Member Since: 04 Feb 2017
Location: Church Village, Pontypridd
Posts: 29
Charging System Fault - help/suggestions
Well, after 18 months of ownwership, I finally had a dead Discovery!
Last week I heard a bit of a rumble from the front and a few hundred yards down the road had a "Charging System Fault" on the dash. Carried on to work and everything else seemed normal. Checked the battery when I got home and read 12.6v with the engine off and idling so put it down to the alternator.
The following day, it died completely. Luckily right outside my house as I was parking....worse places to break down I suppose. Multimeter read 7.4v on the battery.
Battery removed and put on charge and alternator ordered.
I replaced the alternator this morning and it now reads a far more healthy 14.6v with the engine running and 12.6v when switched off.
There was no continuity between the plug and output on the old one so it was knackered I guess.
The only issue is that the fault message keeps popping up aftwr about 15 seconds of the engine running. The engine management light was illumated too but this has now gone after leaving it for an hour or two.
Does anyone have any suggestions what else could be troubling it or do I need to have the fault cleared somewhere?
It's a 2009 D4 HSE with 59k of that helps?
Thanks in advance
28th Jul 2018 4:10 pm
L319
Member Since: 14 Dec 2013
Location: Herefordshire
Posts: 2083
I wonder if the battery is goosed, or needing further charging. Faulty alternators often do the battery in as well when they go down . Mine did.
28th Jul 2018 5:36 pm
Wilkie1980
Member Since: 04 Feb 2017
Location: Church Village, Pontypridd
Posts: 29
Thanks mate.
I was wondering if the battery is shot too but thought as it was holding charge might be OK.
I have thrown it back on charge and will leave it overnight and see what happens.
I can't think of anything else it could be and I hope the fault message will just clear itself when fixed.
Fingers crossed or I'm off to the motor factors
28th Jul 2018 6:27 pm
Wilkie1980
Member Since: 04 Feb 2017
Location: Church Village, Pontypridd
Posts: 29
I am officially stumped!
Battery replaced this morning and still the message appears.
Any other things anyone can think to check or is it time for the garage?
Thanks
30th Jul 2018 1:07 pm
Redline
Member Since: 20 Jan 2018
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 141
Have you reset the Battery Management System?
That needs to be done otherwise the system thinks the old battery is there and will continue to charge based on its profile.Current : Discovery 4 HSE (2012 spec)
Current : BMW Z4 20i MSport
Current : BWM Z4 3.0SI Sport Auto
Previous : Freelander 2 HSE
30th Jul 2018 1:24 pm
Wilkie1980
Member Since: 04 Feb 2017
Location: Church Village, Pontypridd
Posts: 29
How do I do that?
Is it the disconnect battery and put the +'ve and -'ve leads together? I haven't done that since putting in the new battery
Thanks for the tip
30th Jul 2018 1:58 pm
Redline
Member Since: 20 Jan 2018
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 141
You need test equipment or something like IID to perform a BMS reset. Either someone local or go to an Indy and pay a few quid to have it done.
My car lit up like a Christmas tree about ten days after a battery change without that reset. It wouldn’t restart and had no lights or audio. Luckily SWMBO works for Delphi so I managed to borrow one of their diagnostics units off one of the salesman. Had about fifty codes to clear too but it has behaved perfectly since.
Best of luck with yours.Current : Discovery 4 HSE (2012 spec)
Current : BMW Z4 20i MSport
Current : BWM Z4 3.0SI Sport Auto
Previous : Freelander 2 HSE
30th Jul 2018 4:38 pm
Wilkie1980
Member Since: 04 Feb 2017
Location: Church Village, Pontypridd
Posts: 29
That seems overly complicated but why am I not suprised?!
Thanks again, at least it's back up running now and the battery was less than a year old so was replaced under warranty.
I'll pop into my local indie tomorrow and see if I can get it booked in for a reset and hope for the best!
30th Jul 2018 5:15 pm
Wilkie1980
Member Since: 04 Feb 2017
Location: Church Village, Pontypridd
Posts: 29
Small update....
Took the car to the local indie this morning who swiftly cleared all the fault codes. However, the charging fault kept cropping up. Looks to be an issue with the wiring out of the back of the alternator.
They have downloaded and e-mailed the codes somewhere to get them identified properly.
Will update when I call them back tomorrow
1st Aug 2018 7:12 pm
Wilkie1980
Member Since: 04 Feb 2017
Location: Church Village, Pontypridd
Posts: 29
Still got the same issue all these months on but the car has been starting without any hesitation but the warning is still on the dash.
Went in for a service with my usual garage and asked him to have a look at the dash light. It seems the replacement Denso alternator I put on is only putting out 13.6v which may be too low and should be up in the 14v range. Either that or a faulty BCM!
He asked me where I bought it and said there had been a slight issue with this company re-boxing non genuine parts!
Is 13.6 odd volts likely to trigger a charging fault?
9th Apr 2019 9:20 pm
robsta
Member Since: 19 Mar 2011
Location: La Lucia, Durban
Posts: 52
Hello...
I had the same fault this morning and fix rather quickly.....My issue started with the cam position sensor bank 2 on my V8....Had it checked out, and the tension is still ok, but will have that issue sorted at the next service...
To your problem. When the cam position fault was cleared, the engine light stayed on, so the hard reset procedure, a very complicated process was carried out. i.e. Disconnect the Positive from the battery and let the car rest for 30 odd minutes. When we reconnected all was well and I drove off. 2 minutes later I got the Charge warning indication. On the Disco4 SE and HSE you can get into the MOT module from the center display which under the vehicle signals showed battery and charge rate, and in my case was at 13,6...normal.
When I got home i had a look at the terminals. There is a thin black wire connected as part of the positive terminal array, which is in a type of sheath going to the back of the fuse box which had broken. It is the charge sensor wire that goes to the warning system. Have a look to see if this is not loose or has broken. Mine got pinched between the battery casing and was broken off. Just by touching it together even without fixing the warning disappeared. Just a though. I did notice that this wire is a rather tough high current wire, but mine is also brittle so I interested to see how many of these we will start seeing.Previously Freelander II
Previously '08 Disco 3 TDV6 SE
Previously '10 Disco4 TDV / SDV6 HSE
Now: '12 Freelander II SD4 HSE -
Now '11 Disco4 V8 HSE
10th Apr 2019 9:16 am
Wilkie1980
Member Since: 04 Feb 2017
Location: Church Village, Pontypridd
Posts: 29
Hi robsta,
Thanks for the tip.
I'm assuming you mean this wire...
If so, I tested it this morning and have full continuity on it so guess it's good. Strang as it seems just lead into a blanking plug on the positive wire to the engine fusebox...
I also found this outside the battery box which doesn't seem to connect to anything....
Any ideas what that is for?!
11th Apr 2019 12:30 pm
robsta
Member Since: 19 Mar 2011
Location: La Lucia, Durban
Posts: 52
Hello
No...not that one... I had looked at it but was not that, and no, I have no idea where it goes. Photo to follow in a bit, i am just not near my car right now.
The wire is a separate single strand one that bolts on to the terminal array.Previously Freelander II
Previously '08 Disco 3 TDV6 SE
Previously '10 Disco4 TDV / SDV6 HSE
Now: '12 Freelander II SD4 HSE -
Now '11 Disco4 V8 HSE
11th Apr 2019 12:43 pm
Wilkie1980
Member Since: 04 Feb 2017
Location: Church Village, Pontypridd
Posts: 29
Don't worry robsta, I think I know the one you mean...the one in the sheath and bolts to the terminal?
I'll check on that one tomorrow and report back....
Running out of ideas now
11th Apr 2019 12:49 pm
Wilkie1980
Member Since: 04 Feb 2017
Location: Church Village, Pontypridd
Posts: 29
I have had another quick look this morning and tugged on all the connectors and wires. I did notice a part of the sheath had been deformed (presumably by the battery). I stripped the sheath and have full continuity on the wire that is bolted to the positive terminal block so no joy on that.
I had a new alternator delivered from Advanced Factors this morning incase the one I fitted last year was faulty.
I am wondering if the battery may throw up the fault. It read 12.1v and rose to 13.4v when running which doesn't seem particularly high.
I wonder if the low voltage causes the error?
The battery is a Lion 88Ah 680cca from ECP...maybe a higher rated one is needed?
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i.e. Disconnect the Positive from the battery and let the car rest for 30 odd minutes. When we reconnected all was well and I drove off. 2 minutes later I got the Charge warning indication. On the Disco4 SE and HSE you can get into the MOT module from the center display which under the vehicle signals showed battery and charge rate, and in my case was at 13,6...normal.
