2012 Honda Odyssey with CHeck Charge System Error on. Driving on freeway almost felt like i hit something but 110% did not hit something, the check battery light came on, and then 10 min later the check charge system came on along with a Red battery light. Eventually all my gauges started going all the way down until i got to safely then my car would not start at all. Towed it to my house. We replaced the battery, the serpentine belt and bench tested my alternator. My alternator was fine. They put the car all together and the light was off until I went to run an errand and 10 min later the check charge system came back on. The alternator puts out 11.6 volts. Took it to a mechanic who said it was the alternator, so we took it back home and replaced it ourselves. The check charge system comes on immediately now, and the new alternator is still pumping out 11.6 volts. The car runs perfectly smooth with no hard steering, no stalling, no smells or smoke, it runs as if nothing is wrong except the Check Charge system is on, and everytime we drive it it drains the battery. Any suggestions as to what it is as we are positive it is not the alternator itself.
The battery current sensor may have failed.
The sensor informs the computer the status of the battery/
The computer then controls the output from the alternator to keep,the battery charged.
Tester
That is too low to charge the battery. It should be putting out over 14 volts. But yeah as tester suggested. Diagnosis is getting hardy these days,
Good ideas above. Beyond those, it’s possible some circuitry or battery-related fault is overloading the alternator, preventing it from outputting a higher voltage. If that’s the case it would show up as an overly high current output from the alternator in a basic shop battery/alternator test.
I can understand why you believe this to be the case, but suggest to at least allow the possibility the replacement alternator is also faulty, right out of the box. Wouldn’t be unheard of by reports here. Some shops & parts stores have alternator test fixtures that will independently verify an alternator is working or not, so if all else fails … testing the replacement alternator on a test fixture could be your backup plan.
They bench tested the alternator which should have then read over 14 volts. If that was the case then see testers post for the other issue.