CHARGE SYSTEM FAULT

**Rich Z** · 04-18-2006, 12:26 PM

Looks like I may be needing a new alternator and/or battery.

On Sunday the wife and I took a drive out route 20 from Tallahassee heading towards Hosford so we could catch route 65 down through Sumatra and then back along 98 to head on back home. Nice long scenic drive with my new headers.

Anyway, we were nearly into Hosford when I noticed my voltmeter, which normally registers 14 volts, had dropped down to showing 12. Never saw that before, so I got a bit of wimplash at the thought of being out in the boonies (there is NOTHING along route 65!) and having the car die on me. So we turned around. The meter jumped back to 14 volts and stayed there the whole ride back home.

But this morning, I had to go to the courthouse to report for jury duty. Nothing unusual happened TO the courthouse, but when I started the Z up when I got out of there, I immediately got a CHARGE SYSTEM FAULT displayed. Uh oh....... I think I am getting the warning signs.

Well the car had 58K miles on it when I bought it, and I know alternators and batteries don't last forever in the Florida heat, so I guess an ounce of prevention may be worth 10 pounds of cure here. I REALLY hate to have a vehicle crap out on me during a trip, even if it would be just to go to the post office.

I just hope the Corvette doesn't take some special limited edition alternator with a $400 price tag on it.....

**Rich Z** · 04-18-2006, 12:33 PM

Well duh! This error I had earlier on the DIC might be significant as well:

Quote:

P1637 H - Generator L - Terminal Circuit.

MADN3SS · 04-19-2006, 06:54 PM

Rich, I get the charge system fault message every now and then. I've recently replaced my battery with an Optima Red Top and still got the message yesterday. I need to learn how to look up the codes on the DIC.

EDIT: I see you've posted the procedure in another thread. Thanks.

Scott

**Rich Z** · 04-19-2006, 07:14 PM

I think this thread may help you..... http://www.corvetteflorida.com/forum...hread.php?t=31

What I would like to see is an actual troubleshooting guide linked to those codes. I have the maintenance manuals for my 2002, but honestly haven't even cracked them open yet. Maybe something like that is in one of them....

**Rich Z** · 04-20-2006, 03:07 PM

Well, just got back from Champion Chevrolet. The vette tech there (Shane) was all embarrassed to tell me that he had neglected to tighten down a ground screw for the alternator and that was most certainly causing my problems. I was just glad it wasn't something serious, so he had no need to be so apologetic about it. Sure beats paying for a new alternator!

But on the way home, I was eyeballing the voltmeter and saw that it was creeping down below 12 volts again. I pulled into the driveway and just sat there with the A/C running and put on the headlights to see what would happen. The voltage dropped down to 11.2 volts. I just revved up the engine a little bit, and could actually hear the alternator click in, and the volts started climbing back up to the normal 13.5 volts.

So has anyone actually paid attention to this meter? Does the voltage fluctuate like this normally? Honestly I NEVER paid attention to this meter before, so I don't have any idea if this is something that has ALWAYS been happening, and I just never noticed it. I guess it's kind of like your temperature gauge. It will go up and down while driving in traffic on a hot day, but heck, I don't really watch that one either.

exile · 04-20-2006, 11:39 PM

Mine never goes below the high 13...., whatever. I'd keep my eye on it. The electrical system on these cars are finicky...........Tom

**Rich Z** · 04-21-2006, 12:14 AM

Yeah, well that's what worries me. Up here in north Florida there are some areas where a breakdown could be embarrassing. I don't think the cell phones even work in some areas, so that would mean hoofing it leaving the vette alongside the road. NOT what I would really want to be doing.....

The vette tech did say he forgot to tighten that ground, but that doesn't mean it's not just a coincidence and I really do also have another problem related to the alternator. Especially an intermittent one, which would probably be a pain in the butt to try to catch and diagnose.

Something tells me the Corvette alternators are not cheap, so I really don't want to do the trial and error replacement routine.

SteveGel · 04-24-2006, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by exile

Mine never goes below the high 13...., whatever. I'd keep my eye on it. The electrical system on these cars are finicky...........Tom

agree! Mind doesn't go down below 13's with all the stero stuff. I bought a red top and all is well. put a volt meter and look at it yourself. How old is your battery?

Mark Dalton · 05-19-2006, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich Z

Well, just got back from Champion Chevrolet. The vette tech there (Shane) was all embarrassed to tell me that he had neglected to tighten down a ground screw for the alternator and that was most certainly causing my problems. I was just glad it wasn't something serious, so he had no need to be so apologetic about it. Sure beats paying for a new alternator!

But on the way home, I was eyeballing the voltmeter and saw that it was creeping down below 12 volts again. I pulled into the driveway and just sat there with the A/C running and put on the headlights to see what would happen. The voltage dropped down to 11.2 volts. I just revved up the engine a little bit, and could actually hear the alternator click in, and the volts started climbing back up to the normal 13.5 volts.

So has anyone actually paid attention to this meter? Does the voltage fluctuate like this normally? Honestly I NEVER paid attention to this meter before, so I don't have any idea if this is something that has ALWAYS been happening, and I just never noticed it. I guess it's kind of like your temperature gauge. It will go up and down while driving in traffic on a hot day, but heck, I don't really watch that one either.

I check my gages after I crank up the car every day, especially alt. volts and oil pressure, to make sure everything is OK before I take off. My volts are always at about 14.7 and have been since I got my Z. It sounds like you've still got a problem Rich.

**Rich Z** · 05-19-2006, 10:02 PM

Well, I'm shooting one suspect after another, so eventually I will get that bugger. Probably putting the alternator on tomorrow. Champion Chevrolet has a new ignition switch on order, so that will likely get taken care of next week sometime. The problem is that it is intermittent so it's going to be a problem to nail down. Basically I have to try something and if it doesn't come back in a few months, then I will believe it is fixed. I used to repair computers in my younger days, and intermittent problems were always the worst. Give me a solid failure any day to diagnose.......