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Red Lights on Dash

Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 4:38 pm
by NakedonaHorse
Hello, I've been driving my van daily ever since my boyfriend totaled his car. He's borrowing my truck and now I'm spending some quality time with my van. But recently on my commute over to the boyfriends house. The two red lights on the dash have come on and are staying on. It's the battery light and OXS light :scratch: (whatever that means). Before they would often flicker as I was driving around and I just got used to ignoring it since there seemed to be no rhyme or reason to it, figured it was a loose wire or something. But now the two lights come one and stay on.

So I just wanted to check in and see if I need to do something about it or just keep ignoring them. The van is driving expertly. A couple times I've looked down and I was going 70!!! Never thought I'd see the day.

Re: Red Lights on Dash

Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 4:55 pm
by Bleyseng
What year is this "Van"??

Re: Red Lights on Dash

Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 5:45 pm
by NakedonaHorse
1984

Re: Red Lights on Dash

Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 7:37 pm
by tristessa
Check the connections at the alternator, and make sure the voltage regulator is screwed into the back of the alternator securely. It looks like this:
Image

Maybe drop Bob/Hambone a line, see if he;s got some time to poke at it. Whereabouts in Portland are you?

Re: Red Lights on Dash

Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 7:37 pm
by hambone
OXS is oxygen sensor, probably a reset button somewhere. Probably not important but whatta I know?
Battery light, perhaps your alternator is no longer providing a charge. Further tests are needed, some places test for free in Portland, battery shops, etc. You can also check the battery voltage etc. with a voltmeter.

Re: Red Lights on Dash

Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 7:38 pm
by hambone
We posted at exactly the same time...

Re: Red Lights on Dash

Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 9:41 pm
by tristessa
Flickering before it comes on permanently, alternator. See here: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=264599

Re: Red Lights on Dash

Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 4:46 pm
by NakedonaHorse
The battery is new, just bought it in January. The lights appear to behave in unison. I drive it from E 60th and Burnside out to Happy Valley multi times a week and it starts up fine each time.

Re: Red Lights on Dash

Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 6:41 pm
by tristessa
Just because the battery is new, doesn't mean the alternator is working like it should.

Any chance you could swing over to the Lab on Monday? We could look at it there...

Re: Red Lights on Dash

Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2013 6:19 pm
by tristessa
Any news? I remember we found that flakey wire on Monday...

Re: Red Lights on Dash

Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 4:28 pm
by NakedonaHorse
All is well, Thanks so much for the help. We might actually be taking the van up the coast this week. So I'll have plenty of time to make sure it all works.

Re: Red Lights on Dash

Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 12:24 am
by Xelmon
Naked, I have a van, you have a bus.

Even if it's a Vanagon, it's still a bus. =P

Re: Red Lights on Dash

Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 5:18 am
by Amskeptic
Xelmon wrote:Naked, I have a van,
Clothed, I have a bus.
Colin
(takes all kinds, I guess . . . :sunny: )

Re: Red Lights on Dash

Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2013 12:04 am
by Xelmon
Amskeptic wrote:
Xelmon wrote:Naked, I have a van,
Clothed, I have a bus.
Image

That's going in my signature!!