Help!!!!! I think my battery is going dead in my car

Question

I really do not know anything about cars so can you be as simplistic as possible. While I was driving today my car battery light started to flicker, but it was very random, and very faint looking. I get home with no problem and then I go out again and I don't see a flicker right away so I thought everything was fine, then all my lights in the car started to dim (it was night) and my headlights dimmed as well and the check engine light, battery, oil, gas, and service engine soon lights came on very brightly, but all the other lights were dim, or non existent.

I really need to know what is wrong because we have been having a lot of problems with this car (Ford Escort ZX2) and my dad keeps blaming me, and I need to know what the problem is, and if I could have prevented it.

Answer 1

i agree with swamp rat

Answer 2

Check and clean and tighten battery terminal ends. Check belt tension. Stop by most any auto parts store and have them put a metter on your car and they can tell you if you need a new battery or alternater.

Answer 3

The Rat's got it right.

Answer 4

Its not charging. Even with a dead battery, if the charging system was working, that wouldn't happen.

Answer 5

I'f it was my car, i would charge the battery back -up and with everything turned off , like the radio ,i would drive it to the nearest auto parts store and have them to test your alternater and battery.I'm sure that it's your alternater that has went bad . When a alternater goes bad that's what happens ,the light's get real dim and the next thing you know is the car has died.The reason that it died's is because your battery has know way to stay charged -up when the alternater it's working to recharge the battery.         ( Get that alternater checked out A S A P) By the way there's nothing that you could have done to prevent it from happing.