S40 2001 1.9T Battery warning light staying on.

[chrismac]

Battery needed a charge but tested out fine and accepted a recharge. But battery warning light stays on and after running a while the abs and airbag warning lights come on. Any ideas on where to start. Don't want to wrestle with the alternator unless necessary.

[billofdurham]

Welcome to Matthew's Volvo Site.

The battery warning light usually indicates a charging, therefore alternator, problem. When you had the battery checked did you also have the alternator checked?

You can check the alternator yourself with a voltmeter or a multimeter.

Make sure all the accessories on your car are turned off.

With the engine at a fast idle, the voltage should read around 14 volts (13.5 to 14.4). The alternator needs to generate a larger voltage than the battery's rated voltage to overcome the internal resistance of the battery.

The ABS and airbag lights may be coming on as the voltage drops or they may be indicating a problem with the components. First check has to be the alternator.

Bill.