where should the battery gauge needle be while driving

190

Asked by sixtnpaws12claws Mar 16, 2016 at 09:49 AM about the 2004 Ford Explorer

Question type: General

2004 Ford Explorer.  Had alternator and battery replaced.  Where should the
battery gauge needle be while driving?

2 Answers

190

My gauge only shows 3 positions, low, high and middle. Does not show volts. Holds steady in the middle when driving. IIs this normal?

19 people found this helpful.
74,190

If it is somewhere in the middle, it should be ok, but the dash gauge is not totally accurate. When your alternator goes out, it will be way down toward the lower end. If you want to check, purchase a fifteen buck multi-meter, set it to DC volts, and connect it between the two poles on the battery when the car is running. If your battery is fully charged, it should read a little over 14 volts.

2 people found this helpful.

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