my battery light goes on randomly,i just got a new battery this morning the guy that i went to said the old one had froze because i just got the car last week and it had been sitting for a few weeks, now the battery light is back on..i already cleaned the termanals and dont know what else to do...

 

Check the alternator output to ensure it is
working.

 

how would i go about checkiing the output?

 

Similar problem with mine dealer has never been able to figure it out!!! However when they replaced the instrument cluster the third time it went away for awhile!!!!!

LOL

Unfortunately it is back now!! Does not drain battery alternator puts out the right amount of juice!!! No idea on my vehicle I just ignore the light now!!!!

 

ChrisX, the check I have people do is connect a multimeter across your battery. With the engine off, it should be reading greater than 12.4 VDC (normally up at 12.6 VDC). If not, place the battery on a charger and get it up to full charge. Now, start the car with all possible electrical stuff turned off (ie, radio, seat heaters, dash blower, etc). The multimeter should jump to 13.7 VDC or higher. If not, then this confirms a bad output from the alternator (jump to next paragraph). If the multimeter is reading 13.7 VDC or higher, with the engine at high idle (ie, 1400ish RPM) turn on the dash heat, seat warmer, and rear defroster. Does the voltage remain above 13.7 VDC? if yes, then your electrical system is functioning properly. If no, follow next paragraph.

At the alternator, on the 4 wire plug, located the orange wire. Connect a multimeter to this wire and chassis ground. Are you getting around 7 VDC? If you are getting more than 12 VDC, then you have a bad alternator. If you are getting 0 VDC, then you have either a bad wire between the alternator and ECM (the orange wire) or the ECM is bad. If you are getting 7 VDC, then connect the red lead of the multimeter to the red/green wire and see if you are getting more than 12 VDC there. If yes, then that tells me you have an issue with the red/green wire or the ECM. If no, then you have a bad voltage regulator on the alternator, replace the alternator.

Hope this helps.

 

I would go with Thermos checks as a first step with a couple of extra tips. X-Type battery lights are very difficult to diagnose properly because access to the ECM connector is very limited and difficult with the car running which is required to check inputs to the ECM. When an X-Type is first started the charging voltage at the battery should be over 15 volts and then quickly drop to somewhere around 13.5. That high initial voltage is the reason X-Types eat headlamp bulbs, especially aftermarket ones that can't cope with the high voltage at startup. After running for an extended time the charging voltage may go as low as 12.0 volts, sounds like discharge but it is normal operation. There is a spot below the air cleaner box where the harness to the alternator runs along the metal bracket mounted to the valve cover. Wire chafes are common in this area. If the red/green wire is chafed it usually blows the fuse and you get a battery light shortly after startup and no charging. If one of the other wires is chafed you can get a battery light any time the ECM feels it is appropriate to light the battery lamp. Good Luck.

 

while all good info, I put positive cables in Xtypes like theyre a normal maintenance item. You can scroll through the message center engineering data to display battery voltage as read the I pack while you drive. Most the time it cant be duplicated cause as the engine and cables get hot the resistance goes up and voltage goes down. Quick and easy check...with a dvom check battery voltage on posts, now check the positive cable at the back of the alternator if theres more than a .2volt drop replace the cable, negative too.....

 

hey thanks for all the post i did the multimeter test and everything checked out ok,, the only thing i didnt check was the fuse and i will tommmorow morning(to dark and cold out)..and also i donthave the manual does any1 know the number of the fuse??

 

if the fuse is bad, itll be on all the time...

 

then what could it be if its not the fuse???