Battery Charge message

[endorfin]

Hi, new member here, apologies if this post is in the wrong place feel free to move it.

I've acquired a 1998 W210 E300 TD - came across this forum when I was trying to fix the ASR / BAS warning messages, it turned out to be the brake light switch as advised on here, cheap fix at £13 thanks!

But I still have a "Battery Charge" message showing, I thought it may be a slipping belt or faulty alternator but it tests as 14v when running.

I think the car seems to think battery is getting low because sometimes all electrics will stop working when driving, such as electric mirrors, indicators, wipers etc. Anyone familiar with this problem?

I also have a Light Defective message as well but all lights and bulbs are working. Only thing I can think of that it could be is it came fitted with aftermarket HID headlamps (very nice looking) all working ok though.

 

[endorfin]

Nobody?

 

[SavMan]

Where are you measuring the 14v reading from? Alternator or Battery posts?

 

[Fotogma]

I get this warning sometimes when it has been very cold overnight

 

[endorfin]

Battery posts. Should I be testing from the alternator and if so where do I put the contacts?

 

[SavMan]

Battery posts. Should I be testing from the alternator and if so where do I put the contacts?

Thats fine, when was the alternator belt last changed? Whats the battery reading when left overnight?
Worth getting your alternator regulator checked.

 

[SLK32AMG]

See what the reading is in the morning without engine running, Alternator could be ok but battery is not holding charge.

Or its possible something is draining it like alarm as alarm battery can fail and then uses main battery to keep alarm functioning/ or same thing with tracker if fitted. I have had both these things happen in last year, sorted them and now ok.

 

[BlackC55]

Check for rusty earth points behind headlights. Common issue that causes weird electrical faults.

 

[danandgerry]

Your defective light warning is probably one or two of you rear bulbs working but wrong wattage was with mine I had a warning light for years then a bulb went replaced it and the warning light was gone, had the wrong bulb in all that time.