420A: Battery Light

DiamondStarMotors · 06-10-2012, 07:58 AM

Battery light came on. Charged my battery over night, today I drove 50+ miles came home check the voltage. 11.88 while running and 12.1X while off. What's up with that?

Lou98GSX · 06-10-2012, 08:02 AM

car is not charging voltage while running should be around 14.5v

96' Eclipse GS · 06-10-2012, 08:03 AM

Have you done any recent maintenance with the electrical side of the car?

Lou98GSX · 06-10-2012, 08:18 AM

make sure you have 12v at the alternator . if you don't then you might have a blown fuse . if there is voltage there then you have a bad alternator . in very rare cases the ecm could also cause a no charge condition cause it controls the field wires .

DiamondStarMotors · 06-10-2012, 08:19 AM

No i have not. what kind of maintenance should i be doing?

and before i left it was around 12v

necrotopsy · 06-10-2012, 09:15 AM

check and make sure the terminal at the alt. is still connected.
i just had this same problem. the terminal at the alt had broke off so the wire wasn't connected anymore.

DiamondStarMotors · 06-10-2012, 09:19 AM

it must be getting voltage from somewhere lol I should have been lower than 12 volts after driving 50 miles

bryanwheat · 06-10-2012, 09:39 AM

The alternator is dying.

jayson427 · 06-10-2012, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lou98GSX

car is not charging voltage while running should be around 14.5v

It should be at 13.8 at idle. Try checking the voltage while its on then pull the throttle cable to see if it goes up. How old is your battery?

AngelOfPassion · 06-10-2012, 11:49 AM

Correct me if I am wrong, but the service manual for the 420a says the battery light is for the power steering system. It always confuses the hell out of me. Check your power steering fluid. I bet you anything it's low.

DiamondStarMotors · 06-10-2012, 12:03 PM

when it was running, the voltmeter read 11.88v. if the battery light means power steering, what does coolant light mean? lol Mine use to be on, and then just randomly switched off...

AngelOfPassion · 06-10-2012, 04:00 PM

I'm not sure, I don't have my manual with me. But I have completely run dry of coolant before and never had anything in the HUD let me know. What does that light look like? I might know it. I have had every light for my 420a on at some point in time. But the battery one is for sure power steering.

necrotopsy · 06-10-2012, 04:01 PM

battery light doesn't measure power steering -facepalm-
it measures the charging ability and the voltage from the alt.

cl1ckclack · 06-10-2012, 04:37 PM

sounds like the voltage regulator in the alternator is starting to go...

96' Eclipse GS · 06-10-2012, 05:02 PM

Have your alternator checked out with and without a load. When you can back track from there.

mantega4g63 · 06-10-2012, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cl1ckclack

sounds like the voltage regulator in the alternator is starting to go...

this, the battery light is always an indication something is wrong with the charging system of the car, not the battery itself. if possible take your alternator off of the car and have it tested, many part stores in my area do this free of charge. no point in testing it through the battery on the car

jtmcinder · 06-10-2012, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lou98GSX

car is not charging voltage while running should be around 14.5v

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lou98GSX

make sure you have 12v at the alternator . if you don't then you might have a blown fuse . if there is voltage there then you have a bad alternator . in very rare cases the ecm could also cause a no charge condition cause it controls the field wires .

You need to stay out of this thread. The people who know what they're talking about have it covered.

jtmcinder · 06-10-2012, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AngelOfPassion

Correct me if I am wrong, but the service manual for the 420a says the battery light is for the power steering system. It always confuses the hell out of me. Check your power steering fluid. I bet you anything it's low.

I have no idea what the 420A service manual says, but one of you is wrong. The only way that the two could be related is via a broken belt. I suppose if you have mondo arm-muscles you wouldn't notice the lack of power steering from said broken belt and your "first" warning would be the alternator-warning light. But, in any case, that isn't the issue in this thread.

AngelOfPassion · 06-10-2012, 08:29 PM

I swear, there is a light that is battery shaped and it has nothing to do with the battery. If you read the manual it specifically states that it is for the power steering system. I am reading it right now. I have personally had this light come on before and even after buying a new battery it would not turn off. I read the manual, filled the power steering fluid, started the car and voila! No light.

bryanwheat · 06-10-2012, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AngelOfPassion

I swear, there is a light that is battery shaped and it has nothing to do with the battery. If you read the manual it specifically states that it is for the power steering system. I am reading it right now. I have personally had this light come on before and even after buying a new battery it would not turn off. I read the manual, filled the power steering fluid, started the car and voila! No light.

Well first off the battery light has nothing to do with the battery, it is all about the charging system. Why in the world would they make a light with a battery that means low power steering fluid?

AngelOfPassion · 06-10-2012, 08:37 PM

I honestly have wondered the exact same thing. Maybe "power" steering. I have no idea. I just know I was dumbfounded about how to fix it until I read the manual and it worked. I didn't write the thing so don't ask me lol

Edit: I am reading the manual still and on page 60 there is a light that looks like the battery from the side with the terminals showing, the "charging system warning light." It indicates a problem with the charging system. (I have had two alternators fail on me without ever seeing this light so mine has probably failed at some point though)

So if that is the one you are talking about then ignore my previous posts. I was just trying to help with an issue that I had a couple years ago.

jayson427 · 06-10-2012, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AngelOfPassion

I honestly have wondered the exact same thing. Maybe "power" steering. I have no idea. I just know I was dumbfounded about how to fix it until I read the manual and it worked. I didn't write the thing so don't ask me lol

Edit: I am reading the manual still and on page 60 there is a light that looks like the battery from the side with the terminals showing, the "charging system warning light." It indicates a problem with the charging system. (I have had two alternators fail on me without ever seeing this light so mine has probably failed at some point though)

So if that is the one you are talking about then ignore my previous posts. I was just trying to help with an issue that I had a couple years ago.

if your ps fliud was low it would "whine" like crazy and it would be pretty obvious.

95TalonOwner · 06-11-2012, 09:32 AM

This thread is so garbaged up right now.

Battery light means one of two things. Either your alternator is failing, or your alternator belt snapped and fell off. The ecu internally regulates the voltage on these cars so there is no 'voltage regulator' going bad in the alternator. The reason why you could drive about 50 miles after charging your battery up is because your alternator is not doing any charging and that's why your battery died. All you did was charge it back up and then drive until the battery was dead again.

All this power steering talk is just crazy talk. Don't listen to any of that.

Time for a new alternator IMO.

MJcanada · 06-11-2012, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AngelOfPassion

I honestly have wondered the exact same thing. Maybe "power" steering. I have no idea. I just know I was dumbfounded about how to fix it until I read the manual and it worked. I didn't write the thing so don't ask me lol

Edit: I am reading the manual still and on page 60 there is a light that looks like the battery from the side with the terminals showing, the "charging system warning light." It indicates a problem with the charging system. (I have had two alternators fail on me without ever seeing this light so mine has probably failed at some point though)

So if that is the one you are talking about then ignore my previous posts. I was just trying to help with an issue that I had a couple years ago.

well then please post a pic of what your seeing in your service manual so we can see what your seeing

DiamondStarMotors · 06-11-2012, 10:24 AM

Ok, number one. My battery has not died yet, I had charged it over night just to be safe because i didn't have a voltmeter with me at the time, I got home after a 50 miles trip and two different meters read around 12v, Radioshack analog and a high end (name begins with an F) digital one. I felt my way past the splash shield down there and the belt was on there pretty good, it was there and not loose anymore than it should be.
Number two, I have a OBD-II to USB cable and a program that reads CEL and different "telemetry", if you will. The program did not read any codes.

Hopefully this information helps clear up some "ideas". Knowing DSMs, it wouldn't surprise me that the powersteering would use a different light. My coolant light went away not after I added, water/antifreeze to it. It went away after I pulled my sparkplugs and cleaned them up, meaning the top and the bare metal parts with electron cleaner.

I love these cars, but man are they a hassle.

Blue Talon Boy · 06-11-2012, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiamondStarMotors

Ok, number one. My battery has not died yet, I had charged it over night just to be safe because i didn't have a voltmeter with me at the time, I got home after a 50 miles trip and two different meters read around 12v, Radioshack analog and a high end (name begins with an F) digital one. I felt my way past the splash shield down there and the belt was on there pretty good, it was there and not loose anymore than it should be.
Number two, I have a OBD-II to USB cable and a program that reads CEL and different "telemetry", if you will. The program did not read any codes.

Hopefully this information helps clear up some "ideas". Knowing DSMs, it wouldn't surprise me that the powersteering would use a different light. My coolant light went away not after I added, water/antifreeze to it. It went away after I pulled my sparkplugs and cleaned them up, meaning the top and the bare metal parts with electron cleaner.

I love these cars, but man are they a hassle.

The reason you were reading about 11.88 v running and about 12 off is there is no charging going on. You should be seeing better then 13.5v at idle with a good alternator. The coils in the alternator are shot or nearly so. Replace the alternator and call it a day.

Of course you didn't have any DTC's, a bad alternator isn't going to cause a CEL.

Ps, high end meter is a Fluke brand.

Power steering? Really? :facepalm:

GRAVEDIGGER · 06-11-2012, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Talon Boy

The reason you were reading about 11.88 v running and about 12 off is there is no charging going on. You should be seeing better then 13.5v at idle with a good alternator. The coils in the alternator are shot or nearly so. Replace the alternator and call it a day.

Exactly! Time for a new alternator. If it doesn't have 13.5-14.8 volts with the engine running it is junk.

DiamondStarMotors · 06-11-2012, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Talon Boy

The reason you were reading about 11.88 v running and about 12 off is there is no charging going on. You should be seeing better then 13.5v at idle with a good alternator. The coils in the alternator are shot or nearly so. Replace the alternator and call it a day.

Of course you didn't have any DTC's, a bad alternator isn't going to cause a CEL.

Ps, high end meter is a Fluke brand.

Power steering? Really? :facepalm:

for some reason I was thinking fluge lol

Probably is a bad alternator, I should have had a dead battery after 50 miles lol

KewlWinter · 06-14-2012, 06:02 AM

In most cases it is the alternator in the 420A cars. It is a very bad design prone to failure. Making matters worse from a diagnostic standpoint, it is not uncommon to get 1 or 2 bad AutoZone remanufactured alternators right out of the box, so be prepared to bring 1 or 2 back until you find a good one if you go that route. Or get one from a reputable vendor that has been upgraded to higher amps and beefier internals.
In some rare instances, the ECU has been found to be the culprit. As stated earlier in this thread, it controls the voltage regulation.