Your car has a lot of sensors to monitor and make sure all the systems are working properly. Your brake light will flash whenever there is a problem with your braking system, while the battery light will tell you if there is a battery charge problem.If the Brake And Battery Light On At The Same Time, chances are likely that your alternator will fail. Although it may charge the battery, it may not charge the required voltage of at least 13 volts.
If the Brake And Battery Light On At The Same Time, chances are likely that your alternator will fail. Although it may charge the battery, it may not charge the required voltage of at least 13 volts.
Other possibilities include an error of your braking system that results in an increase in power consumption, loose connection, or faulty power controller.
Table of Contents
4 Possible Reasons Why My Battery And Brake Light On At The Same Time
I will describe in detail the four main reasons why your car may lose these two warning lights at the same time.
1. Failing Alternator
In my experience, whenever a customer comes with his car with this problem, in most cases, it will be a faulty machine.
Although you can diagnose a problem at home, I always recommend that your car be taken to a professional as it will have the tools and knowledge needed to repair it.
However, I include a brief guide on how to check your alternator at home using a voltmeter or multimeter.
How do you check your alternator?
While it may seem like a daunting task to someone who does not have enough knowledge, testing your alternator can be quite easy.
It is important to note that the output of some alternators will vary between 13 – 15.5 volts, depending on the car model.
Follow The Steps Listed Below And You Will Be Able To Tell If You Have The Wrong Alternator
- Get your hands on the voltmeter
- Make sure your battery terminals are clean
- Connect the voltmeter to the battery terminals
- You should have read 12.5v – 12.8v readings when the engine is off
- Now start the engine and check the high reading, over 13 – 13.5v
- Turn on your radio, lights and other electrical appliances
- You should have read through the same reading before
- A low reading will show that your alternator is charging the battery
- A higher reading will show that your alternator overcharges the batter
If the study is closed, I recommend that you visit a car mechanic to get a proper diagnosis
Will My Car Go With A Bad Alternator?
The short answer is: “depending on.” The alternator can overcharge, charge less or not work at all. In either case, you will be able to drive your car for short distances until your car battery runs out.
If the alternator charges a bit, the battery will gradually run out of power until your car breaks down.
If the alternator overcharges – often to a malfunctioning controller -, the battery cells of your battery will be damaged, and your battery fuse will probably go out.
Your battery will use whatever charge it has, and the car will stop. Even if you jump into your car, it will soon die without power being pumped into the battery.
2. Failing Voltage Controller
I have worked as a mechanic for so many years, encountering all kinds of problems with people’s trucks. In some vehicles, the battery and brake lights were on for a few seconds at a time.
It turned out that the voltage controller failed. In short, the power controller ensures that the maximum electrical power passing through your car circuit is the same.
Failure controller will overload or overload your alternator, resulting in malfunctioning of your car’s systems.
This may explain why you may not notice the battery light, indicating a problem with your charging system, and the brake light, which means a fault in your braking system – the wrong voltage.
3. Loose Connections Or Damaged Cables
Loose connection or incorrect cable will cause your ECU to report a potential fault with your brakes and charging systems at the same time.
As the cables will shrink as they grow, it is advisable to check your phone wires on the battery. Damaged cable or loose connection can cause shortening and damage to parts of your car leading to both brake and battery light on at the same time.
It can help if you also make sure your battery terminals are clean and the connectors are secure.
4. Error Braking System
Although rare, there is a chance that your braking system has an electrical problem, causing the battery light to flash.
If all of the above conditions fail, I recommend that you check the brake cables and make sure they are not damaged.
What Should You Do When These Warning Lights Come On?
If your battery and brake warning lights are on while you are driving, the first thing you should do is pass safely to check your car quickly.
Once you are safe, turn off the engine and look under the lid to see if there are any leaks or if you can see the smell of burning wires. A burning odor will usually indicate a broken alternator.
You may want to check your brake fluid level, as having a lower level will reflect the brake light on the dashboard.
You should also check for any loose connections in your battery, and at the same time make sure that the terminals are not cluttered.
If all else fails, it is important to drive home or to the garage before finding and fixing a problem.
Can You Drive With The Brakes On And The Battery Lights On?
You should not drive your car in an emergency with these warning lights on your dashboard.
The car tells you that there is a problem with charging and braking systems. Therefore you should seek professional advice.
By driving a car before repairing it, you put yourself and other traffic participants at risk.
Conclusion
If you find yourself in a situation where both brake and battery light on at the same time, do not panic. Find a safe place where you can park and inspect your car.
Following the visual check, if all else appears to be OK, restart the car.
Even if the lights go out after the engine restarts, it is still advisable to have the matter investigated by a car mechanic.
The important thing to remember is that warning lights light up for a reason, and you should never ignore or continue driving your car.