Battery Light faintly pops on and off

[Ollie]

5 weeks without my new purchase, I finally get the exhaust sorted and hooked up my stereo and off I went.

I bought the cable for my stereo off ebay at £3.29p rather than Halfords at £25. Hooked it all up and off I went. The sound was brilliant and after about 5 mins of driving the tracks started to jump as if it was a scratched CD playing, when I was using a USB device. Anyhow I drove on and about 40 mins later a track started to play really, really slow as if in slow motion. I didnt read too much into it and skipped to next track.

Anyhow, I drove home after supermarket and as I got home down my road I heard this buzzing, I pulled over thinking it was my mobile on silent/vibrate in glove box, but wasnt. I drove to my drive and it continued, I turned onto drive and I could hear this (electrical) buzzing. My brakes need sorting as there down to 3mm and I thought maybe they had expired and this is what this noise was.

I took car out last night while roads quite (in case it was brakes) as I drove up my road I heard the noise again and the battery light flashed on dash, but very very faintly. I pulled over and opened bonnet, looked at battery and it all seemed connected ok (didnt touch it).
I then heard noise and it sounded like it was coming from the stereo so I unplugged the stereo and drove for 10 minutes and didnt hear the sound once but when going round a bend the battery light again faintly came on for about 3 seconds. So drove home.

Took it out hour later about 20 miles and didnt hear the bussing noise so assume it was cheap leads off ebay. About 15 miles in the battery light faintly came on for about 5 seconds and went off agin and didnt come on again for rest of journey.

I looked in handbook, said it could be loose connection, alternator belt or alternator take to peugeot dealer. Searched on here and found threads for people reporting light coming on and staying on until end of journey, they reported things like steering fluid levels and steering pumps

Could my stereo on this cable drained the battery somewhat or is this light an early warning of something that needs attention? As I say it comes on very very faintly and goes off after longest period 5 seconds. It is almost like when your fuel is about to hit empty and the warning light can not decide wether to come on or not, flickering. Agsin when it stays on it dosent appear as bright as when you turn on the ignition before start up.

Sorry long winded but thought I explain my stereo situation seen as thats electrical:thumbs:

[GrandadMonkey]

When you had the exhaust fitted, they didn't knock or otherwise damage your brake fluid reservoir did they? There have been instances of hydraulic fluid leaking from the reservoir down onto the alternator. Once it gets into the alternator it causes the sort of symptoms you describe.

Only answer then is a new hydraulic fluid reservoir and a new alternator - ouch! Hope it is not that on yours.

[Ollie]

When you had the exhaust fitted, they didn't knock or otherwise damage your brake fluid reservoir did they? There have been instances of hydraulic fluid leaking from the reservoir down onto the alternator. Once it gets into the alternator it causes the sort of symptoms you describe.

Only answer then is a new hydraulic fluid reservoir and a new alternator - ouch! Hope it is not that on yours.

Thanks for that - could be a possibility knocking something as the exhaust was welded, I didnt ask how they got it off.
I checked the brake fluid resovoir as far as the see through container and it is still hovering just slightly under MAX level. I checked under car and despite rain today no signs of anything dripping if it managed to reach the ground. Just took it for a spin round the block and no light appeared - have a trip from Essex to Maidstone tommorow (first long journey) so shall see how it goes, I'm covered in case of emergency but hope I get there and back without having to spend more on this car

Will keep you posted should the light come back on - will get it looked at and report back

[Ollie]

There have been the odd occassion when driving this light faintly came on and went off after 10mins or so.

When I had work done on car my mechanic friend said it could be alternator as it says in the AA manual.

Car went in last week for other work and he took the alternator out and took it apart, his collague also refurbs altenators and they both looked at it and said it was a bit grubby but in very good condition. They cleaned it and popped it back in, they took it for a couple of test drives and no battery light came on.

It didnt always pop on when I drove, but did now and agin and once in a blue moon. Call battery cables are ok so will just keep my eye on it, but he said shouldnt be any issues.

Just thought I report back incase anyone who bothers to search and is having same issue...