Charging Indicator Light, What to look for?

Patrick Bateman · 11-19-2009, 06:05 PM

My 2005 Liberty Renegade just had two separate drives with the charging indication light coming on. I'd shut it off and start again and it's gone. Took it to Autozone to check the battery and alternator and nothing out of whack there but I'm guessing maybe the alternator is just starting to give. No mudding or off-road work with this one so I'd put dirty alternator lower on the list of things to look at. Maybe bad bearings or regulator? Anyone else had the light come on and figure it out? Thanks for any clues.

PB

LibertyTC · 11-19-2009, 06:38 PM

Few things to check/ look for : Belt tension, Battery and ground wires and terminal clean/tight with no corrosion. Wires into alternator etc.

When light is on, having a code reader plugged in would be handy....
It could be the alt. on the way out, but might as well check the above...
Hope it's just a bad ground not a new alt needed...

Patrick Bateman · 11-19-2009, 11:41 PM

Thanks for the reply! Forgot to also say I'm at around 56K on the miles. Don't know how much that can help us profile it.

T-birdJunkie · 11-19-2009, 11:51 PM

Any noises that may seem unrelated while it's running?

LibertyTC · 11-20-2009, 04:56 AM

One thing I forgot to ask/mention was that since it was only coming on when U first started it, possibility that a low initial idle/loose belt could cause the light to come on temporarily until you give it a rev.

In other words if you start it and light comes on, step on the gas, does the light then go off?

**ColdCase** · 11-20-2009, 06:01 AM

Yeah, did the light only come on at idle. Was it rainy when the light came on?

Patrick Bateman · 11-20-2009, 10:51 AM

It only came on at least a few miles into driving, not at start up. Maybe a little rain but nothing bad. Would never go away unless I shut down and started up again. Haven't heard any weird sounds yet with the hood up but I'd suspect maybe the alternator is just slowly going bad. Thanks again for any suggestions.

LibertyTC · 11-22-2009, 02:34 AM

If you remove the battery negative terminal, you will clear the codes and get a fresh start. While the cable is off, let's get that ground terminal cleaned up with a wire brush and some emory cloth /sandpaper, both at the battery post and your terminal. Apply some vasoline /petroleum jelly to the terminal post and re-attach the ground terminal/tighten. See if that makes a difference.

luke179 · 11-22-2009, 07:32 AM

One thing is how many miles are on this jeep? If there are alot of miles over 100 K the brushes in the alternator could be bad. if that is the case the rotor inside the alternator is also probably bad . the other thing that could be the problem is the regulator circuit. The only thing with that is it is located in the computer. Hope this helped

Patrick Bateman · 11-23-2009, 04:18 PM

Got 56k on it right now. Thought maybe at one point I heard some grinding sound coming from alternator area but it went away so fast.

11-19-2009, 11:41 PM	#3
Patrick Bateman Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 57 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	Thanks for the reply! Forgot to also say I'm at around 56K on the miles. Don't know how much that can help us profile it.

11-20-2009, 10:51 AM	#7
Patrick Bateman Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 57 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	It only came on at least a few miles into driving, not at start up. Maybe a little rain but nothing bad. Would never go away unless I shut down and started up again. Haven't heard any weird sounds yet with the hood up but I'd suspect maybe the alternator is just slowly going bad. Thanks again for any suggestions.

11-22-2009, 07:32 AM	#9
luke179 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: pennsylvania Posts: 2 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	One thing is how many miles are on this jeep? If there are alot of miles over 100 K the brushes in the alternator could be bad. if that is the case the rotor inside the alternator is also probably bad . the other thing that could be the problem is the regulator circuit. The only thing with that is it is located in the computer. Hope this helped

11-23-2009, 04:18 PM	#10
Patrick Bateman Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 57 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	Got 56k on it right now. Thought maybe at one point I heard some grinding sound coming from alternator area but it went away so fast.