Voltage Gauge Fluctuation (Please help!)
09-30-2004 | 01:00 PM
#1
Voltage Gauge Fluctuation (Please help!) Alright guys need some help with my girlfriends car with a fluctuating Voltage gauge on a 2002 V6 Firebird.
the gauges goes any where from the begining of the yellow mark to redline.
when it starts cold or med. it almost redlines. then it will calm down a bit to about looks to be about 15-16volts, then sometimes surges and drops to like maybe little less then 12v. sometimes it looks like it acts on load other times it doesn't, like when accellerating or braking. the lights fluctuate with the guage, so it's not a false read out. Car is completely stock. no added audio equipment either. Stock. she said it's been doing this since she bought the car.
so she takes it to the dealership under warranty and they find a faulty alternator (replaced) she got it back does the same thing still fluctuating. not as bad but just gets worse with in that hour. Takes it in again which would be the third time i dont know what happen the first. said," it's fine, thats normal" did an adjustment , but now just goes lower in voltage rather then higher even though it still getting close redline. i think he just messed with the guage to get it to read differnet , but still doing the samething. I CALL BS, it's not normal for your lights to dim and fluctuate under normal operating condidtions when completely stock. so now there just giving her a hardtime like they dont know what she talking about and that she doesn't know anything about cars. Might i add she helps work on my car all the time and she knows whats she doing, and talking about. anyhow
i think it might be a short or loss ground connection. the charge on he batt is fine, i hate to think this things is always over charging causing the battery to possibly rupture.
But needs some serious help here. I'll be using what ever info i recieve here under any case that gets open due to that fact of uprising issue between the dealership not wanting to resolve the problem before the warranty is up. THanks
SoL
the gauges goes any where from the begining of the yellow mark to redline.
when it starts cold or med. it almost redlines. then it will calm down a bit to about looks to be about 15-16volts, then sometimes surges and drops to like maybe little less then 12v. sometimes it looks like it acts on load other times it doesn't, like when accellerating or braking. the lights fluctuate with the guage, so it's not a false read out. Car is completely stock. no added audio equipment either. Stock. she said it's been doing this since she bought the car.
so she takes it to the dealership under warranty and they find a faulty alternator (replaced) she got it back does the same thing still fluctuating. not as bad but just gets worse with in that hour. Takes it in again which would be the third time i dont know what happen the first. said," it's fine, thats normal" did an adjustment , but now just goes lower in voltage rather then higher even though it still getting close redline. i think he just messed with the guage to get it to read differnet , but still doing the samething. I CALL BS, it's not normal for your lights to dim and fluctuate under normal operating condidtions when completely stock. so now there just giving her a hardtime like they dont know what she talking about and that she doesn't know anything about cars. Might i add she helps work on my car all the time and she knows whats she doing, and talking about. anyhow
i think it might be a short or loss ground connection. the charge on he batt is fine, i hate to think this things is always over charging causing the battery to possibly rupture.
But needs some serious help here. I'll be using what ever info i recieve here under any case that gets open due to that fact of uprising issue between the dealership not wanting to resolve the problem before the warranty is up. THanks
SoL
09-30-2004 | 02:00 PM
#3
Originally Posted by TA TED
Sounds like the voltage regulator within the alternator is failing. Voltage would be erratic and unstable.
