battery terminals, and when the car is on normally it’s about 13V, and when the battery light is on, I get a reading of zero volts across the terminals. Any ideas about what might be going on?

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**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2023, 12:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/weird-battery-light-issue/191189/2 "2023-06-20T00:15:29Z")

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> [@jonpowersjunk\_185677](#):
>
> I get a reading of zero volts across the terminals.

Is that across the battery post or terminal ends???

Sounds like you might have a corrosion problem and or loose or damaged terminal end…

Try cleaning the battery terminals with very hot water and baking soda…

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**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2023, 9:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/weird-battery-light-issue/191189/3 "2023-06-20T21:43:09Z")

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> [@jonpowersjunk\_185677](#):
>
> I read 12V across the battery terminals, and when the car is on normally it’s about 13V,

No experience with 07 Camry, but when I do that test, I do it before the first start of the day, and I’m looking for around 12.6 V with engine off, then 13.5-15.5 volts immediately after starting engine. Your measurement of 13 V with engine running might indicate a problem with the alternator. I expect your zero volt measurement is some sort of measurement error, maybe the DVM’s probe wasn’t making a good connection. Or the problem noted in the post above.