Battery light on?

Tiny
FLPMURPHY
  • MEMBER
  • 2005 DODGE STRATUS
  • 2.4L
  • 4 CYL
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 129,000 MILES
Battery light on and wont charge. I replaced battery the alternator and the computer. Still have the same problem.
Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 AT 7:19 AM

21 Replies

Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
Check items in pic if not that then have it scanned may be the bus. This video will help

https://youtu.be/InIlnsjOVFA

Check out the diagrams (Below). Please let us know what happens.
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Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 AT 8:00 AM
Tiny
FLPMURPHY
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
All that check out fine still wont charge the battery
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Friday, August 28th, 2015 AT 4:32 PM
Tiny
FLPMURPHY
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
It is a sedan. I have 2 pci's they both do the same when I switch them out.
Thanks
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Sunday, August 30th, 2015 AT 4:42 AM
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
Check fuse 25 and asd relay in power dist center. Other than that only thing I can say is to have cluster checked out as there is a pci bus going to the charge indicator light that may be causing the problem. If all fuses have been checked including fusible link to alternator then it may also be a pcm problem if it was not programmed to your car.
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Sunday, August 30th, 2015 AT 8:18 AM
Tiny
BRENTWALLACE0512
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2005 DODGE STRATUS
  • 2.4L
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 125,000 MILES
I can jump the car and it will run for awhile and then it shuts off and battery is dead. I have to jump it again have checked the battery and alternator and both tested good. What could be causing this?
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Monday, January 11th, 2021 AT 11:20 AM (Merged)
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Good afternoon

What was the voltage at the battery with the engine running?

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-a-car-alternator

Roy....
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Monday, January 11th, 2021 AT 11:20 AM (Merged)
Tiny
YAKATTACK
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2003 DODGE STRATUS
Here is my problem, I'll try to be as complete as possible.

The car was in an accident 1 year ago with the impact on the front left of the car.

A month or so after getting the car back the battery light started coming on and slowly over a month's time came on more frequently. Electronics started flickering including head lights, dash display, dome light and got increasingly worse with time.

The battery got replaced because it was "bad" and the problem returned about a month later slowly getting worse just like the first time. This time the shop thought it was a loose ground cable, and tightened all of the cables - problem solved for about a week.

The dealer insisted after days of inspection that the cables on the battery terminals were loose and they tightened them. Problem solved for about 2 months and then same deal started over. This time the computer was outputting a "voltage spike code" says the dealer. I concluded to investigate myself before paying any more.

In playing with things I discovered that if the battery is disconnected from the system for long enough to reset everything(long enough for the radio presets to reset) the problem goes away for a week or so[/b:86138c2627] and the process starts all over, getting worse and more frequent with time.

This last symptom says to me not mechanical or electrical problem, so much as electronic problem. What do you think? Suggestions? Help?

Thank you!
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Monday, January 11th, 2021 AT 11:20 AM (Merged)
Tiny
2CARPRO BOB
  • MECHANIC
  • 45 POSTS
More then likely you need to replace the alternator. However, we need to test this to make sure. Here is a guide that will talk about this and help figure it out.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-a-car-alternator

If the alternator passes then we need to do two other things. First load test the battery again just to make sure the battery is still ok. Here is a guide on how to do that.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-battery-load-test

Then we need to make sure the drive belt is not slipping or loose.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/replace-serpentine-belt

However, I suspect due to the code you have the alternator or voltage regulator which is part of the alternator on this vehicle is the issue. So here is a guide that shows how to replace it plus I attached diagrams from the manual that show how to replace it.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-an-alternator

Let's run through this material and go from there. Thanks
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Monday, January 11th, 2021 AT 11:20 AM (Merged)
Tiny
REDHOT
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2003 DODGE STRATUS
I chave a 2003 rt dodge stratus and my battery light and brake like comes on then the car dies now when I jump it off it won't hold charge
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Monday, January 11th, 2021 AT 11:21 AM (Merged)
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Alternator has failed. Have it checked to verify

Roy
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Monday, January 11th, 2021 AT 11:21 AM (Merged)
Tiny
REDHOT
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Thank you so much.
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Monday, January 11th, 2021 AT 11:21 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,873 POSTS
Most of those can be fixed right on the engine, depending on which engine you have, by removing the rear cover, then replacing the brush assembly. You can verify that is the cause first by measuring the voltages on the two small wires on the back of it with the engine running. Those brushes are the only thing inside the alternator itself that will cause intermittent operation.
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Monday, January 11th, 2021 AT 11:21 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SHEPACK5
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2000 DODGE STRATUS
  • 140,000 MILES
Battery light comes on while driving. What does it mean?
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Monday, January 11th, 2021 AT 11:21 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,873 POSTS
Your battery is not being recharged while you're driving and it's going to run dead in about a half hour. The logical suspect is the alternator but a quick test of the system should be done first to verify that.
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Monday, January 11th, 2021 AT 11:21 AM (Merged)
Tiny
ANTONIO YORK
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2000 DODGE STRATUS
  • 2.4L
  • 4 CYL
  • TURBO
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 270,000 MILES
So I purchased the car listed above (SE model) and after countless hours of work and over $1,000.00 I finally got that inspection sticker. Now I got the sticker with the battery light due to it not coming on when the inspection time came. But upon asking my friend who is a certified mechanic he told me to change the alternator. Bought a brand new alternator, put it in, battery light came on within half an hour. Brought the battery to be tested and 2 places said bad battery (at this point my car had to be jumped for each use). So I brought my car to Walmart where the battery was bought and they put a new one in. Battery light stayed off for 3 separate drives of the car. I hit a bump on the way to town and the light came back on. What could be the issue at this point?
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Monday, January 11th, 2021 AT 11:21 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,747 POSTS
Welcome to 2CarPros.

Since it came back on when hitting a bump, have you checked to make sure there are no loose wires? If the wiring checks out good and the alt is good, there could be an issue with the voltage regulator.

On most vehicles, the voltage regulator is integral on the alternator. On this vehicle, it is a non serviceable part of the power-train control module (PCM). If the regulator has failed, the PCM needs replaced.

Under the hood right next to the fuse / relay box is the PCM. You will see large wiring harnesses going to it. Confirm nothing is loose there. I attached a picture below of its location.

Next, disconnect the negative terminal on the battery. Then you can disconnect the harness from the PCM to check for corrosion or damage to one of the pins. Before you reconnect the battery, make sure the PCM is connected.

Let me know what you find.

Joe
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Monday, January 11th, 2021 AT 11:21 AM (Merged)
Tiny
PGORRO
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 1998 DODGE STRATUS
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 158,825 MILES
Within the past four months the battery light began to turn on for a few minutes and then go off. Time of day, engine temperature or in motion/stopped makes no difference. In February the battery was replaced, the light did not go on for a few days. Then it began again and would stay on longer. In March while the car was in motion (53 mph/daytime) the odometer (digital display) began to flicker off and on, the car began to buck and there was a clicking sound (similar to turn signal click). The speedometer needle (not digital) would go up and down. I'm assuming due to engine cutting off. The car was stopped and would not start again eventually with a boost it was started again. Took the car to Checkers to have charging system checked. Everything read Ok and has not done that again but the battery light still goes on. Have not had any electrical work done other than radiator fans replaced and A/C compressor checked. Bad clutch on the compressor, could that cause the serpentine belt to lose some tension and affect the alternator?
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Monday, January 11th, 2021 AT 11:22 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
I think the alternater is slowly going bad. It will show good at times and bad at times in this case. This may be tough to test it when it's bad as it is intermittant. IF the connections are good for the battery and alternater including ther grounds I would be very suspicious of the alternater. If checkers is a chain, I would look for an independent that is good with electrical work.
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Monday, January 11th, 2021 AT 11:22 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CJA71105
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1998 DODGE STRATUS
  • 187,000 MILES
Car has been sitting for over a year. Former owner said he had not driven it due to the alternator needing to be replaced. Pulled the alternator and the battery and had them checked. The alternator passed, but the battery needed to be replaced. Car started and runs smoothed, but now the battery light in coming on. Any idea what could cause this.
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Monday, January 11th, 2021 AT 11:22 AM (Merged)
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Check your connections at the battery, check all the connections you made at the alternator as well. Check all your fuses for power on both sides.
If you have acess to a volt meter, check the voltage at the battery with the motor running to be 14-14.5 volts. If it is not that voltage, you may have a wiring issue at the alternator as you said you had it tested.
If the voltage is ok and it has a light, there is a bad diode in the alternator and the alternator must be replaced.

Roy
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Monday, January 11th, 2021 AT 11:22 AM (Merged)

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