battery light

[Aaron]

OK. here goes.

Went out last night - It was raining.

Turn engine on, and it was squeaking as it normally does when its been raining until it reaches temp.

I noted when I turned the lights on, the squeaking/screeching got a bit louder.

2 minutes down the road, I had to go through some flood water (only about ankle height though)

During this flood water, the battery light turns on for a few seconds, and the steering gets very heavy, as if there was no power steering.

10 seconds after steering came back/light turned off, it screeched like nothing else.

Turned the lights off (noise stopped) whilst traveling through an undercover car park which stopped the noise. Turned the lights back on, and everything was normal.


Is this possibly a loose serpentine belt slowly coming to an end of its life (90k)

Also, the battery life indicator shows it is a bit more than half strength still.

[PhilipA]

Yes.
The noise is the belt slipping, so maybe the tensioner is on the way out too.
Regards Philip A

[Aaron]

So would I have had belt slip loosing power to the power steering pump, which means dead power steering for those few seconds?

If its just the belt, and not the tensioner, is replacing the tensioner worth while as preventative maintenance?

[tracker]

So would I have had belt slip loosing power to the power steering pump, which means dead power steering for those few seconds?

If its just the belt, and not the tensioner, is replacing the tensioner worth while as preventative maintenance?

Yes!!

[Blknight.aus]

Id be thinking of the tensioner loosing its strength, enough belt stretch to run you out of tension should mean a snapped belt....

if your really really unlucky its the harmonic balancer seperated and spinning on the crank.

[Aaron]

Thanks guys