Ford - Focus :: 2002 - Flashing Battery Light But Not Alternator Or Battery?
Aug 12, 2015
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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Last week, I brought my 2002 Ford Focus (automatic transmission) to the mechanic to have an oil change and to have the motor mounts and cabin air filter replaced. Before I brought the car in, it was fairly loud at idle--which had been going on for a couple of years and which I attributed to the worn motor mounts--but had otherwise been running fine.
When I went to pick it up after the repairs, the car would not start. The mechanic ran some tests and told me that the alternator was overcharging the battery. The battery could no longer hold a charge, so both the alternator and the battery needed to be replaced, which the mechanic did.
I thought at first that everything was OK after the battery and alternator replacement. Because I almost always turn my car off immediately after putting it in park, I didn't realize what was happening and that it was a problem... but in retrospect, I realize that ever since I got the car back from this second set of repairs, the battery light has flashed on during the split second between when I shift to park and when I turn the ignition off.
Yesterday, I took my car back to the mechanic because it stalled when I was in the parking lot at work. (I realize now that it must have happened just after I shifted gears, probably into park.) Since that was the first time it had actually properly stalled--rather than just a quick battery light flash just before I turned the car off--I had not yet made the connection between the stalling and the shifting to park, so all I told the mechanic is that it stalled on me when I was slowing to a stop. I'm pretty sure the first time it stalled was the first time I let it idle for more than a half-second in park before turning off the ignition.
He kept my car for a full day and ran a lot of tests on it. He was unable to make the car stall during multiple test drives (though, to be fair, I hadn't told him that the trigger for making it stall was shifting to park because I didn't realize it myself yet). There were no engine codes, the check engine light was never on, the fuel pressure is OK, and the throttle body position sensor, the idle air control valve, the ignition system, and the fuel system were giving no abnormal readings. When I asked, he told me that they did perform an idle-relearn procedure after replacing the battery and alternator. He returned the car to me and told me to come back if it stalled again.
Tonight, when I got the car home, it started to die immediately when I put it into park (the headlights dimmed and the battery light came on). I was able to reproduce this a second time as well. Fortunately, it does start back up just fine.
I plan to take the car in for repairs again, but I'm wondering if I should go back to the same mechanic. My questions are:
1) What is likely to be causing the problem?
2) Is it something that is likely to have been caused by incompetence when installing the new battery and alternator or doing other repairs, or could it be a coincidence (I was willing to believe the first coincidence of the battery and alternator dying while the car was at the repair shop, but I'm having difficulty believing a second coincidence)?
3) Whether or not the problem is likely to be the mechanic's fault, is it something that a thorough check on their part should have discovered?
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I have a 2002 with a 4.8 ... My alternator started to make some noise, and my battery wasn't holding a charge very well so i decided to change the alternator today before it went some were out in the boonies. After i put the new alternator in, the battery light started flashing in the "message center" but everything seems to be running fine. The voltage gauge in the dash is reading about 15. So from there I turned everything on in the truck and the gauge barely dropped. At this point I'm not sure what to do, I'm going to put the old one back on and see if it goes out, oh I also put some tension on the belt to make sure it wasn't slipping.
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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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Last night, while my wife was driving, the battery light on her instrument panel started flashing. This morning the battery light came back on when she started the car. As she was driving on the highway, the ABS light, the stability light, and couple other lights came on, plus her she was losing power to her wheels. She said it then felt like the car was towing a heavy object and that there was no power going to the wheels or any other part of the car. She was able to drive it a few miles to a parking lot, where it died.
When she tried to restart it, she heard a clicking sound, but had no power and the engine was not turning over. She could not remote lock the doors because the all power was gone.
The tow truck driver tested the car and said the battery is fine, but that the alternator was dead. She had it towed to the dealer, who also says it is the alternator that is the problem.
This all occurred after we had a previous, and resolved issue, to the instrument panel (including the light around the cigarette lighter) and the taillights going out intermittently. The dealer disconnected the electrical connection to the towing package and the lights have stayed on since.
Seems odd to have an alternator go on a two-year old vehicle (we bought it new in Jan 2011). Could it actually be the alternator or something else?
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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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I have a 2002 Mazda Protege with 74K miles. For the last month the battery light has been flashing on and off, more on lately. When I first noticed the battery light flash on, I took the car to my mechanic and he couldn't find anything wrong with it. Soon after my car wouldn't start after I had it parked for about 10 minutes. It wouldn't hold a jump, so I had it towed to a nearby auto mechanic and had the battery changed. Since the battery change the battery light has still been flashing on and off. Yesterday, after my car had been parked for about 1.5 hours, it wouldn't start again. It made a click-click-click sound but would not start. My car was able to hold a jump this time and I drove it to my mechanic. Once again he was unable to find anything wrong with the car. What might be wrong with my car?
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I have a 2002 ford taurus with a basic 3.0 v6 . The alternator stopped charging the battery.
New alternator
New battery
New pcm
Still nothing, this has been causing me the biggest headache. Alternator is pcm controlled btw...
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I have a 2003 ford focus wagon, automatic transmission, 140,000 miles. The battery light has been going on and off for 5 months, and the car has shut down several times. I've had the following replaced/repaired:
Spark plugs replaced. Two days later, car died.
Battery replaced. Two days later car died.
Alternator replaced. 4 days later car died on a vacation trip. Before it died, the battery light came on when I had to accelerate, and also when going down hills. Frequency increased and power shut off several times. If I waited 10-15 minutes, it would start up again. Finally would not start up - completely dead. Computer diagnostics first said the alternator was bad. Then, while still hooked up to computer, the bad alternator indicator disappeared and the alternator reported no problems. Technician ran the car for a few hours every day for a week and took it for test drives but light never came on.
When I got back from vacation, the new alternator was replaced with a ford alternator - the theory was that some 2003 ford focus computer chips have trouble recognizing alternators that aren't ford's.
All was good for about 4 months. Then battery light started going on and off again - sometimes 20-30 times in 40 minutes, sometimes only 5-6 times in that time span. Computer diagnostics found nothing - light never came on.
Car was vibrating. Had engine mounts replaced 4 days ago, hoping the electrical problem was caused by something vibrating against something else that connected to the alternator, and if the vibrations stopped, the battery light would stay off. First 35 miles - no battery light! Then it started coming on again, but not as much as before the engine mounts were replaced.
Battery light seems to only come on now:
1) Every time I start up and begin driving and I think the car shifts to higher gears;
2) whenever I go up hills - it has also come on a couple of times when going down a hill (just like before, when the alternator was replaced);
3) when I accelerate beyond 55 mpg.
I can get the light to go off if
1) I floor the gas pedal;
2) I pump the brakes;
3) I put the car in park.
Mechanics are stumped. I love my car, but every time I drive it now, I worry the entire time about the battery light and about the power shutting off.
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Car wont start and antitheft light flashes 3 minutes later light goes off car starts.
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I have a a 2005 Focus, 199,000 miles. The battery light has been come on randomly. It doesn't seen to be related to any other event in the car. Things I've done to diagnose it...
I cleaned the battery cable connections before I started any diagnostics.
I have two code reader and no codes are being thrown.
I connected a multimeter to the battery while the car was idling in the driveway.
I got 13.8-14.1 volts as the car sat and ran. When the light came on no change on the meter.
I have a Scan Gauge that allows me to watch the voltage in real time. Four days and no change when the light came on. ~13.8-14.1 at idle and ~14.1-14.4 underway.
I have the Car Chip. I plugged it in drove for about 10 runs and the voltage trace was pretty flat on all runs, battery light on or off.
The only thing that is consistent is if the light is on and I rev the engine it goes out BUT they rpm when the light goes is inconsistent.
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My daughter called me and said her "battery light" came on. I didn't even know there were battery lights. The car still starts and runs fine. What could cause the "battery light" to come on?
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I have a 2004 Ford Focus. I had the battery replaced in May. Two months ago, the battery light came on for 10 minutes than went off. A week later the dash lights dimmed and then rebrightened. Talking with people they thought the alternator was the issue. I had it replaced three weeks ago. I got it back from the mechanic and it worked for two days.
On day 3 it would click and the dash lights would flash but it would not crank. Mechanic jumped it and brought it to the shop and found nothing. Two days later the same problem. Took to another mechanic and they found the radio was draining power so they unplugged the fuse. Again, it worked for two days, then the same problem. They have had it for a week and have no clue what is wrong.
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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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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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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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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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I have a 06 F250 6.0 My battery light has been coming on. Doesn't stay on but I'm planning a trip back east and don't want any issues to occur. I was thinking maybe the batteries. So I stopped at the local Oreilly's Auto store and had them tested. Told the guy what it was doing and he said it sounded like the alternator. He tested it and said it was going bad. He also tested the batteries and said they were good. So I went looking for a replacement alternator and they have different amp sizes. So I'm not sure on what size the original one is and if the replacement should be a bigger size amp wise.
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I put an O'reileys alternator in my truck today. Drove it most the day and did some plowing with it and it was fine. I just went out to run to the gas station and now the battery light is on. The voltage is still good.
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OK I have 14.04 volts at the batteries with the engine running but my battery light is on. I had the alternator checked off the engine and on the engine and it tests good. Shows good batteries and good charging. Is there something internal to the alternator that would make the light come on even though the alternator is charging ok? Or is there something else that would make the light come on. This is on a 1999 F250 Superduty Powerstroke 7.3.
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I have a 1999 f-350 V-10. My battery light came on, making me believe that my alt. has quit. I can't see the plaque on the alt so I can't tell the amps. Does my serial number on the truck tell the amps, or do i have to remove the alt to check the amps?
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