Check charging system - All charging system parts have been replaced

[ScottyP2448]

I have a 2013 Ford Explorer XLT with 172,000 miles on it.

We replaced the alternator on it earlier last year and the battery a few months before that.

However we were getting a check charging system notification regularly so the past week I replaced the alternator again with another brand new after market one. Well we are still getting the check charging system error message!

The belt has been changed and the tensioner is in good shape. We just changed the water pump a month ago so I had all that changed just to be safe, so I know it’s not those either.

Anyone know anything else that could be causing it?

Or does Ford require an OEM alternator instead of aftermarket??

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! Have the alternator bench tested. Some of these remanufactured or rebuilt units are sometimes defective.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

as brooklyn mentioned, test em! also make sure the cables are free of corrosion, conenctions are tight etc

 

[Turdle]

Could be a blown fuse.

 

[Michael Blackburn]

I think you need a Ford OEM alternator as there is something unique about the status signal coming from the alternator. Also check the small wire on the battery positive terminal as that sends a battery status signal to the system.

 

[PlatinumOwner]

Yes, this is an issue with the alternator being aftermarket and not Ford OEM.

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum Scotty.
I agree with Michael and PlatinumOwner. Use a Ford OEM alternator. There are several posts about Issues with aftermarket ones.

Peter

 

[imp]

Welcome to the Forum Scotty.
I agree with Michael and PlatinumOwner. Use a Ford OEM alternator. There are several posts about Issues with aftermarket ones.

Peter

I fail to buy any of these contentions; an alternator is an alternator, generator of DC power to re-charge battery upon starting and then provide all power used by the vehicle. Have FUSE-LINKS been checked?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Get a schematic of the charging system. Each wire is color coded. Check each connection with a multimeter.

 

[peterk9]

I fail to buy any of these contentions; an alternator is an alternator, generator of DC power to re-charge battery upon starting and then provide all power used by the vehicle. Have FUSE-LINKS been checked?

While that may be so, there are members who had issues with the aftermarket ones that were solved by installing the OEM alternator.

Peter

 

[Michael Blackburn]

I fail to buy any of these contentions; an alternator is an alternator, generator of DC power to re-charge battery upon starting and then provide all power used by the vehicle. Have FUSE-LINKS been checked?

Not for a while. The alternator is now part of a complex charging system that is monitored and controlled by the on-board computers. There is a Battery current sensor, a generator (alternator) current sensor and generator status monitoring lines going to the powertrain control module. If one of them is not correct, you will get a fault.
If you connect a voltmeter, you can see the system running voltage and current checks continuously as you drive and the battery charges. I see voltages go from 14V down to 11.5V as the system tweaks itself for best charging and does battery status checks.
One of the reasons you have to reset the battery monitoring system when you install a new battery. Also if you have forscan, you can see the different battery parameters you can change.

 

[J_C]

^ You do not have to reset the BMS, just leave it sit overnight and it will recalibrate itself. No issues doing this on my '14.

There is a Charging System diagnostic section and wiring diagram for a '14 linked below in my sig as 2014 Workshop Manual.

 

[PlatinumOwner]

^ You do not have to reset the BMS, just leave it sit overnight and it will recalibrate itself. No issues doing this on my '14.

There is a Charging System diagnostic section and wiring diagram for a '14 linked below in my sig as 2014 Workshop Manual.

Just letting it sit on 2016+ models does not reset it. It will re-calibrate battery SoC (State of Charge) but will not reset the number of days in use, which affects the algorithm used for managing SoH (State of Health). As mentioned in some other threads, the 16-19 model years rely on a different electrical architecture than earlier Explorers.

 

[J_C]

^ Okay but it's not a '16-'19.

 

[peterk9]

^ Okay but it's not a '16-'19.

I think PlatinumOwner, like myself at first, thought you were talking about Michael's Explorer which is a 2018. If you were talking about the thread starter, then you are correct. It is a 2013 in which case the following applies as per the manual.
"After battery replacement, or in
some cases after charging the battery with an external charger, the BMS
requires eight hours of vehicle sleep time (key off with doors closed) to
relearn the new battery state of charge."

Peter