Battery / alternator warning on full throttle or otherwise high rpms
11-21-2005, 08:25 PM
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2002 C32 and 2009 Audi S5
Battery / alternator warning on full throttle or otherwise high rpms
Did a search but couldn't zero in on this. It is especially exciting at night when my lights go out. I will be taking it in to the dealer tomorrow, but wanted to toss it by you guys.
It's a completely stock c32 I bought as a CPO with extended warranty.
Ideas?
It's a completely stock c32 I bought as a CPO with extended warranty.
Ideas?
11-21-2005, 11:32 PM
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2002 C32 and 2009 Audi S5
I know I'm asking for a lot to have some suggestions by tomorrow, but I would like to be prepared when I bring it by the dealer tomorrow.
Anybody out there have a suggestion about what's going on? The warning light disappears after I reduce the revs so it may be tied to the drain from the blower spinning? Bad alternator, but not so bad as to trigger the warning continuously?
Sure could use someone's help.
Thanks in advance.
Anybody out there have a suggestion about what's going on? The warning light disappears after I reduce the revs so it may be tied to the drain from the blower spinning? Bad alternator, but not so bad as to trigger the warning continuously?
Sure could use someone's help.
Thanks in advance.
11-22-2005, 03:43 AM
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2002 C32 and 2009 Audi S5
No, as this just happened to me last night. I immediately scheduled an appt. with the dealer but thought for sure someone else on this forum had experienced the same problem.
I do appreciate the help and can't really offer too much more info. I either have to really mash the throttle down when traveling at speed or simply downshift to rev it up. The lights both inside and out die, the warning comes on as long as I hold the throttle, then disappears the moment I let off and the rpms decrease and the lights return to normal, albeit with a little self-leveling in the process.
What are the possible reasons?
I do appreciate the help and can't really offer too much more info. I either have to really mash the throttle down when traveling at speed or simply downshift to rev it up. The lights both inside and out die, the warning comes on as long as I hold the throttle, then disappears the moment I let off and the rpms decrease and the lights return to normal, albeit with a little self-leveling in the process.
What are the possible reasons?
11-22-2005, 11:52 AM
#5
Most likely it is a voltage regulator that has problem controling alternator. If your car is CPO, I would think dealer should take care of it under warranty.
Good Luck and let us know what it was.
Good Luck and let us know what it was.
11-22-2005, 12:55 PM
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Here is the link that I found when searching.
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w203/120178-consumer-undervoltage-defective.html
I got the same message "Battery/Alternator Visit Workshop" I though it's not a big problem (I just had the MB road assist change the batt) and after about a week of getting that message, the car completely die. I cant start and even with jump start, the engine wont stay on after I take the jump cable off. The car is in Dealership right now and I should have some answer by today. I hope this is a recall so I wont spend much money.
Did anyone know how much it will cost to have the alternator replace at dealership?
TIA
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w203/120178-consumer-undervoltage-defective.html
I got the same message "Battery/Alternator Visit Workshop" I though it's not a big problem (I just had the MB road assist change the batt) and after about a week of getting that message, the car completely die. I cant start and even with jump start, the engine wont stay on after I take the jump cable off. The car is in Dealership right now and I should have some answer by today. I hope this is a recall so I wont spend much money.
Did anyone know how much it will cost to have the alternator replace at dealership?
TIA
11-22-2005, 01:40 PM
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I got a called from Service Advsr. She said that I need a new battery. I am confused now since I just changed the batt with MB road assistance a week ago. Can I get a warranty from MB?
Anyhow, I will definetely talk w/ SA cos it seems odd if I have to pay extra money to get a new batt.
Anyhow, I will definetely talk w/ SA cos it seems odd if I have to pay extra money to get a new batt.
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11-22-2005, 02:21 PM
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Audi C7.5 S6
If the alternator voltage regulator is not thottling back the rotor windings, to control the alternator voltage to a reasonable level, then excessive output voltage could result, which could damage a new battery (overcharge). The alternator output should probably have an optimum of about 13.6-13.8V, to quickly charge a battery through it's internal resistance. The fully charged
battery should have about 12.6 volts (no load), but the actual voltage depends on the load and the internal resistance of the battery.
If the alternator is putting out much over 14.4V, for a sustained amount of time
on a fully charged battery, the battery could be damaged.
I would carefully check the alternator, wiring and voltage regulator, before
putting in a new battery.
PS. The alternator will produce the highest output voltage, at max RPM. The voltage regulator, keeps this voltage within reason, at high RPM (makes the output voltage more independant of RPM).
battery should have about 12.6 volts (no load), but the actual voltage depends on the load and the internal resistance of the battery.
If the alternator is putting out much over 14.4V, for a sustained amount of time
on a fully charged battery, the battery could be damaged.
I would carefully check the alternator, wiring and voltage regulator, before
putting in a new battery.
PS. The alternator will produce the highest output voltage, at max RPM. The voltage regulator, keeps this voltage within reason, at high RPM (makes the output voltage more independant of RPM).
Last edited by m444; 11-22-2005 at 02:40 PM.
11-22-2005, 05:21 PM
#9
If the alternator voltage regulator is not thottling back the rotor windings, to control the alternator voltage to a reasonable level, then excessive output voltage could result, which could damage a new battery (overcharge). The alternator output should probably have an optimum of about 13.6-13.8V, to quickly charge a battery through it's internal resistance. The fully charged
battery should have about 12.6 volts (no load), but the actual voltage depends on the load and the internal resistance of the battery.
If the alternator is putting out much over 14.4V, for a sustained amount of time
on a fully charged battery, the battery could be damaged.
I would carefully check the alternator, wiring and voltage regulator, before
putting in a new battery.
PS. The alternator will produce the highest output voltage, at max RPM. The voltage regulator, keeps this voltage within reason, at high RPM (makes the output voltage more independant of RPM).
battery should have about 12.6 volts (no load), but the actual voltage depends on the load and the internal resistance of the battery.
If the alternator is putting out much over 14.4V, for a sustained amount of time
on a fully charged battery, the battery could be damaged.
I would carefully check the alternator, wiring and voltage regulator, before
putting in a new battery.
PS. The alternator will produce the highest output voltage, at max RPM. The voltage regulator, keeps this voltage within reason, at high RPM (makes the output voltage more independant of RPM).
This is a fairly easy problem to diagnose, dealer should get you back on the road fairly quickly.
11-23-2005, 02:04 AM
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2002 C32 and 2009 Audi S5
Thank you to all that responded. I have been reading this forum for quite some time since I locked on to the C32 as a possible replacement for my G35 coupe. My wife wanted to keep the Infiniti, I was on the fence.
I had owned both a 95 C36 and a 98 corvette that gave me nothing but problems, though I loved them both. So I must admit, it was a tough sell to the wife and a bit of a gamble to walk away from the G35 that had zero issues. But hey, I needed german engineering and I needed it now!
Soooo, here I am in my first two weeks of ownership and a broken driver's side seat heater, a broken cup holder and as I found out today, a bad alternator. My service manager actually predicted this based on my description of events, as a couple of you have done. He claims it was the alternator, not the regulator, but maybe he's generalizing, I don't know.
This forum is the best, and the knowledge you guys have gives me the courage to stick it out with this fabulous car.
I won't be throwing money at it until I know it's not a lemon. It's a CPO with 3 years / 100k miles, but even though my corvette was completely covered and didn't cost me a dime in parts, it cost me 88 days in the shop in 18 months. Imagine what all of that time was worth! Let alone the sheer stress. I don't want to go through that again!
So thank you all, and I look forward to getting my 32 back...
I had owned both a 95 C36 and a 98 corvette that gave me nothing but problems, though I loved them both. So I must admit, it was a tough sell to the wife and a bit of a gamble to walk away from the G35 that had zero issues. But hey, I needed german engineering and I needed it now!
Soooo, here I am in my first two weeks of ownership and a broken driver's side seat heater, a broken cup holder and as I found out today, a bad alternator. My service manager actually predicted this based on my description of events, as a couple of you have done. He claims it was the alternator, not the regulator, but maybe he's generalizing, I don't know.
This forum is the best, and the knowledge you guys have gives me the courage to stick it out with this fabulous car.
I won't be throwing money at it until I know it's not a lemon. It's a CPO with 3 years / 100k miles, but even though my corvette was completely covered and didn't cost me a dime in parts, it cost me 88 days in the shop in 18 months. Imagine what all of that time was worth! Let alone the sheer stress. I don't want to go through that again!
So thank you all, and I look forward to getting my 32 back...
11-24-2005, 12:10 AM
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2002 C32 and 2009 Audi S5
They replaced the alternator. Got the car back in two days as they didn't have a C32 alternator in stock.
Stomped on it a few times and no dreaded "red malfunction!"
Thanks everyone.
Stomped on it a few times and no dreaded "red malfunction!"
Thanks everyone.
11-24-2005, 01:41 AM
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I had my C32 for 3 months, had the alternator replaced also, I guess that's common. My radiator was replaced too due to leak, that's not so common. Everyone tells me the aux air pump and the intercooler water pump will go next. I just start getting ESP/BAS errors, power seat short circuit... be prepared.
11-24-2005, 11:48 AM
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Audi C7.5 S6
On modern alternators, the voltage regulator is mounted inside the alternator
and therefore is often considered part of the the alternator. The voltage regulator module is the most likely part of the alternator, to get killed on electrical overstress exposure. The next most likely part to fail, inside the alternator is the diodes.
and therefore is often considered part of the the alternator. The voltage regulator module is the most likely part of the alternator, to get killed on electrical overstress exposure. The next most likely part to fail, inside the alternator is the diodes.
05-11-2013, 06:14 PM
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a car that can't do the throttle reset.
***OLD THREAD REVIVAL***
I just started getting the "Battery/Alternator Visit Workshop" error, in red. 32 still pulls hard (despite not being able to do the mythical throttle reset), and the error triggers as soon as I hit 2k rpm... it turns off once under that.
Just sharing.
I just started getting the "Battery/Alternator Visit Workshop" error, in red. 32 still pulls hard (despite not being able to do the mythical throttle reset), and the error triggers as soon as I hit 2k rpm... it turns off once under that.
Just sharing.
12-26-2013, 05:10 PM
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hey pointman!
sounds like you were going through the same bit of hell in May '13 as I am now...
Here is my sad story as documented at the tail end of: https://mbworld.org/forums/c32-amg-c...hop-error.html
I replaced my voltage regulator, then the problem started a couple weeks later. Realized my battery was nine years old (original) so I replaced that and the car acts better but gets the warning at WOT/high revs.
Don't know what to do, may need to tackle the alternator due to a bad diode.
How did you solve this?
sounds like you were going through the same bit of hell in May '13 as I am now...
Here is my sad story as documented at the tail end of: https://mbworld.org/forums/c32-amg-c...hop-error.html
I replaced my voltage regulator, then the problem started a couple weeks later. Realized my battery was nine years old (original) so I replaced that and the car acts better but gets the warning at WOT/high revs.
Don't know what to do, may need to tackle the alternator due to a bad diode.
How did you solve this?
