What is your question?
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What is your question?
The check charging system message in my 2005 Ford Explorer comes on and goes off while driving. Two auto shops checked the battery and alternator and said they both are working correctly, but the message still comes on while driving. What else could be the problem?
8 Replies
Try to turn on as as many functions as possible while driving, including the A/C, defroster, stereo, lights, etc. If the message still comes on, that means the charging voltage is insufficient. Zee
while you are driving under the a load, there may be a low voltage issue with the alternator. at our shop, we do not drive the car but maybe someone has to drive and monitor the voltage. Roy
Thanks, I appreciate your help.
It may be several different things? Just because the alternator is charging it may not be charging enough to keep the light off? Also, most ford alternator have a single wire that sends a signal to the dash to let it knows how much it charging. It may be a faulty alternator, bad connection at alternator or broken wire? Its might be best to have the vehicle look at the dealership so they can trace the problem? I would hate to see you put a $300 alternator on and doesn't fix the problem?
Thanks for your help. Someone else told me pretty much what you said. Everything tested ok, so it may be a loose wire connection.
Did you find what the problem was? I'm having exactly the same problem. I have taken my explorer to the Ford dealer, they have changed the alternator twice (no charge the second time) but I still have the problem. Thanks for your help.
did you ever get it fixed. I have changed the alternator twice and the second I left the dealer ship it came back on. I am just afraid that it cuts off without notice in traffic.
Will the car die while I am driving it?
No it won't die,it would just have a hesitant start. But I'm having the same problem with my 2003 explorer,the check charging system display popped up and I need to know what can I do if everything is checking ok?!!!
My truck just had its 2nd altinator put on in 2 mos. Same with my light and message center. And yes, it will make your car cut off in traffic...mine did both times...but it starts right back up!
Mine did the same. Cut off in the middle of traffic on the highway. Very scary. 2nd alternator still doing the same thing
I'm on here just looking to make sure there's no stupid other reasons for what seems like a alternator failure but aren't b4 I go grab one and put it in. The reason I have a small concern is it is intermittently working and when it does work it works perfectly. Goes from flat line on dash voltage meter to above half way instantly. Saturday night when leaving gas station I noticed the voltage notification and voltage meter dropping. I killed everything I could but my headlights and hopped on the highway and kept the RPM's as high as I could and made it home no problem with a few intermittent charges out of the alternator. Last night (Mon.)I went out for a short drive honestly I had forgotten about it. Hardly made it back home headlights super dim and as I pulled into my apartment complex the alternator kicked back on headlights dash lights got instantly bright and the gauge was right back where it's supposed to be. So I sat in the truck for about 10 minutes warming up because I didn't have the heat on prior to that and wanted to see what it would end up doing also I was trying to scan for codes but I was not getting any. Then all the sudden it stopped working and Battery started dying immediately. I shut the truck off and new the battery would come back to life overnight. I just went for another short drive probably even shorter within minutes the Volt meter on dash was bottomed out. But once again right before I pulled in my apartment it went on and stayed on for about five minutes so I took advantage and let it charge the battery as soon as it just stopped working I shut the truck down. I saw someone say this is a $300 alternator ? Find that hard to believe but if that's true I definitely want to rule out any other possibilities. It's definitely not the wire that is telling the voltage meter what to say because it's very obvious it's reading correctly. I have a pretty good understanding of basic mechanics like this. But with these new hours you could tell I'm older. It could be some stupid Center or something telling it to kick off possibly I don't know? But yes if you do have a alternator problem. Your driving distance is going to be very limited before the truck dies. Like other said power down everything possible. Like just now I had strictly basic headlights on no driving lights and that was it. That will get you farther and possibly home or to a safe place then if you kept driving lights on radio on heater air conditioner every little part helps. So if anybody has had a similar situation replace the alternator just to find out it wasn't the alternator please respond. My battery is new and these are Monster batteries I know it's not that.
Thanks for the help. I will certainly try tomorrow to see what happens.