Have an '03 that's not charging and I'm getting no battery light on the dash, ever, under any circumstances, key on, running, never.


The mega fuse is good and the alternator fuse in the underhood compartment is good.






Thru searching I've found several threads that describe how to test the dash light by grounding the wire with a 15A fused jumper, but all the threads I found were for diesels.


Is the procedure the same for the gassers and if so does anyone have a detailed description, just to make sure I don't burn anything up?

 

It's the same. Just pull the connector and short the LG/RD wire to ground through a 15A fuse to see if the light comes on.

 

Worked perfectly, thank you!

 

So, does the light bulb work?

 

Yes bulb works & all fuses good so I'm going ahead w replacing the alt - my understanding from the other threads I found (on diesels) is that that is the appropriate course of action

 

Replacing the Alternator will likely do it but you never completed troubleshooting to confirm it.
All you needed to do is check the voltage action at the battery for a rise after starting then coming down as the charge was being replaced.
If you don't see that action the Alternator is not outputting.
If you do see that action and the charge lamp does not come on at pre-crank, the regulator is faulty or the lamp is open.
As for checking the charge lamp, all you need to do is turn the ignition switch on and see voltage at the lamp lead. If not the lamp is burned open.
Good luck.

 

I dunno, it failed testing at O'Reilly so I'm gonna assume it's no good.