What does it mean if your "Gen" light comes on while driving down the road, especially while stopped at a light? Is the alternator bad? There is a brand new battery in there, so hopefully it isn't that.

 

What does your voltage guage read? It comes on when you don't have enough voltage to keep the battery charged. Your alternator is probably dying or your idle is too low to keep it spinning fast enough, which I doubt.

 

It's around 11 or 12.
The light mostly comes on at idle, but it even came on at 45MPH.
So it's the alternator, then?

Thanks!

 

11 or 12 is definately low. Sounds like an altenator problem.

 

I agree with JMoney 454. What's gonna happen if you continue to drive is that the alternater will fail to charge the battery at all...over time, the battery will drain down. You can conserve your battery by turning radio off, heat, lights etc. I guess in the C3s, you can drive for awhile until the car stops.

Now, I've not done this in my 78, but in my 90 which was computerized...the computer wants to shut down when it no longer has sufficient power to keep it running. I had to shut, heat, lights, radio, etc to get to my friend's house before it crapped out. Once it stopped...no power, no motor...no go!

Frankly, I wouldn't drive it until you get it fixed. You may be somewhere where you don't want to be and with no way to go.