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What does battery dashboard warning light mean?

Tiny
RICK BEACHAM
  • MEMBER
  • 2002 SATURN L100
  • 110,000 MILES
Changed 2002 Saturn alternator. Now dashboard battery warning light comes on. Checked all connections and wires. Any suggestions?
Wednesday, September 7th, 2011 AT 4:41 PM

13 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Did you have the new alternator tested before installing it?Also have you seen what the voltage is at the battery with the engine running and the battery light on?
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Wednesday, September 7th, 2011 AT 4:54 PM
Tiny
RICK BEACHAM
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Put the tester on today. Battery 12.5 and alternator 15.9. Charging system warning light still on. Checked all fuses-OK. Will change drivebelt due to mileage-original drivebelt-but don't know how to check tensioner. Once new drivebelt on, I don't know what to do next.
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Saturday, September 10th, 2011 AT 7:47 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
You just kinda feel the tension on the tenisoner using the breaker bar. So the car idling the voltage at the battery reads 15.9 volts thats too high. Did you have the alternator tested before you left the store?Also was the battery light on as soon as you put thr new one on?Or was it a few days that it starting coming on after you changed it?Why did you change it?You just have a bad voltage regulator in the new alternator.
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Saturday, September 10th, 2011 AT 8:30 PM
Tiny
RICK BEACHAM
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
15.9 alternator with car/lights on. With car off battery 12.5. As soon as I ran the car, the check light came on. I think I made a mistake changing it.
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Saturday, September 10th, 2011 AT 8:49 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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So you never had the new alternator tested before leaving the store?I always have them test the alternators starters etc that way I know the new part is atleast good when I installed it. So you have a bad new alternator or another issue. So you said you think you made a mistake when you put it in. Do you know what you did wrong?
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Saturday, September 10th, 2011 AT 10:20 PM
Tiny
RICK BEACHAM
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
I took alternator back to store and got a new one. Installed new belt as well. I didn't mean I installed incorrectly, only that I didn't test before installing. According to Auto Zone, they can't test this alternator because they can't clamp to test. Charging system warning light still on.
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Saturday, September 10th, 2011 AT 11:15 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
So are still reading the high 15 volts?
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Sunday, September 11th, 2011 AT 2:28 AM
Tiny
RICK BEACHAM
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
This week the testing showed a bad battery. Replaced battery. Meter now reads 12.9 off and 14-4 with engine running. Charging light still on, but goes off when alternator is unplugged(non power pigtail). About the only thing I haven't changed is the plug.
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Sunday, September 18th, 2011 AT 7:28 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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The voltage is good do you have multimeter you can check ohms etc with?Sounds like a issue with the wiring possibly.
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Sunday, September 18th, 2011 AT 7:44 PM
Tiny
RICK BEACHAM
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
I'm using the multimeter at Auto zone. Check what about ohms?
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Sunday, September 18th, 2011 AT 7:54 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Have you checked for codes in the computer yet?If not we need to do that so we can see if there are any codes to follow the trouble tree.
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Monday, September 19th, 2011 AT 12:26 AM
Tiny
RICK BEACHAM
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
I haven't looked at any codes. The only problem is the dash idiot kight regarding the charging system. I unplugged the wiring to the alternator and the light went out. I believe there is a problem in that wiring, and I'm not good with that stuff. Thank you for all your answers.
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Monday, October 3rd, 2011 AT 5:52 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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The battery light has a constant power feed to one side of the bulb and is turned on when a ground signal is sent to the other side of the bulb. The pcm sends the ground signal to the bulb. So unplugging the alternator and the light going off doesnt tell me there is for sure a issue in the wire. It looks mre like a issue in the alternator. There are alternator circuit failure codes that can get set with trouble trees for the codes. Thats why I asked you to have the car scanned for codes. So please have that done and let me know the exact code numbers you have not the code descriptions. For instance P with a 4 digit code.
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Monday, October 3rd, 2011 AT 6:21 PM

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