Intermittent Charging Fault, message + battery light

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PTMADRID

Member
Posts
23
Hi all. 2010 l322 range rover tdv8 3.6 with 95000 miles. Last couple of days, a few miles in "ping" charging fault message + red battery symbol +red triangle. A few minutes later, warning lights disappear. Another few minutes "pings" again, same messages/lights. Couple minutes more warnings disappear and don't return for rest of journey. Same today. About 5 miles in "ping". I timed it this time. Warnings stayed on 9 minutes then cleared. 1 minute later, they are back. 3 minutes after that they've cleared again and stay clear for next 40 miles, A road and motorway cruising at 70mph.
Battery showing 12.4v with engine off. Just over 14v with engine idling at about 800rpm.No appreciable increase in voltage with higher revs.
I appreciate many comments suggesting demise of alternator at this age/mileage, but the way the fault presents, early on, then disappears has me scratching my head. 🤔 Any thoughts?
 
PTMADRID said:
Hi all. 2010 l322 range rover tdv8 3.6 with 95000 miles. Last couple of days, a few miles in "ping" charging fault message + red battery symbol +red triangle. A few minutes later, warning lights disappear. Another few minutes "pings" again, same messages/lights. Couple minutes more warnings disappear and don't return for rest of journey. Same today. About 5 miles in "ping". I timed it this time. Warnings stayed on 9 minutes then cleared. 1 minute later, they are back. 3 minutes after that they've cleared again and stay clear for next 40 miles, A road and motorway cruising at 70mph.
Battery showing 12.4v with engine off. Just over 14v with engine idling at about 800rpm.No appreciable increase in voltage with higher revs.
I appreciate many comments suggesting demise of alternator at this age/mileage, but the way the fault presents, early on, then disappears has me scratching my head. 🤔 Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
Quite possibly worn brushes in the alternator. Otherwise, corroded connectors or the engine to chassis earth strap which is quite a common failure item.
 
Have the battery tested. 12.4v is a little low and these machines rely heavily on a good battery.
As said a possible faulty alternator also as this will take the battery down with it 👍
 
backinblack said:
How old is the battery?
Does it charge from a mains charger and hold it?
Click to expand...
Never had any starting problems and sits for days in between using. Just bought a ctek battery conditioner which is now connected at all times on driveway
Mark Piercy said:
Have the battery tested. 12.4v is a little low and these machines rely heavily on a good battery.
As said a possible faulty alternator also as this will take the battery down with it 👍
Click to expand...
Bosch battery on when I bought it 18 months ago. I've neve had to put it on charge and it fires up every time, even after sitting for days. Just had a quick look underneath. Can even see an earth strap and barely see front of alternator, let alone aknnections at rear. A while ago I began suffering from claustrophobic vertigo, which makes me feel ill lying under car. Very frustrating and hs curbed any mechanic ing which requires that position! 😕
Local lady specialist thinks alternator is most likely cause, but I am going to affix additional engine earth strap somewhere up top and see if fault goes away. Don't you live intermittent faults!! 🙄
 
PTMADRID said:
Never had any starting problems and sits for days in between using. Just bought a ctek battery conditioner which is now connected at all times on driveway

Bosch battery on when I bought it 18 months ago. I've neve had to put it on charge and it fires up every time, even after sitting for days. Just had a quick look underneath. Can even see an earth strap and barely see front of alternator, let alone aknnections at rear. A while ago I began suffering from claustrophobic vertigo, which makes me feel ill lying under car. Very frustrating and hs curbed any mechanic ing which requires that position! 😕
Local lady specialist thinks alternator is most likely cause, but I am going to affix additional engine earth strap somewhere up top and see if fault goes away. Don't you live intermittent faults!! 🙄
Click to expand...
Sorry for typos! 🙄
 
PTMADRID said:
Never had any starting problems and sits for days in between using. Just bought a ctek battery conditioner which is now connected at all times on driveway

Bosch battery on when I bought it 18 months ago. I've neve had to put it on charge and it fires up every time, even after sitting for days. Just had a quick look underneath. Can even see an earth strap and barely see front of alternator, let alone aknnections at rear. A while ago I began suffering from claustrophobic vertigo, which makes me feel ill lying under car. Very frustrating and hs curbed any mechanic ing which requires that position! 😕
Local lady specialist thinks alternator is most likely cause, but I am going to affix additional engine earth strap somewhere up top and see if fault goes away. Don't you live intermittent faults!! 🙄
Click to expand...
It may well start with low volts. What voltage have you got on the battery after the CTEK has been on for a while?
I get around 12.8v
 
You could try plugging one of those voltage displays in the accessory socket.

1753094070211.png
 
backinblack said:
It may well start with low volts. What voltage have you got on the battery after the CTEK has been on for a while?
I get around 12.8v
Click to expand...
Just got in and connected ctek. It's at level 3 just now. Will wait a while and check. 10 mile round trip to local landy garage and no fault warnings. 🤷
 
PTMADRID said:
Could be aot older. Will there be a date on the battery?
Click to expand...
On some there is a date code but not all. However, the date is not that important. Lead Calcium batteries used in cars can last a very long time if kept fully charged and fail remarkably quickly if kept in a low state of charge. I always write the date on the battery when installing a new one.
 
Datatek said:
On some there is a date code but not all. However, the date is not that important. Lead Calcium batteries used in cars can last a very long time if kept fully charged and fail remarkably quickly if kept in a low state of charge. I always write the date on the battery when installing a new one.
Click to expand...
Same here at the garage 👍
Everyone forgets the date they were fitted🤷🤣
 
Datatek said:
On some there is a date code but not all. However, the date is not that important. Lead Calcium batteries used in cars can last a very long time if kept fully charged and fail remarkably quickly if kept in a low state of charge. I always write the date on the battery when installing a new one.
Click to expand...
Just some updates. With ctek at no. 7 disconnected it and battery voltage at 12.96v. Admittedly, almost straight after disconnecting ctek.
Battery is Bosch S5, 95A. Can only see pictograms on top but none are CCA. Does indicate stop/start compatible (which my car isn't!)
Safety leaflet was still attached to battery, appears to be dated 2020, so I guess battery at least 5yo.
What is the 2 pin plug that plugs into the negative battery terminal clamp? One of the wires is badly bent about right next to the plug. Not broken, but the insulation is split a little in places. I have sprayed WD40 and rewrapped it. Not driven it yet.
Did factory use electricians tape on wiring loom? There seems to be quite I bit of it under the bonnet!! 😱
 
PTMADRID said:
Just some updates. With ctek at no. 7 disconnected it and battery voltage at 12.96v. Admittedly, almost straight after disconnecting ctek.
Battery is Bosch S5, 95A. Can only see pictograms on top but none are CCA. Does indicate stop/start compatible (which my car isn't!)
Safety leaflet was still attached to battery, appears to be dated 2020, so I guess battery at least 5yo.
What is the 2 pin plug that plugs into the negative battery terminal clamp? One of the wires is badly bent about right next to the plug. Not broken, but the insulation is split a little in places. I have sprayed WD40 and rewrapped it. Not driven it yet.
Did factory use electricians tape on wiring loom? There seems to be quite I bit of it under the bonnet!! 😱
Click to expand...
The 12.96 is the surface charge, look at it after 1 hour. S5 95A sounds like an AGM battery which may not be suitable for your car. AGM batteries require a different charging regime to normal batteries. Bosch these days is just a brand name, likely to be made in the same eastern European countries and factories as Varta and other brands as far as I can see.
I can't answer you other points as I am not familiar with you model.
 
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