Hey all

So doing some digging around and hoping this corrected itself, but here is what I got.

2011 ML 350. Drove from Cleveland to Columbus for work. Red battery icon comes on. Take it to a Midas (closest place I could find by my job site) they test and tell me it's the Alternator. So I get a new alternator. Pick up the car and they tell me there are electrical problems where my electrical system is just going haywire. (all sorts of possessed things going on sporadically, like bright lights going on and off, heat coming on and off, window will not go up all the way, all the usual features just being possessed and coming on and off) ...they tell me they called the dealer and dealer says I have to take it in to get the key programmed for the car (SURE I have to take it in ... of course I do...$$) ....

...instead I drive it home 2 hours from Columbus back to Cleveland. At the START of the ride, the first 20 minutes or so, the red battery icon was still on ... then it went away. However, the majority of the ride the electrical icons/notifications are coming on and off, brights going on and off, I cant get the windows all the way up, etc. Then after about 1.45 hours, all seems to finally work itself out and the electrical notifications seem to be fine. The only thing that remains is a "check engine" notification.

So did this just work itself out, or did I "reset" it and get it back to normal? Or do I have to take it in and still get it checked out to make sure? I have an honest repair shop around the corner from my house that I am going to take it to when they open at 8 am and they are going to check it out, but I am wondering if I am ok to drive it again tomorrow morning back down about an hour away for work (if it worked itself out, I am wondering about taking it in later this week, so I am not late for work and cause issues, BUT I also dont want to make a mistake and NOT take it in, and end up stranded)

Wondering if anyone has any experience in this or this sounds familiar

THANKS

 

Initially after the RED light came on, did you have any problem with the features in the car?

Did you check to see if the alternator is new? Alternator replacement is according to vin#. What is you full vin#?

Did you ask for the old alternator?

My guess is that they installed the alternator without neutralizing the battery.

You must now scan for codes in all modules.

 

Please UPDATE YOUR PROFILE IN USER CP to include the year, model and where you live.

 

So after the red light came on, I was getting off the exit so I immediately went to an Advanced auto parts thinking it was the battery. The car then, would not start after I had turned it off. And from what I can remember, I was getting some other notification icons on the dash.

I can get the full vin # of my car ... hang tight and I will grab that.

I did not keep the old alternator (assuming this may be a mistake and I should have kept it)

....Is this something I can drive for the time being, for maybe two days until I can get it in? Or is this something that I need to get in right away?

 

Well if the car is starting correctly a number of times, then you can drive it, but I would monitor the battery charging rate which is approx. 14.2-7 volts while driving.

 

I think it's wonderful how electrical problems fix themselves. I don't believe the Midas techs or Auto parts people have the training to deal with all of the problems they are presented with. I have some experience with aircraft maintenance. On numerous occasions a pilot will bring their plane over stating that they had some type of electrical issue and the last shop changed the alternator or sold them a battery. Usually that is not the actual problem. I believe the same thing is happening when you take your car to Midas, Auto Zone, Joe's Lawn Mower Repair, etc.

Dave

 

When your alternator failed, it would have drained the battery, when the new alternator was installed the battery would not have been fully charged, the battery icon will illuminate when the battery is charging as well as when the alternator fails, the battery icon would have extinguished when the battery came up to full voltage.
I would say your gremlins would have been because of the low voltage until it charged fully, You will find that once you clear the engine light all will be fine.