Battery light staying on?

Tiny
GRIFFIN8194
  • MEMBER
  • 2000 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 263,000 MILES
Security light flashing. When I start the truck the battery light stays on and the fuel gauge and odometer lights are not working. Passenger window isn't wanting to roll-up and the power door locks is barely working.
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Friday, July 10th, 2020 AT 10:53 AM

35 Replies

Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Good afternoon,

The first thing I would do is check the battery voltage. It should be 12.6 volts.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-a-car-battery-works

Then with it running, check the voltage at the battery again. It should be 14 to 14.6 volts.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-a-car-alternator

Then change you voltmeter to read AC volts and tell me the reading. You may have a bad alternator causing all these issues.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-an-alternator

Roy
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Friday, July 10th, 2020 AT 11:06 AM
Tiny
FOR SAL
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2000 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 262,000 MILES
2000 truck chevy, loosing ele, power all gauges go dead oil, radio, charging, battery lites go dim, after 3mins of driving everything to normal had battery and alternater checked good. Tighten up cables.
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 6:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,005 POSTS
Check the fuseable link between the alt and the battery. If it is bad, the alt can't get power to the battery. Also, check grounds. Make sure the battery terminals, ground to engine block, and all body grounds are clean, tight, and not rusted or corroded.
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 6:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CONWAYMUSE
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 174,000 MILES
Why wont my truck crank? It turns over and only the battery light will come on. -Thank you
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 6:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Does it crank over or it cranks over and refuses to start?
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 6:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CONWAYMUSE
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Yes, it cranks but refuses to start.
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 6:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Get a carb cleaner and spray into the carb or the throttle body on an EFI. Did it start and die? If not disconnect a sparkplug wire or 2 and ground it to the engine -have helper crank engine over-do you have a snapping blue spark? If so-you have a fuel problem, check the fuel pressure to rule out the fuel filter/fuel pump/pressure regulator and listen to the injector/s are they pulsing or hook up a noid light. No snapping blue spark continue to troubleshoot the ignition system-power input to the coil/coil packs, distributor pick-up coil, ignition control module, cam and crank sensors-
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 6:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LOPICCOLO49
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 68,759 MILES
Problem with Gauges! They "dump" without warning and will eventually return. Oil, odometer, & battery will work. Cluster has been replaced 3 TIMES! Battery icon appears in message center as gauges dump and stays on until they return. Any ideas? Tired of taking it back & forth. Need a good old fashion "wrencher" to help me out. Thanks-lopiccolo49
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 6:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
FIXITMR
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,990 POSTS
Gauge repair, now we know why it's a banking business? How long does the replaced gauge last?Were they new, used, or repaired?
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 6:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DCAMARO
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
I had the same problem! Turned out to be ground wires at the back of the L.H. Head. You wont be able to see them, but reach in behind and you will feel two wires (black). These ground the dash cluster and they break off from vibration and being oil soaked.
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 6:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
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Could be coming from the computer controlled of the alternator's field generation circuit-
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 6:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Any applicable trouble codes? There are codes listed for the instrument cluster. The instrument cluster receives serial data from the pcm to operate gages. Any wrencher is the best at what make and model they work on the most, that's just how it is.
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 6:26 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DEB991B
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 89,000 MILES
Security and battery light stay on and flash this morning my dash gauges would not work
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 6:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
FIXITMR
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,990 POSTS
If vehicle still functions and drives your instrument cluster needs repair. Ebay has several low cost repair services.
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 6:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JOE1953
  • MEMBER
  • 619 POSTS
  • 1996 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
  • 5.7L
  • RWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 224,000 MILES
My battry light is on and when I turn the headlights on they are dim but the engine is still cranking the battry voltage when the engine is running is below 12 voltage what is causing the battry light to be on when the engine is running?
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 6:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,699 POSTS
The "Battery" light hasn't changed since the 1960s. It means the generator isn't recharging the battery while you're driving. What HAS changed is GM redesigned their generators for the '87 model year and it's a very poor design. They develop huge voltage spikes that can damage the internal diodes and voltage regulator, and can interfere with computer sensor signals. It is real common to go through four to six replacement generators in the life of the vehicle. To reduce the number of repeat failures, replace the battery at the same time unless it's less than about two years old. As they age, the lead flakes off the plates and they lose their ability to absorb those voltage spikes.

You already noticed the charging voltage is too low. Measured at the battery with the engine running, the voltage must be between 13.75 to 14.75 volts. If it is low, suspect the generator. If the voltage is okay, you need a professional load tester for the second part of the test. That will test for maximum output current and "ripple" voltage. If one of the six diodes has been damaged, you'll only be able to get exactly one third of the generator's rated maximum current, and ripple voltage will be very high.
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 6:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JOE1953
  • MEMBER
  • 619 POSTS
I replace the alternater June 11th. 2013 I replace the battery June 12th. 2013. So I didn't replace both the same time.
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 6:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JOE1953
  • MEMBER
  • 619 POSTS
I replace the alternater on today September 24 but I didn't replace the battery the engine is still cranking good, after I replace the alternater what do I do next drive the veichel?
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 6:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,699 POSTS
You didn't list any symptoms now after the generator was replaced. The battery is likely still okay, so leave that alone for now. The old generator from 2013 worked okay for two years, so replacing the battery the next day was good enough to avoid another generator failure. The failure now was just "the nature of the beast". Every GM owner replaces their generator two or three times if they keep the vehicle long enough.

My recommendation now is to have the charging system professionally tested by a mechanic, not at an auto parts store. In particular, what I want to see is "regulation voltage" between 13.75 and 14.75 volts, full-load charging current very close to the generator's rated value, and "ripple voltage" should not be excessively high.

The common generators for your truck were a 105 amp, a 124 amp, and a 140 amp unit. Full-load current will be very close to one of those values, or, ... If there's a defective diode inside the generator, you'll get exactly one third of that value. A generator is physically incapable of developing more current than it's designed for.

If ripple voltage is high, that is caused by the generator developing harmful voltage spikes, but it's the job of the battery to dampen and absorb them. Consider replacing the battery if ripple voltage is high/
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 6:27 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SWENSON
  • MEMBER
  • 23 POSTS
  • 1993 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
I have a 1993 chevy k1500 silverado and just the other day I got in it and started it up and the battery light was on and the battery guage was almost all the way on the low mark. I just replaced the battery and alternator a couple weeks ago so I don't think it could be that. Also when I start it up it idles at 2000 rpms when in park and 1500 rpms when in gear and I haven't changed anything this all just randomly happened. I cant fingure anyting out can anyone help me? I can't even listen to the radio when its running it just turns on and off. Also a few months ago I realized that after I shut the truck off the windows still roll up and down without the key on
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 6:27 PM (Merged)

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