I was sitting in my car with the Residual Heat button on while my wife shops and then, after 5 minutes the REST kicks off and I get a battery icon. So, I start the car and everything is ok. We get home and I put a multimeter on the battery and get 12.3 +/- volts with the engine off and 14.3 volts with the engine running. Hmmm, that sounds normal, at least in my experience.

I got the light one more time and took the car in yesterday. The service tech called today and a new alternator is on order.

Anyone else with this problem?

Those voltage readings do seem to be remarkably normal........

If It Has An Internal Regulator And The Regulator Is On;y Sometimes Working........


I Think You See Where I Am Going With This....

I was sitting in my car with the Residual Heat button on while my wife shops and then, after 5 minutes the REST kicks off and I get a battery icon. So, I start the car and everything is ok. We get home and I put a multimeter on the battery and get 12.3 +/- volts with the engine off and 14.3 volts with the engine running. Hmmm, that sounds normal, at least in my experience.

I got the light one more time and took the car in yesterday. The service tech called today and a new alternator is on order.

Anyone else with this problem?

Funny you just said this!!!! I was parked at work the other day talking to my wife on the blue tooth, climate control on also, but I have the car at start but without the engine running, and were talking about 5 minutes in about 33 degree weather at about 1 pm, and bam, my battery light came on... So I just started the car, left it running for a few minutes, and it hasnt come back on, but its something that shouldnt happen for a car with only 43k, and only 5 minutes went by, its not like it was night and the xenons were on and i had the seat warmers on... So its in for regular service this thursday coming up, Im defenitely going to bring this up now... Glad I read this thread!

Funny you just said this!!!! I was parked at work the other day talking to my wife on the blue tooth, climate control on also, but I have the car at start but without the engine running, and were talking about 5 minutes in about 33 degree weather at about 1 pm, and bam, my battery light came on... So I just started the car, left it running for a few minutes, and it hasnt come back on, but its something that shouldnt happen for a car with only 43k, and only 5 minutes went by, its not like it was night and the xenons were on and i had the seat warmers on... So its in for regular service this thursday coming up, Im defenitely going to bring this up now... Glad I read this thread!
No wonder, those tend to drain all the energy. Wait, am I talking about the electrical stuff or the wives! :shifty

Funny you just said this!!!! I was parked at work the other day talking to my wife on the blue tooth, climate control on also, but I have the car at start but without the engine running, and were talking about 5 minutes in about 33 degree weather at about 1 pm, and bam, my battery light came on... So I just started the car, left it running for a few minutes, and it hasnt come back on, but its something that shouldnt happen for a car with only 43k, and only 5 minutes went by, its not like it was night and the xenons were on and i had the seat warmers on... So its in for regular service this thursday coming up, Im defenitely going to bring this up now... Glad I read this thread!

I would suggest that you have a lot of electrical drawing items on with the car at start without the engine running. :eek: I was only using the "key in the slot" position, formely called accessory position in other cars. If I was in your shoes, I would put the car on a charger for 2-3 hours and then see what happens. In my case, the car was only able to be on a charger for an hour and then a round of stop and go short errands it happened again.

fseybert: you are right that these readings seem unremarkable and quite normal. That is one reason I took it in. As a shade tree mechanic, I know a fair amount about cars. What I know about electrics, however, can be writtin on the head of a pin! ;) I will check with the mechanic and see what the problem was. Stay tuned - news at 6!

Gary

Ok, the tech called and the car is done. New alternator because the old one was OVERCHARGING. I was surprised but apparently the battery light also indicates overcharging. My wife is picking up the car and I will get to read the paperwork later.

Ok, the tech called and the car is done. New alternator because the old one was OVERCHARGING. I was surprised but apparently the battery light also indicates overcharging. My wife is picking up the car and I will get to read the paperwork later.

Bad regulator in the old alternator. Overcharging the battery can heat it up and cause a explosion in long term...depends how much it's overcharging.

Ok, the tech called and the car is done. New alternator because the old one was OVERCHARGING. I was surprised but apparently the battery light also indicates overcharging. My wife is picking up the car and I will get to read the paperwork later.

WOW. Thats very interesting. Damn smart cars, theres nothing they wont tell you anymore... But its a good thing, because my warranty will cover it if Im having the same problem, or even if its not. But again, WOW...

If I was in your shoes, I would put the car on a charger for 2-3 hours and then see what happens. In my case, the car was only able to be on a charger for an hour and then a round of stop and go short errands it happened again.

Gary

Oh, and yes, Im going to try that today... Unfortunately I dont have a charger available to me, but the dealer is going to here it from me on thursday.. I have a list of things for them to either replace, or try to fix, that should be(hopefully) all covered by warranty...

Oh, and yes, Im going to try that today... Unfortunately I dont have a charger available to me, but the dealer is going to here it from me on thursday.. I have a list of things for them to either replace, or try to fix, that should be(hopefully) all covered by warranty...


What? they don't sell battery chargers in Boston? :D

Lol, when each of my kids got married, one of the first gifts I bought them was a battery charger and jumper cables. My son was excited, my daugter was like "what, no Coach purse?" ;)