check charging system
#1
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
check charging system
Just today when I started the RL, I got a "check charging system" on the MID. I can also hear a very noticeable whine, which increases as I accelerate. While driving, the "check charging system" message (and accompanying idiot light) would display for about 1-3 seconds, then disappear. The alternator was recently replaced, as it had died about 5 months ago. The car still starts and drives just fine, except for the whining. There is no loss of power, no hesitation, everything "feels" normal. The timing belt service was done about 2 years ago, and the car is not driven much, maybe about 5000 miles per year. The battery is about 2 years old.
I plan to hook up my OBDII scanner tonight and see if any codes got thrown.
I plan to hook up my OBDII scanner tonight and see if any codes got thrown.
#4
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
#6
Three Wheelin'
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projektvertx (02-16-2020)
#10
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
I'll mention that to them when they look at it on Wed. I had the timing belt service done about 2 years ago, but it only been maybe 10k miles since as I don't drive this car very much.
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projektvertx (02-17-2020),
schen72 (02-17-2020)
#13
Fk no!TheyldstroyEvrthing
#14
Fk no!TheyldstroyEvrthing
Just today when I started the RL, I got a "check charging system" on the MID. I can also hear a very noticeable whine, which increases as I accelerate. While driving, the "check charging system" message (and accompanying idiot light) would display for about 1-3 seconds, then disappear. The alternator was recently replaced, as it had died about 5 months ago. The car still starts and drives just fine, except for the whining. There is no loss of power, no hesitation, everything "feels" normal. The timing belt service was done about 2 years ago, and the car is not driven much, maybe about 5000 miles per year. The battery is about 2 years old.
I plan to hook up my OBDII scanner tonight and see if any codes got thrown.
I plan to hook up my OBDII scanner tonight and see if any codes got thrown.
What you describe is textbook alternator. Whine and charging system light and no codes.
#15
Moderator
iTrader: (1)
Yea the drive belt.
As for how to test it, that's a good question lol. I just replaced it along with the alternator when I first got the car & had a charging system issue. No issues for the past 5 years 100k KM (60k miles) till I to replace my alternator again a few weeks back.
Checked out alldatadiy on how to test the tensioner & this is what I found..
As for how to test it, that's a good question lol. I just replaced it along with the alternator when I first got the car & had a charging system issue. No issues for the past 5 years 100k KM (60k miles) till I to replace my alternator again a few weeks back.
Checked out alldatadiy on how to test the tensioner & this is what I found..
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RL09 (02-18-2020)
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teh CL (02-18-2020)
#17
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
The alternator was replaced by the dealer last September and has a warranty. My original alternator fried itself as I could smell electrical burning. After I pulled over, the battery was totally dead and absolutely no power.
#18
Fk no!TheyldstroyEvrthing
But Fyi the battery as of 2 years starts faulting up. My guess is there's so many eletrocnics that may short or something, like the door handles, or the HFL, they drain the power often. But it's just a guess.
Which keeps the battery and alt working overtime.
#19
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
With mine car was running fine. No lights on dash even. Just the whine. No smell. Was the alternator.
But Fyi the battery as of 2 years starts faulting up. My guess is there's so many eletrocnics that may short or something, like the door handles, or the HFL, they drain the power often. But it's just a guess.
Which keeps the battery and alt working overtime.
But Fyi the battery as of 2 years starts faulting up. My guess is there's so many eletrocnics that may short or something, like the door handles, or the HFL, they drain the power often. But it's just a guess.
Which keeps the battery and alt working overtime.
#20
Fk no!TheyldstroyEvrthing
Did they check it out today?
#22
Fk no!TheyldstroyEvrthing
Glad it's repaired and running new again
#23
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
No, I didn't. They seemed really confident that the cause of the problem was the alternator itself. The tech said that he could clearly hear the whine coming from the alternator itself. Yeah, I was surprised an alternator could go back that quickly, but I suppose statistically a defective unit can exist. At least it died within the warranty period.
#24
Got this message today. Going to check the battery but it was recently replaced. Alternator was replaced at 119k or about 3 or so years ago. I guess it is time to replace it again. I am at 169k now.
Last edited by HDNBenjamin; 11-05-2020 at 11:37 AM.
#26
#28
Aftermarket parts generally have half the life of OEM parts. I've had Denso aftermarket spark plug wires that lasted 50K miles before it had issues with arcing. I've never tried Denso aftermarket alternators, but I replaced the brushes in a Denso OEM alternator at 180K miles and it had no issues when I sold the car at 280K miles.
#29
Replaced the alternator today with a remanufactured Denso one and it seems to fix the issue. I spun the old alternator and the bearing has a slight grinding noise. The hardest part about the job was snaking the old alternator out and new one in as I did not remove the radiator.
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RL09 (11-08-2020)
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