Chech Charging System..
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Chech Charging System..
I have a 2012 Exploerer. My "Check Charging System" error came on the dash. The lights flicker, head unit on radio said battery saver mode, and my sensors were out of whack. I replaced the battery and had my alternator rebuilt. It is still saying the same message. Does it need to be "reset" somehow? Any and all comments or thoughts are very helpful.
thank you
thank you
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,473
Likes: 222
From: Frequently frozen MN
Welcome to FTE.
You will probably get a lot more answers if you post in the '2011 and later Explorer' section. People that hang there mostly have Explores and know more about the details.
'
In general terms, it would be a good idea to get a digital volt meter and check things out -- get somebody to help if you're unsure.
- Battery should read around 12.5 volts or more with everything off and the engine not running.
- When you start it, the voltage shouldn't dip below 9 volts at most -- probably closer to 10 in most cases.
- Once it starts, the alternator should start charging at something like 13.8 volts.
- If you putr the headlights on while it's running, it shouldn't make nuch of a dip in voltage.
There are a lot more things to check, but that could give you an idea.
Battery cables and ground connections can cause a lot of issues that are sometimes hard to figure out. If you are seeing voltage dipping more than described above, youprobbaly want to check the wiring for voltage drops. Basically the wiring is like a pipe for the electricity and if it's not in good shape, there is a voltage drop from one point to another when you put some kind of electrical load on. Much like a pressure drop if a pipe is restricted.
The ground is important because the current flows through a loop -- it ltaves the battery from the positive side ( actually it really leaves from the negative side, but that's not important), and it flows through the wires and returns through the chassis and the connection from the ground to the battery. If the ground to the battery is poor, it will affect everything. If a ground for some other portion of the system is bad, it can cause various odd behaviors. It's worth a good ewyeball on the various grounds to see if they look solid.
Good Luck,
hj
You will probably get a lot more answers if you post in the '2011 and later Explorer' section. People that hang there mostly have Explores and know more about the details.
'
In general terms, it would be a good idea to get a digital volt meter and check things out -- get somebody to help if you're unsure.
- Battery should read around 12.5 volts or more with everything off and the engine not running.
- When you start it, the voltage shouldn't dip below 9 volts at most -- probably closer to 10 in most cases.
- Once it starts, the alternator should start charging at something like 13.8 volts.
- If you putr the headlights on while it's running, it shouldn't make nuch of a dip in voltage.
There are a lot more things to check, but that could give you an idea.
Battery cables and ground connections can cause a lot of issues that are sometimes hard to figure out. If you are seeing voltage dipping more than described above, youprobbaly want to check the wiring for voltage drops. Basically the wiring is like a pipe for the electricity and if it's not in good shape, there is a voltage drop from one point to another when you put some kind of electrical load on. Much like a pressure drop if a pipe is restricted.
The ground is important because the current flows through a loop -- it ltaves the battery from the positive side ( actually it really leaves from the negative side, but that's not important), and it flows through the wires and returns through the chassis and the connection from the ground to the battery. If the ground to the battery is poor, it will affect everything. If a ground for some other portion of the system is bad, it can cause various odd behaviors. It's worth a good ewyeball on the various grounds to see if they look solid.
Good Luck,
hj
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