I checked for continuity between the engine and chassis, and the negative battery terminal and chassis. I get a good solid Ohm, so my ground seem to be good. All connections were clean with no sign of corrosion at the ground points or the battery terminals.

Alternator belt is intact and the alternator is spinning nicely.

I can't work out just how to test the alternator voltage output on this model. The B5234T3 engine is pretty compact and tight. The power steering pump is in the way of the alternator. Any ideas here?

Voltage on the battery was about 12.3 volts. Lower than it ought to be. Likely why I threw a CEL.

I put the charger on the battery but it has not charged beyond 12.77. Battery condition seems to be good, but I'm not 100% sure on that. I'll leave it at "inconclusive."


I strongly suspect that the voltage regulator or alternator itself had failed. I can probably find a replacement at a junkyard on Friday/Saturday. However, I'd like to be a bit more sure before I go that route. Getting that thing out will be no fun.


What is strange here is that we didn't get an alternator light on the dash. That *is* the purpose of that light, right? Instead, we got a bunch of weird lights. SRS... CEL... OD... but not an alternator light.

I know that the Alt light works. It came on when I test-started the car without the serpentine belt on last year.

Anyway, still looking for advice here.