Battery light + Check engine light - MY99 Impreza

[getawayturtle]

Hi there.

The last few weeks the battery light has been remaining on for the first few minutes of every journey before going off. The night before last, it remained on for the entire journey. Last night, it's stuck on, and the check engine light has come on as well.

Never had any power issues so far with lights etc, never failed to start, but I don't really want to take it anywhere now.

Multimeter readings across battery:
Engine off, ignition off: 12.23v
Engine running: 11.61v, going down to 11.53v over the minute I'd held the prongs on for.
Engine running, lights on: 11.12v

Hope the alternator hasn't snuffed it, but I get a feeling it has.

The car is an Impreza turbo 2000, 1999. Thanks for any replies.

Edited by getawayturtle on Wednesday 31st December 16:33

[Hol]

It sounds like the classic symptoms to me.

Alternators are so cheap secondhand for them as they are being broken everywhere, so it's a minor problem.

They are also right in front of you when you open the bonnet.

Edited by Hol on Thursday 1st January 18:43

[loskie]

Same CEL on my 2002 2.0 Forester was the pre cat lambda sensor.
Got a Bosch one for £70 ish from ECP

[Hol]

LOL. CEL covers more than one error! You have to connect the green plugs and count the flashes.


A lamda won't flatten his battery.
A charging battery should show 14.3 volts.

[getawayturtle]

Thanks chaps! There is one for sale locally on fleabay, will see if the seller lets me pick it up.
Surprised at what a simple job it is to do.