Charging system
Today while trying to start my car my foot slipped off break while pushing the button and my car didn't start so while still in run position. I mashed break to start the car and it did start but once I turned car off when I got to my destination it wouldn't start. Got a boost started right up but now every time I turn off I need a boost what's wrong
My car has 67767 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi There,
It sounds like you may have a weak battery or a problem with your alternator charging the battery. As you may know, the alternator charges the battery while the engine runs by generating amperage and recharging the battery while the engine turns the alternator pulley. The voltage regulator is a unit that regulates the charging of the battery by the alternator and maintaining a certain amperage while the engine runs. When the alternator is not working properly, this may result in the battery quickly losing charge and the car losing all power. You may also notice a whining sound as a result of the bearings inside the alternator begin to fail. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your charging system.
It sounds like you may have a weak battery or a problem with your alternator charging the battery. As you may know, the alternator charges the battery while the engine runs by generating amperage and recharging the battery while the engine turns the alternator pulley. The voltage regulator is a unit that regulates the charging of the battery by the alternator and maintaining a certain amperage while the engine runs. When the alternator is not working properly, this may result in the battery quickly losing charge and the car losing all power. You may also notice a whining sound as a result of the bearings inside the alternator begin to fail. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your charging system.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
The alternator is located in the engine compartment. If the alternator is not working properly, your car will only stay running for as long as the battery has power stored.
If the alternator fails, the dashboard battery warning light will turn on while you drive. Soon after, all electrical components will begin to lose power, the vehicle will stall, and a jump start won`t work. If the alternator`s bearing fails, it can cause a grinding noise that changes with engine speed.
Fully-charged, our DH6 YELLOWTOP will measure about 13.0-13.2 volts and keeping your battery fully-charged whenever possible will maximize battery performance and lifespan.
If your 2015 Dodge Dart battery warning light comes on while driving, be sure to turn off your accessories, so the battery doesn`t drain further. The warning light usually means that the alternator isn`t working accurately, meaning you are operating solely on battery power.
Alternators come in both 6 volt positive and negative grounds and 12 volt negative ground versions, and are great upgrades to any classic to power the numerous electrical demands of today`s classics and will keep the battery charged.
To 140 amp alternator.
Most alternators last between 80,000 and 150,000 miles — or about seven years.
Is a 12V power supply enough? A: A 12V car battery can be safely charged over a range of voltages, but 12V isn`t one of them. They need at least 12.9 volts to charge, but at this voltage the charge rate of an automobile battery is very slow.
A fully charged 12 volt battery should read at 12.6 volts on the multimeter. If the reading is lower than this, you`ll want to charge your battery with either a battery charger or by taking your car for a drive.
Basically, the light indicates a battery charging problem. If the light comes on and stays on while driving, this means that your alternator is running solely on energy stored in the battery. If you continue driving, your battery will eventually drain and your vehicle will stop working.
If your battery warning light comes on whilst you`re driving, it means that your battery is no longer being charged by the alternator and is running only on its own charge. That means that your car is only running on battery power that will eventually run out, bringing your car to a halt.
A dashboard battery light basically means there`s a battery charging problem. Your car isn`t getting enough voltage from the car battery to operate properly. It needs more “juice!”
Alternators were first introduced as standard equipment on a production car by the Chrysler Corporation on the Valiant in 1960, several years ahead of Ford and General Motors.
Electric vehicles and hybrids don`t have an alternator. Instead, they have a DC-to-DC converter that recharges the 12-volt battery using power from the high-voltage battery pack (the “traction battery”) that powers the vehicle.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
Charging System Failure and Battery Light on
ANSWER : Hi There,
It sounds like you may have a voltage regulator issue that might not be allowing the alternator to charge the battery sufficiently. The voltage regulator could be allowing the alternator to supply too much or too little amperage to the battery resulting in the battery never maintaining a consistent charge as it is designed to. The voltage regulator is a unit that regulates the charging of the battery by the alternator. When the voltage regulator is not working properly, this may result in the alternator allowing too much power to be delivered to the battery resulting in damaging wires and prematurely sometimes destroying the battery. A common sign of this is usually the acid inside the battery boiling causing the battery to swell. You may also smell a bit of smoke due to things potentially getting too hot. In other cases it may result in the alternator not supplying enough power to the battery, resulting in undercharging the battery or not charging it at all. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose your vehicle’s charging system.
It sounds like you may have a voltage regulator issue that might not be allowing the alternator to charge the battery sufficiently. The voltage regulator could be allowing the alternator to supply too much or too little amperage to the battery resulting in the battery never maintaining a consistent charge as it is designed to. The voltage regulator is a unit that regulates the charging of the battery by the alternator. When the voltage regulator is not working properly, this may result in the alternator allowing too much power to be delivered to the battery resulting in damaging wires and prematurely sometimes destroying the battery. A common sign of this is usually the acid inside the battery boiling causing the battery to swell. You may also smell a bit of smoke due to things potentially getting too hot. In other cases it may result in the alternator not supplying enough power to the battery, resulting in undercharging the battery or not charging it at all. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose your vehicle’s charging system.
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My service charging system battery light is on after replacing my alternator with a brand new one. It is not charging my battery.
ANSWER : Hello, thank you for writing in. Several things may be going on. The installation of the new alternator needs to be verified, focusing on the electrical connections and the drive belt. Make sure the connections are clean, dry, and tight. Make sure the drive belt is routed properly and is tight on the alternator pulley (as it is what powers the alternator). If the installation was fine, you will want to make sure the alternator was not faulty from the factory. It is not common, but these issues have been known to happen. Most automotive parts stores can test the alternator off of the vehicle. If you would like more help with testing, contact our service department to schedule an appointment.
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The "service battery charging system" light is on but the voltage gauge is reading over 14 volts
ANSWER : Hello There,
Depending on how much over the 14 volt mark your gauge is reading, you may have a voltage regulator that could be overcharging the battery at a rate that is too high relative to what the system requires. The voltage regulator is a unit that regulates the charging of the battery by the alternator. When the voltage regulator is not working properly, this may result in the alternator allowing too much power to be delivered to the battery resulting in damaging wires and prematurely sometimes destroying the battery. A common sign of this is usually the acid inside the battery boiling causing the battery to swell. You may also smell a bit of smoke due to things potentially getting too hot. In other cases it may result in the alternator not supplying enough power to the battery, resulting in undercharging the battery or not charging it at all. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose your vehicle’s charging system.
Depending on how much over the 14 volt mark your gauge is reading, you may have a voltage regulator that could be overcharging the battery at a rate that is too high relative to what the system requires. The voltage regulator is a unit that regulates the charging of the battery by the alternator. When the voltage regulator is not working properly, this may result in the alternator allowing too much power to be delivered to the battery resulting in damaging wires and prematurely sometimes destroying the battery. A common sign of this is usually the acid inside the battery boiling causing the battery to swell. You may also smell a bit of smoke due to things potentially getting too hot. In other cases it may result in the alternator not supplying enough power to the battery, resulting in undercharging the battery or not charging it at all. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose your vehicle’s charging system.
Read Full Q/A … : Charging system
Charging system warning light.
ANSWER : This may be a sign of a weak battery or a failing voltage regulator. As you may know, the alternator is responsible for charging the battery while the engine runs by generating amperage and recharging the battery while the engine turns the alternator. The voltage regulator is a unit that regulates the charging of the battery by the alternator and maintaining a certain amperage while the engine runs. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your charging system.
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So someone tryed stealing my car and every sience the check charge system light has come on. Is that due to the battery as well
ANSWER : Hello there. It really depends on how they tried to steal your car. If they broke in and tried to "hot wire" your ignition system, this probably created an electrical issue; even if the ignition was replaced or repaired. It’s also possible that this problem is not related to that attempted robbery. The truth is that it’s very hard for us to guess on what might be causing this problem, due to the multiple variables. You might want to have a professional mobile mechanic come to your location and complete an electrical problems inspection.
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Yesterday my whole car cut off its said on the display battery saver on n check charge system i dont know what to do my wont even
ANSWER : Hello. The alarm system must be able to draw power from the battery in order to work while the vehicle is off. Due to the recent after market installation, it is likely the vehicle’s battery and charging system have been comprised. Have you tried to jump start the vehicle? The battery may be dead. You are going to want to visually inspect the wiring connection for that new alarm system. Also verify the battery cables, battery ground, and connections to alternator are all clean, dry, and tight. You may simply have a bad connection or loose ground. The battery saver is likely stopping the vehicle from starting because there is not enough power to crank the engine. It wants to conserve what it’s got left and use it for the other components depending on it. Start by further resting the battery, alternator, and connections.
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Charging System Not Working (Alternator is not kicking in)
ANSWER : The battery should be load tested by a professional. Load testing can only be reliably performed on a fully charged battery. If the battery passes a load test, you have to be sure it is NOT a marginal pass in which case you should install a new battery to reduce diagnostic headaches. Batteries are a VERY important component in a car’s electrical system so the condition of the battery is a threshold issue in your circumstance. Check the integrity of all electrical connections including grounds to the frame in the charging circuit. Even a tiny bit of added resistance will cause enough of a voltage drop that systems just won’t work right. The output of the alternator has to be tested at the battery posts. If the charging output is out of spec. (typically lower than 14.5 volts, but your Factory Service Manual is the authority) then the charging circuit is simply traced until the fault is found and repaired. Again, it could just simply be a high resistance (faulty) connection. If you desire that a certified mechanic resolve this promptly, please simply request a battery/charging system diagnostic and the responding mechanic will get the problem diagnosed and repaired for you. Please let us know if you have further concerns or questions as we are always here to help you.
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Service charging system prompt came on. Battery ok
ANSWER : The indicator comes on the dash when the alternator is overcharging or undercharging. I recommend having the charging system tested to see if the alternator needs replaced. You may have a wiring or other electrical issue with the alternator circuit so this is why I recommended having the system diagnosed. If you need assistance, consider getting help from a qualified technician who cane diagnose your service light and repair your vehicle appropriately.
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