I got in my van the other day and noticed the battery light was on. The alternator wasn't charging and the lights and wipers slowly started dying. I figured out that revving the hell out of it for a second caused the battery light to go out, and everything was back to normal until the next time I turned it off. I had been starting it up and revving the **** out of it for the past couple days but now the battery light doesn't come off no matter what. I checked every connection and fuse I possibly could under the hood. Could there be a loose ground somewhere? Or is this clearly a failed alternator? It's a 2001 5.4l v8.

 

Took the alternator in to a rebuilding shop. They fixed it with a $2.30 part. Good to go. Thank you.