My battery does not charge. It keeps on drawing power when I switch on the head lights, spot lights, and noise from the dashboard
My battery does not charge. It keeps on drawing power when I switch on the head lights, spot lights, and noise from the dashboard
My car has a manual transmission.
My car has a manual transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi, thanks for writing in. If your battery is not charging properly and you are having other electronic issues with your vehicle, it is likely that your alternator may have failed. When your alternator fails that can cause lots of electronic malfunctions in your vehicle including noises warning lights and lack of radio and climate control function. Good alternators charge the vehicle just above 14 volts. I would recommend having your alternator inspected and tested by a qualified professional to determine if it is within specification. If the alternator is not within specification, I would recommend having the alternator replaced in order to resolve the issue that you are having. If you would like help, consider having an expert automotive technician from YourMechanic come to your home or office to inspect and diagnose this issue for you, and make or suggest any repairs as needed.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
One of the most common reasons the battery light comes on and the car battery stops charging is because of corrosion. Whether the corrosion is on the battery cables or cable terminals, it is still a problem that needs to be addressed. Another common culprit for the battery not charging is a problem with the alternator.
The alternator belt is the connection that interfaces the crankshaft and alternator together. If your car`s alternator belt isn`t working properly, your car battery won`t get the charge it needs for your vehicle`s electrical parts. With that, your car battery light will frequently be on to indicate such an issue.
It is possible that the problems that you have been experiencing with the bad alternators have damaged the battery causing it to be weak. This would make the Battery Light come on. It is also possible that there is a problem with the fusible link or the alternator fuse for the charging system.
There are 3 levels of warning that your BMW may give you when your battery is below its recommended state of charge. Level 1: There is a warning message stating “Charge Battery” but everything else about the vehicle seems to be operating normally. This is a notification and NO service is needed at this time.
A1: Confirm you properly installed the included battery pack and battery door. A2: Confirm the Charging Stand is properly connected to a powered USB port. A3: Confirm you pushed down when placing the controller on the Charging Stand.
The red battery light could indicate a problem with the alternator, battery or other parts of the electrical and charging system in the car. It could be a minor problem such as a malfunction rectifier unit, blown fuse or cabling short circuit.
If your alternator has gone bad, your battery will have to power all of your vehicle functions without getting any recharge. In these cases, it won`t be long before your battery dies—even if you have a brand-new battery.
Common Signs
When you are not able to start your car (or as quickly as before) when there is dim lighting or flickering dashboard lights. Or if you hear clicking noises when attempting to start your engine, it is a sign that you likely have a BMW dead battery.
Unplug the power adapter and then press and hold the laptop`s power button for at least 15 seconds. This should reset the laptop and drain any residual charge in the power supply.
Charging systems protect the power side of the circuit with a fusible link or maxi-fuse, located inline between the battery positive post and the alternator`s output terminal. The maxi-fuse might be located in the engine`s power box. A faulty or blown fusible link will prevent the alternator from charging the battery.
A corroded or defective alternator diode will faultily continue charging the circuit even when the car off. This, in turn, will drain your car battery and cause the car not to start.
While the size of your fuse depends on the amperage of your alternator, you should generally select a fuse that can handle more amperage than your alternator is able to output. For example, if your alternator outputs 200 amps, you should choose a fuse that`s no less than 200 amps.
The standard alternator designed for road vehicles has a voltage regulator mounted to the back of the alternator and set to a single charge voltage of 14 or 28 volt.
Charging output can be tested on a vehicle with a digital voltmeter. A good alternator should produce about 13.5 to 14.5 volts with the engine idling. If the voltage reading is low (12.5 volts or less), it indicates a charging problem but does not tell you what`s causing it.
Probably, the most common symptom associated with a bad regulator is flickering, dimming, or pulsing lights. To be more specific, you may notice that the vehicle`s: Headlights fluctuate between bright and dim, without you doing anything. High beam isn`t working as expected.
If you have left car lights on all night, the battery can quickly run down. It does not make much difference whether it is a halogen, LED or xenon lamp. If you leave the light on for too long, the battery will drain and the car will no longer start.
Look at the fuse wire. If there is a visible gap in the wire or a dark or metallic smear inside the glass then the fuse is blown and needs to be replaced.
It is possible in some cases to jumpstart a vehicle that has a faulty alternator, as long as the battery has enough of a charge to keep running. However, the alternator should be replaced as soon as possible.
Jumpstart your car. If you can turn the engine on, but it dies shortly thereafter, your car alternator likely isn`t able to charge the battery. On the other hand, if you jumpstart the car and later on it fails to start on its own, it`s likely a dead battery.
“If the [battery`s] voltage is low, replace with a new battery or charge the battery to the recommended 14.2 to 14.7 volts,” he says. “Then try to run the vehicle and see if the voltage after is outside of that range. If it is, that`s a sign of a bad alternator.”
Make sure your alternator`s positive and negative terminals are clean. Put the multimeter`s black cable to the negative terminal and the red cable to the positive terminal. Look for an ideal alternator reading of around 12.6. Start the car, and look for a reading of between 14.2 and 14.7.
Internal components: A weak battery affects performance by causing damage to the engine`s internal parts. The low voltage causes the temperature to go up, and overheating can result, which causes damage to the engine parts.
Bad Alternator
The alternator recharges your battery when the engine is running. The motion of the engine is turned into electrical power, but if your battery seems to be dying constantly, this is an indicator that your alternator may be bad. This could also cause engine problems or a no-start situation.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
My battery does not charge. It keeps on drawing power when I switch on the head lights, spot lights, and noise from the dashboard
ANSWER : Hi, thanks for writing in. If your battery is not charging properly and you are having other electronic issues with your vehicle, it is likely that your alternator may have failed. When your alternator fails that can cause lots of electronic malfunctions in your vehicle including noises warning lights and lack of radio and climate control function. Good alternators charge the vehicle just above 14 volts. I would recommend having your alternator inspected and tested by a qualified professional to determine if it is within specification. If the alternator is not within specification, I would recommend having the alternator replaced in order to resolve the issue that you are having. If you would like help, consider having an expert automotive technician from YourMechanic come to your home or office to inspect and diagnose this issue for you, and make or suggest any repairs as needed.
The Battery Light is on and the lights and power mirrors are not working – 2002 Mercedes-Benz C320
ANSWER : Hi. If the Battery Light is on, this an indication that either the battery is bad, the alternator is not charging properly, or both of them are bad. Low battery voltage will cause the car to do abnormal things like have no headlights. There are other things that can cause headlights to not work as well, for example, a blown fuse, broken headlight relay, or, the most common cause, blown headlight bulbs.
I suggest you have a certified technician, such as one from YourMechanic, come to your location to determine why the Battery Light is on and suggest the necessary repairs.
Just replaced head gasket, changed crack sensor new plugs. The check engine light is on, but dim, the only other light that the dash is a normal battery indicator. The fuel pump is not running when switch is turned on, the power windows don’t work, it turns over but not firing. It’s like only one part of the system is working. Also the heater fans work even if the switch is off.
ANSWER : I would first look at the diagnostic trouble codes. Those codes are available because the check engine light is on. If the fuel pump is not running (momentarily) at key on, that fault alone will prevent the car from starting as there will be no fuel pressure. Pump output and pressure can be directly tested and you can also check for electrical power to the pump. To find out why the engine will not run, the recommended diagnostic is a no start diagnostic. If you request that service, the responding certified mechanic will get this taken care of for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
I have Chrysler 300c. Battery light came on, changed battery and alternator but power still getting drained and battery light still comes on.
ANSWER : Hi, thanks for writing in. This may be a sign of a failing starter relay. The starter relay is a small unit near the starter that directs power to the starter from the battery. When this fails, it may cause a clicking sound and will not allow the starter to engage the flywheel when you turn the key. I would suggest having a professional from YourMechanic come to your home to diagnose your starting issue to determine the solution to get you back on the road.
2012 equinox reduced power light engine light and traction light came on. Lost a lot of power got home and all light except engine
ANSWER : Your car has what is called a "safe mode" that will be engaged by the computer when it detects that something critical has gone wrong related to any of the major components in your engine chassis or power train. This may be related to a number of things, most of which should have been registered in the computer when the check engine light came on. I recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to inspect your check engine light and diagnose any codes registered by your vehicle’s computer.
My battery light keeps coming on and radio went off and on then off completely then car lost power toyota avalon 2000
ANSWER : Hello. If the engine will not stay running then the alternator is bad. The battery will also need to be load tested as a bad alternator can also cause the battery to fail.
When I come across this problem I always check the alternator and battery, as well as all of the connection first. Most of the time just the alternator needs to be replaced.
If you want to have your battery light diagnosed, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to diagnose and repair this issue.
EPC light on 2004 Jetta. Code said brake switch faulty, but brakes lights worked. Replaced brake switch, now no brake lights.
ANSWER : Hi there. The first thing that pops in my mind beyond of what you have listed is perhaps the electrical harness attached to the brake switch. Perhaps the harness itself is damaged or you have an exposed wire, loose ground wire somewhere. You might want to have a professional mobile mechanic come to your location and complete a brake lights not working inspection to help you diagnose this issue.
in my car battery warning light appearing while driving.so I have replaced both battery and alternater still light is on
ANSWER : As you may yourself have seen, there are many reports of this fault with the Civic, that is a battery or alternator is replaced only to have the warning light fail to extinguish despite checking every conceivable electrical possibility. Your only recourse is to have a certified mechanic go through that exercise with your car and that involves first attempting to "re-set" the light. If the warning light returns, the alternator output has to be carefully measured both loaded and unloaded. All terminal connections have to be verified including all grounds. Fuses have to be checked for integrity (continuity) and the possibility of shorts, in for example dash wiring, has to be checked. To request this repair, simply request an electrical components diagnostic and the responding certified mechanic will seek a resolution to this.
