Ford F-150 - 1997-2003 :: Battery Light On - Alternator Or Regulator?
Dec 11, 2012
The other day the battery light came on. Of course the useless "gauge" still reads normal but that is another rant.
Checked voltages today:
Battery reads 12.0 volts key off, 11.83 key on, engine off, 11.65 engine running.
Obviously discharging and I am guessing it is the alternator. Do these trucks have an external regulator that may have failed or is it in the alternator? I'd hate to spend $150-200 for an alternator only to find out it doesn't solve the problem.
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I have a 1998 f150. Was driving down the road the other night and the truck loses all power. I have replaced the alternator and the battery loght stayed on. So, I took both old and new altrrnator to parts store and had them both tested and they bith passed. Is this a commomn issue?
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Vehicle is 1998 F150 with 194k. The battery is 1 1/2 yrs old and belts and alternator are original.
Yesterday morning my VHF and dog tracking eqipment started humming with the truck running. The hum on the tracking eqpt. only happened when I pointed the antennae over the direction of the hood with truck running. When I shut truck off everything is normal. Later in the day the battery light came on. The battery light would go off if I kept it over 2400 rpm's. The charge on the dash was normal but as I got closr to home last night it dropped to almost nothing and the lights were very dim.
I am thinking alternator. What I am confused about is the humming noise in the background. The tracking eqpt. is completely separate from the truck while the VHF is direct to the battery with an iline fuse. Bad voltage regulator?
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My alternator went out last week. I installed a new alternator, battery and serpentine belt. However, the battery is still dying. So far I checked the continuity on the fusible link and it appears to be good. I also checked fuse number 11 which provides power to the voltage regulator. The fuse is not blown. The voltage at the battery while it is running is less than 12 volts and it drops the longer it runs. I also have codes b1318, b1932, c 1226, and c1284.
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The past few weeks the dashboard warning light for my alternator/battery will occasionally light up while driving down the road. Whenever it does, my plug in voltage meter shows a healthy 14.x reading. It usually goes out after a few seconds, but will stay lit up for as much as thirty seconds. So other than voltage being too high or too low, what else will cause the dash trouble light to illuminate?
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Alternator locked up in a parking lot. Replaced it and had to replace pigtail due to a loose wire in the harness. Now battery light comes on intermittently. New alternator is doing fine producing anywhere from 13.9v to. 14.4v. No output voltage correlation to battery light at all. The belt is still in great shape so I don't suspect slipping. Fortunately I caught the old one locking up almost immediately and had recently replaced the belt. Output voltage looks great. Are there any fuses for alternator?
Only thing I can think of that I did...when splicing in the pigtail that connects to the alternator, I briefly grounded whatever wire in the pigtail is hot. Was just a split second, but enough to see a spark and maybe enough to blow a fuse? I've seen people reference an "under hood" fuse box, but I don't seem to have one. My truck is a 2002 CC with just over 100k on the clock.
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Had a bad alternator, changed it, and now the battery lite stays on all the time..Changed the alternator again with a known good one, and the light is still on all the time..
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Alternator warning lite comes on at idle rpm. Speed up rpm lite goes out. The gauge shows alternator is charging. Autozone checked it for me it is putting out 11 to 11.5amps running. Should be putting out around 13 amps, right? alternator bad?
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My battery went dead so I replaced with new. This did not fix the problem so I replaced the alternator. It's working now but the battery light stays on. I think I still have a problem.
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2002 Ford Focus SE with 130k miles on it. For the past 4 months the battery light flashes randomly while driving. The flashing and frequency of flashing doesn't seem related to anything I can tell including temperature, length of time the car is running, speed or any variable. Seems like it should be an alternator, but that was replaced less than an year ago and it also has a new battery. The alternator always checks out fine at the mechanic and it will never flash for the mechanic. It went 1 month with no flashing and suddenly it will now flash maybe 20 times in a 5 mile drive. Yesterday it just died at a stoplight with no warning, but then after shutting everything off it started just fine and the battery light didn't turn on for the 2 miles to home.
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How do you test the fuel pump regulator, the truck wont start. I tested the schrader valve and it does have pressure but didn't seem like much. (need a gauge) I replaced fuel pump a few years ago so was wondering about the regulator. Is there a test procedure?
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My 2003 E320 (131K miles) had been intermittingly flashing a red "Battery/Alternator Stop Vehicle" light and annoying alarm sound as well as a "Malfunction Electrical Consumers Turned Off" sign. Then three days ago the "check engine" light came on; went away the next day. Then yesterday the engine completely shut down on me.
The car started the today; took it to mechanic who says it could be alternator or wiring problem. Suggested I take it to MB dealer to get diagnosis before shelling out 800 bucks on an unnecessary car part. My question: should i take it to MB dealer or just replace the part? (I am not original owner; don't know if alternator's ever been replaced).
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Where to decipher engine codes? I pulled a P0001 Fuel Volume Regulator Control Circuit Open code .
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Not mine, but the guy claims his trucks battery light and CEL are on with the key off??? He's battery goes dead (it is new) and only 12.3 volts running with it revved up. My inclination would be alternator, but how can those 2 light in the dash be on with the key off? He did replace the ignition switch.... nothing ...same condition.
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I have a 2003 F150. When the temperature is hot outside and I have the air conditioner on the Gauge will sweep and the ABS light and battery light will go on. The battery gauge will go to high charge. When RPM is dropped (idle) or when the RPMs are increased to pass a vehicle, everything returns to normal. Power windows will not work but all other functions due. It will boil my battery if ran to long like this. I have changed the alternation and battery. Only happens in the summer?
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This ID10T light came on last weekend, and I just started trying to fix this. I found this post [URL] ....., but this isn't my problem.
The alt is old, but tested good four times at Napa. Battery is three years old, and it's holding good charge. My scan gauge 2 is showing 11.4-11.6, and I'm guessing this is what's throwing the code, although there isn't an actual code.
I don't have the money to go just start replacing parts, and I need this truck for next weekend, 10/3/15, so I hope to find something by then.
At 2000rpm the SC2 is still showing 11.6 volts, so would it be the charging system? Volt reg? Something in there is clamping the voltage down. At 18 years old, and 250k miles I'm not afraid to put new parts into.
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1999 F150
automatic, v8 4wd 430K miles Low Battery light is on.
Other than the usual things to check: battery cable connections, corrosion at contact points, checking with a voltmeter, having battery tested, having alternator tested for volts and amps... are there other known issues with this year model/setup?
Also, once the battery is changed, is there a way for the codes to be cleared out or reset without having to hook it up to a computer?
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My 97 with a 4.6 has had some charging issues. It started when I left a trailer hooked up with dome lights on (ignition to the on position, not running, for the trailer hot circuit) and it drained the battery. I boosted it to move it and put the charger on it. It ran fine till the other night (a week later) and on the road the CEL light came on. I didn't get another mile till the lights dimmed and the dash lights went out and the radio started flashing. I turned off the radio and heater to get home (another 2 miles). On the rest of the way it would drop to 8volts then up to 13-14 and the headlights would get bright. Then it would drop back down.
The whole time the battery lamp in the cluster never came on (forgot there was one). I pulled the alternator and took it in to have it tested. They said it tested fine. I re-installed it and fired the truck up and the battery lamp would fade in and out. I put a charger on the battery again overnight and now when it runs the battery lamp only comes on at idle and goes off when I increase the RPMS past about 1,400.
Is it possible that the alternator is going bad and the tester was running it at high enough RPMs to generate proper output?
I made sure to check the wires on the connectors going to the alternator when I re-installed it and made sure there was enough tension on the connectors before putting them on the pins. I've also thoroughly cleaned the battery clamps and inspected the wires at that point for corrosion. I haven't traced it back. If it is related at all, I had it in a few weeks ago for tires so I had an oil change done and they replaced the serp belt. Should I have it tested elsewhere, should I start tracing wires for corrosion?
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Last night battery light came on. Drove 40 miles home with lights on. Today, it started so I headed out. About 10 miles of battery light on, gauge fluctuating mildly either side of middle, gauge suddenly drops dramatically. I turn around and head back. After a mile or so there's a terrible growling under the hood, sounded like it could be an alternator bearing. Just as I pull over, the noise stops but entire dash goes black. Popped hood, alternator spinning quietly and not hot. I drove back and it started stumbling and surging as the battery died and it finally quit almost all the way back.
I have battery on charger now. I assume the BCM is the regulator by feeding current back to the field? If so could the growling be the BCM feeding back a huge field and the rectifier bridge growing? And the BCM fuse blew because too much current to alternator field coils? Will it start with a charged battery with the BCM dead? I need it to run to get to the parts place. Which fuses do I need to check? Then, how do I check the alternator, wiring, BCM regulator to find original problem?
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It all started......when I got onto the highway and glanced down at the gauge cluster and noticed my battery light was on and kind of flashy (clipping, so to speak)...and that I was in 2nd gear...whoops. (My tach's busted, else I probably would have noticed that sooner.)
Quick correction and things are right as rain. The next day I go out and make 3-4 stops with less than 10 minutes of drive time between each. I'm almost home (battery light's been on intermittently since last night) and the idle slows slightly and the windows no longer work. I make it home and the gauge cluster is dead by now, but leave the truck running, grab a socket wrench and pry off the positive battery lead. Truck dies.
I'm thinking alternator, so I pull the battery and charge it inside, then pull the alternator the next day and have it tested. Tests fine (putting out 1430 (is that mA?) per O'Reilley's). Crap. Cleaned all connections (including taking off the negative terminal grounded to the starter and shining it up a little, then pulling the connections off the firewall and sanding them lightly), checked 20A inline blade fuse, both 175A fusible links, but it's still not charging. If I want to go anywhere, I have to pull the battery and charge it inside.
I was thinking it might be the voltage regulator, but I just called O'Reilley's and they told me that the test on the alternator included the regulator. I just confirmed that the belt on the pulley is okay. What did I most likely fry that caused my battery light to come on? (97 4.6L)....
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My 1997 Mercury Sable has been having a rough time starting lately. It will turn over, but 2 out of 3 starts will be labored. It will crank, but hesitate and finally give enough to start. When I start it at night and turn on the headlights they dim and flicker until the engine has been running a bit.
This car was originally my wife's, and she can't remember the last time it has had it's battery replaced.
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