I've been fighting a voltage problem in my car for quite some time now.
First, the problem. As soon as I start the car, voltage meter reads no more then 12.5-13V. Then whenever I do ANYTHING that requires power, the voltage gauge dips badly and lights dim. Many times below 10V. Brake lights, turn signal, power windows, anything. I can't ever use the A/C due to the constant draw of power. If volatge dips too low, I lose power steering until voltage comes back up. All of this is with the stereo off. Battery never dies. Starts fine every and all morning.
Next, troubleshooting I've already done. Swapped out the alt with a known good one. No change. Bought a brand new Redtop. No change. Followed the 12V signal from the fuse panel, to the instrument cluster, out of cluster into PCM and out of PCM to the input of the alt. All checks normal. Then I went and had the alt professional tested. Oh yeah. Alt outputs up to about 175amps and 13.98V. Even with A/C, turn signal and brakes pressed, gauge dipped, but NO change in the alt readings. So now I'm 99.9999% sure the entire charging system is good. Something from the battery out to the rest of the car is fugged up. I've checked every connection I can find. All seem to very tight. Tested many with a DMM, no joy.
WTF? Help guys! :(
First, the problem. As soon as I start the car, voltage meter reads no more then 12.5-13V. Then whenever I do ANYTHING that requires power, the voltage gauge dips badly and lights dim. Many times below 10V. Brake lights, turn signal, power windows, anything. I can't ever use the A/C due to the constant draw of power. If volatge dips too low, I lose power steering until voltage comes back up. All of this is with the stereo off. Battery never dies. Starts fine every and all morning.
Next, troubleshooting I've already done. Swapped out the alt with a known good one. No change. Bought a brand new Redtop. No change. Followed the 12V signal from the fuse panel, to the instrument cluster, out of cluster into PCM and out of PCM to the input of the alt. All checks normal. Then I went and had the alt professional tested. Oh yeah. Alt outputs up to about 175amps and 13.98V. Even with A/C, turn signal and brakes pressed, gauge dipped, but NO change in the alt readings. So now I'm 99.9999% sure the entire charging system is good. Something from the battery out to the rest of the car is fugged up. I've checked every connection I can find. All seem to very tight. Tested many with a DMM, no joy.
WTF? Help guys! :(
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