Thread: "Charging system failure"

Hi guys, I did do an extensive search and read countless posts on this problem but haven't really hit the nail on the head yet. My car drove fine for years, last weekend I left for a weekend and parked my car for 3 days. Came home, car was dead, I though I left something on (dome light, etc.) Jumped car, immediately started and ran with a jump. Drove it around for an hour, "charging system failure" screen pops on and off. I shut car off, try starting, doesn't start, instantly died when shut off.
It will take a jump and run, then die when it's off. I did replace the battery last year, do you think it's the alternator? Or is something else? Weird that over a weekend it would quit out of the blue?

I don't have a meter, not really sure how to use it if I did have one? I could probably go buy one, what would I want to read and where?
I have a feeling it's the alternator since I just replaced battery last winter, but I don't want to drop $200 on a new one if it's not that?

Thanks luckyg817, I will go get it tested at the store.

I also read somewhere that if the voltage is too high, say like 15-15.1 Volts, that is bad too? What would that cause?

my auto zone now has a hand held load tester and volt meter.

you want to test the battery car off, its volts, and then load test it. if it fails the load test its done. unless its just weak form the alt not charging.

next they should check the battery voltage car running, this should be over 13 volts, some cars charge at 14 plus volts. mines any where from 13.3-13.9 depending on how much stuff is running in the car.

i did have a 03 gmc that took 3 new alt's till it liked one, every one was charging over 14 volts and the dash kept saying charging failure. 3 rd alt charged at 13.5 ish under 14, and it worked.

Thanks everyone, I checked it over again tonight........and found a bad ground from the battery. I tightened the ground wire up where it grounds to the car, and all is good now. Thanks again, glad it was a free fix!

You replaced the battery or the alternator? Have your alternator tested. Even if you replaced the alternator 3 months ago, it could have still gone bad again. I went through 3 alternators in less than a month. All the alternators are refurbished now and a lot will be bad out of the box. Make sure to get a lifetime warranty. I am on my 5th alternator in 9 years and only had to pay for the original one due to the lifetime warranty.

I wouldn't assume that.

Originally Posted by FX4 Level II

I also read somewhere that if the voltage is too high, say like 15-15.1 Volts, that is bad too? What would that cause?

04+ charging systems are completely different and will charge anywhere from 12.1 to 15.1, this is normal so don't go by any information to the contrary.

Jeff

Have both the battery and alternator checked. Don't assume either are fine until you have them checked.


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The alternator is going to be hard to check, most of the stores don't have the abaility to apply the PWM signal to the alternator to make it work, so they just tell you it's dead.

Jeff