I can't figure out why the needle is almost constantly in the yellow. Not deep in the yellow, but yellow nonetheless (around 11 or so). The battery has been replaced, the connections at the battery are clean, and the car has about 48,000 miles on it. Sometimes, it stays close to 13 on the gauge but not much lately. It bounces around in the yellow a lot. Weirdest part is, the car starts and runs fine!

I'm currently in Arizona and I know the heat is a killer on charging systems.

Please help, I'm fixing to have to drive 1000 miles home and would like to fix it before getting stranded on the road!

Thanks everyone

 

My best guess would be that you have a weak alternator.
I'd take it off and have it tested. Around here we have a starter/alternator shop that will test them for free. You should be able to find something simular where you are.

 

Well, what's even weirder, is that when I turn my headlights on, it goes back up to 13!

I'm thinking alternator as well though. I'll go to autozone and have them check it.

Anyone else?

 

To me it sounds like a bad sensor or somthing giving you a bad reading.. Take the car to Auto zone and tell them you want to have your charging system checked..

 

A bad sensor would REALLY suck.. It SEEMS to me like it's just possibly a weak alternator as stated before. It kicks up a little bit when accessories are being used like lights and a/c, but the modulator inside would be controlling that.. Shat. I hate problems like this.

If anyone else thinks of anything, let me know. I'll get the charging system checked tomorrow.

Thanks guys