Breakdown

 

I was almost to my luxurious WalMart parking spot where I was going to hunker down for the night. Just three miles away, and all of a sudden she throws a big red dashboard light for the battery.

 

When this happens there’s no debating the next move/ it’s get the hell off the road NOW, or you could be melting the engine. Reason: that red light is a prime indicator that the fan belt broke. No fan belt, no fan turning
means no cooling means—disaster.

 

Luckily, I was able to immediately pull into a small parking lot for a lighting company. No one was around and so I set to clearing everything out of the back end of Josie so I could get to her engine and take a look.

By now it’s starting to get dark. But LED flashlight in hand I was easily able to rule out a thrown fan belt. Next step: phone a friend…

 

I had a hunch it was something to do with the alternator (the fan belt turns a pulley that then keeps the battery charged up).

 

My buddy, Steve, confirmed and said it might be the voltage regulator. Easy enough to trouble shoot this problem, but it’ll have to wait for morning. It’s pitch black and cold and I haven’t eaten all day (ok, two pieces of toast).