# Yellow Battery Light



## Teakon (Oct 10, 2014)

My yellow battery light comes on at random time, sometimes I can go several days without it coming on. It generally just comes on once for the space of a few minutes the goes out. Code 20 says system is at 14.4 with engine running. Battery fluid level is up, connections cleaned and in good condition, battery load tests as fine. Battery doesn`t died and holds a charge well. Any ideas, I`m stumped.


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## Hoggy (May 8, 2002)

Hi, Yellow battery light means voltage too high or too low. Could be a dodgy voltage reg letting volts go too high.
Use code 20c on Climate Control & check volts when yellow warning displays, I would think volts are going high.






Hoggy.


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## Teakon (Oct 10, 2014)

I have checked the 20c code during the event and the voltage is 14.3 to 14.5


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## Hoggy (May 8, 2002)

Hi, Max voltage of Alternator is rated @ 14 volts, perhaps that extra 0.5 volts is causing the fault alarm.
Hoggy.


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## w32aphex (Sep 21, 2014)

If you're getting up to 14.5v output from your alternator then I'd say output is right. Mine outputs at 14.4 with no extra load from the car audio etc, and I have no issues, it's what I would expect.

Have you checked the voltage at the battery terminals with a multimeter to make sure actual output matches what you're reading on the climate control?

I would definitely check the charging system manually, including a resistance check between the battery earth and the car chassis, and the tension on your alternator belt. If it's intermittent it could be a dodgy connection, belt slip, or the alternator starting to crap out.


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## Teakon (Oct 10, 2014)

This weekend I was able to take a couple long trips and this is what I noticed. At the beginning, I would say first 30kms the light came on for 20 sec then went out, few minutes later it came back on and again after about 40 sec went out. It never returned during the rest of the 440km trip. When the events occurred the climatronic showed the charger at 14.2 to 14.4 volts. The same happened on the return trip but with it only coming on once. 
This morning however what I did notice was just before the battery light came on there was a slight dimming to the dash lights and the red light under the dash. It wasn't a long dim and during it the charger still read 14.4 volts.
I double checked my connections and they all seem ok.
:?: :?: :?: :?:


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## AaronWhite (Aug 29, 2014)

The dimming of lights etc for a short pause and then starting ok...? Have you had any issues with starting the engine???

Sounds stupid I know but I was stumped recently too with my car starting one minute and driving fine then yellow battery light, switching off and non starting again then an hour later starting fine... Removing and charging my 8 month old battery and everything was fine then another non start with all interior lights dimming and then starting the next minute all the while 20C saying charging voltage was fine.... turned out to be a bad cell in the battery which was exchanged under warranty in my case - moral of the story even a newish battery can fail (and leave you totally stumped in the meantime)

Get the battery checked (and for free usually) at the dreaded! Atleast gives you closure on that possibility???


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## Teakon (Oct 10, 2014)

Car starts fine, even with everything left on for a while, load tested the battery and its fine.


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## Teakon (Oct 10, 2014)

Hi Peter139

Got your message, couldn't reply though.

Here is what I found. I have one of the dash pods with the problem, where the temp gauge and the fuel gauge reads wrong.
Then I noticed one night that although the under dash red light dimmed the headlights didn't when the battery light problem occurred. The dimming happened only for a sec and the light would appear several seconds after that. Then I gave the dash pod a hit and within a sec the light was out. I believe its just a faulty dash pod in my case and am waiting for a time to send it out for repair.

Hope this helps.


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## Sandy (May 5, 2014)

I had the same issue and also red battery light flashing on the odd occasion so I'd say your getting early warning signs of a voltage regulator failure so change it as soon as you can or you'll find your stereo dying out on you at some point with dim lights and then a flat battery.


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