Battery Light On Voltage Regulator failed

WOW!! all you had to do is replace the alternator.DON'T listen to part guy's and NEVER replace a computer on a hunch,They rarely if ever fail !!!

Well I was told it's nitbthe alternator due tithe voltage regulator being inside the pcm. The alternator does not have an voltage regulator in it anymore like the good old days. Also the voltage regulator is a voltage charging circuit inside the pcm and cannot be replaced unless you take apart the pcm and soldier connections

Thanks for the info cjsras. I'm gonna do more research and troubleshooting this weekend with my multimeter. I hate to purchase a alternator for 300 or 400 bucks if i dont need it.

PCMs do fail, you could get them on line programmed and ready to go

Well thats what i thought you could do, but the dealer and the parts stores said nonyou can't. It has to be ins8de the vehicle in order to program it. Due to it goes by your V.I.N. number. Anyways i did replace the pcm but im still hacing the same issue. Thats why im questioning the actual alternator. I also read there may be a battery shutdown fuseable link that blows to keep the battery from over- charging. So this link will blow, totally disabling the charging system to prevent overcharging from happening, to prevent a fire or melt down. Everything I have checked so far checks to be good. I am an electronics tech for a living. I work on copiers now. I used to work on cars for a living but had a better offer to do this and it's much cleaner. Lol. Still pretty much the same principle tho. Drive train, electronic control, memory, brain, heating and cooling. Copiers have all of that as well. What I'm saying is I know what I'm doing when I'm checking circuits. I even had a diagram of the schematics on the charging system for my van. I still cant find the issue. I don't want to pay a shop to do something i am capable of doing myself, but I may have to at this point. I'm sure it's gonna be something stupid simple that I overlooked.

Any other suggestions. Hopefully someone has ran into the exact same issue before and this triggers their memory on what they did to fix it. Thanks for everyones input.

dealer is lying about the computer, I've bought them on line and they can program them with the VIN. Test the alternator at the battery, what voltage does it put out with every consumer off?

It starts the test with my multimeter at 12.8 volts. Then as i pull the jumper cables off the battery from jumping it and let it run with my test leads on the battery. It drops to12.3, 11.8, then 11.6. I let it run like that for a few minutes and it never dropped below 11.5 It is a brand new battery as well. I want to say the alternator but with the voltage regular being located inside the pcm, that has me stirring away from the alternator. The load test for the battery and alternator at Orielly 's Auto parts came back saying diode test pass. Voltage regular failed

I did replace the pcm from the dealer. They flashed it for me. The light still comes on and Voltage regular still fails. So maybe it is the alternator. I did notice that the ASD RELAY was partially unplugged along with several fuses another relays in the IPM. I reseated every fuse and relay in the IPM. I'm wondering if the ASD relay could have blown being partially unplugged. I hate to get an alternator without being 100%positive thats it. Thanks for the info karmon

go to the ford dealer and have it properly tested.

go to the dodge dealer and have it properly tested.

I guess I'm gonna have to. They just seem a like a bunch of idiots sometimes. Lol

Update on my van problem is resolved. It turns out it was the alternator this go around. Alternator actually what was failing not the voltage regulator. The alternator was shorting out not allowing the voltage regulator to send it charging signal to the alternator alternator to charge the battery. All circuits and wiring and contacts everything was good checked just the alternator nothing else and the alternator would not put anything out. So $728 later problem is resolved plus the cost of the PCM $350 that I did not need to spend equals $1,078 of lesson learned. Yes the alternator plus labor or $728 at the shop. That's crazy but on the bright side I get a full Nationwide warranty, should it fail again in the charging system due to alternator or PCM or anything to do the charging system I call the shop no matter where I'm at in the United States and it gets fixed for free.

Thanks everybody again for all of the valuable input. My initial diagnosis was the alternator but after talking with several people technicians, parts store guys, the dealership, it scared me away from the alternator and led me to believe is the PCM. I admit I should have done more thorough troubleshooting on my behalf before purchasing this PCM. Chalk it up as lesson learned and move on. Thanks again everyone you guys are awesome

What did I say from the beginning!!!!

Great info. Did you have the alternator tested while outside of the vehicle? I’m having the same symptoms, but on startup I get a good 14+ volts. After a short drive around the block I lose all alternator output. My alternator tested fine on the bench tester at NAPA, so I’m already heading down the rabbit hole of ECM replacement.

Replace the alternator. the PCM is not the issue.

Mine was doing the same turned out battery cable was just loose bought new connectors and runs fine now!!!

I have a similar issue with my 2012 Caravan. We have a new battery, new alternator, and 7,000 miles later the battery light is back on....ugh

Same problem with my 2012 replaced the alternator and light is still on took it to dodge and they are undecided

We have the same problem with 2012. Saw connection was glowing hot. Taking it apart to see if connection bad.

2012 Dodge Grand Caravan Flex Fuel about 140,000 miles roughly. So about 5 months ago lights were going crazy took it to a local auto store and tested the battery and turns out the alternator was going bad. Replaced the alternator, one week ago lights starting coming back on and turning off except for the battery light. We took it back to the auto store tested the battery and replaced the bad battery. Well battery light is still on and dash lights(airbag, traction control lights) keep coming on and turning off. Just today the engine decided it wasn't gonna switched gears. So i'm going 25mph and my rpms just kept revving higher sound like my engine was gonna blow. I made it home safely but now i'm like what do i do?! Thinking i should replace battery connector cables because i've seen a few posts of people replace those and it helping.

2005 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT almost 300k on the Odom. Just started going crazy doing all the strobe light crap that y'all been talking bout. Crazy rpm gauge too. Battery is less than a yr old and everything else is good. Connecrors are looking a little on the cruddy side but haven't had a chance to check anything as we're on the highway @70mph and it just started doing it. Gonna hit the parts store and have bat checked and for sure replace the connectors. Will update when I know more. Any info gladly accepted. Thanks!

https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/Discussion-t44439_ds857905

Hello everyone. Dodge GC SE FlexFuel, very similar symptoms as above. I changed the alternator yesterday and the voltage on the battery connectors is 14V. The battery light is still on, ABS, Traction control lights are too. Almost nothing of electronic works in the front while fine in the back. The battery and alternator were checked today by an autoparts shop. Is it PCM or any relay, fuse, or fuse box itself? Any directions?

Hello everyone, I have a 2012 Dodge grand Caravan and I've been running into some issues regarding voltage as well. I installed a refurbished alternator back in March and it lasted about four months and now it's July and in the last week I replaced it with another refurbished one and that one lasted about two days and then I went and I got a brand new one from advance auto and that one lasted about 12 hours. Want to know it's a new battery as well. I've been going crazy trying to figure this out, I went to advance auto and I purchased a Dur last goal thinking the Carquest alternator from advance auto was trash. The last gold lasted about three days and now my Battery light is on again. I really don't know what to do anymore. I might have to take it to the dealer. I do want to know my battery terminals are a little loose because the terminals are stripped out and that's how I bought it. I am going to replace the terminals today and hopefully that solves the problem.