Dangerous Dan's Blog

Friday, September 2, 2016

So that's what that light means...

Monday morning, I was on my way to work when the battery indicator flared up on my dashboard. Since I'd never seen it before, I had no idea what it meant.

I had to get gas anyway so I stopped at the gas station. As dead dinosaurs flowed into my tank, I flipped through the manual. Apparently, the battery indicator means there's a problem with the car's electrical system. "Do Not Drive The Car" was written in bold. After a few moments consideration, I decided that since I was only a few miles from home, I'd risk it.

The first couple miles went fine. After that, things quickly went to shit.

Other lights on my dashboard popped up. By other lights, I mean ever warning light possible. A mile after that, the fun really started. The air conditioner quit and the power windows quit working. A mile later, the speedometer quit working.

"Hold together, baby," I said. Then the power steering went out.

After manhandling my car through two turns, pretty much every light on the dash went out. I coasted into my driveway just as the dashboard computer said "Goodbye" and the car went completely dead.

Long story short, it was a belt and a hydraulic tenser.