Common Electrical Problems in Modern Vehicles Explained

While electrical issues are very hard to locate and solve on your own, you should know more about their nature. Surprisingly, the electrical systems are usually the ones that trigger almost all common issues with your vehicle and don't let you drive the car with pleasure.

In this article, I will tell you more about the most common electrical problems and glitches that can happen with your car and spoil your mood. I will also give links to certain articles so that you can check them out and enhance your knowledge of how to deal with a certain problem.

Common problems with alternators

Surprisingly, I haven't written a lot of articles about alternators and I will probably fix this in the next months.

One of the interesting cases is the connection between AC problems and alternators. These units are both driven with the same drive belt, so there is more than one chance that the issues are connected.

Of course, bad alternators can cause low voltage and this beast can in turn cause almost any problem with your car including sputtering, error messages and warning lights, stalling, battery drains, etc.

Before you replace or repair the alternator, check the voltage regulator that is easier to replace if it's malfunctioning.

Alternator electrical problems highlights:

• Level of urgency:high
• DIY inspection:possible but complicated
• DIY repairs:impossible
• Can you drive?yes
• Price of repairs:$150 - $800
• If ignored:power drains, brain glitching, car losing all power
• Ways to fix:check the voltage regulator, check the alternator, replace the broken unit

ELD problems

I want to specifically outline the ELD problems in Honda and Acura cars. They are connected to alternator issues but they are so common that in Japanese vehicles it's worth checking ELD first when your alternator is malfunctioning.

So, the ELD is the Electric Load Detection system that detects any load changes in your vehicle and commands the alternator to change its voltage output. It goes bad very often and requires professional repairs. It's hard to bypass it or repair it in any simple way.

ELD problems highlights:

• Level of urgency:medium
• DIY inspection:impossible
• DIY repairs:impossible
• Can you drive?yes
• Price of repairs:$300 - $450
• If ignored:poor alternator work, power anomalies, glitches
• Ways to fix:find a good mechanic for inspection and repairs

Instrument cluster electrical problems

It's not that uncommon for a dash in a certain car model to stop working. If your instrument cluster is dead, you will not see any important information like engine temperature, speed, RPMs, fuel level, etc.

In most cases, the problem is intermittent and the instrument cluster will periodically shut off and then go on again. But it's also common for the dashes to stop working at all.

First of all, you need to check the electrical connections. They may go loose or be corroded. Also, the dash itself may malfunction and require repair or even replacement. Interestingly, sometimes software is in charge of the situation and the dash just needs to be reprogrammed properly.

Dash problems highlights:

• Level of urgency:medium
• DIY inspection:impossible
• DIY repairs:impossible
• Can you drive?yes
• Price of repairs:$250 - $1,000
• If ignored:no info, short circuit, fried dash
• Ways to fix:check the electrical contacts, find a good mechanic

Emission system electrical problems

The emission system in your car is powered and controlled by various sensors, pumps, and actuators. They have to be working properly for your vehicle to not harm nature too much.

The O2 sensors are the most well-known parts that work to check if the vehicle is burning all the fuel efficiently. If they are faulty, your car may work harshly and sputter. Also, bad O2 sensors may easily lead to shut-off issues.

In diesel cars, you will also find the DEF system with a special pump an injector, and even a separate tank to put DEF into it. Also, the system is backed up by the sensor which may cause several issues.

Emission system electrical problems highlights:

• Level of urgency:medium
• DIY inspection:possible but complicated
• DIY repairs:impossible
• Can you drive?yes
• Price of repairs:$200 - $800
• If ignored:car stalling, getting stranded, various errors
• Ways to fix:OBD2 scanner check, sensor replacement

Electrical problems with engine components

Your engine has a lot of various electrical parts and units. They all can fail and cause a whole lot of problems that are hard to diagnose.

For example, the VCM (variable cylinder management) system may fail and leave you puzzled. Or the purge valve may suddenly start malfunctioning without showing any error codes or whatever.

Sometimes, you can find ways to deal with the problem on your own like cleaning the MAF sensor if it throws the code. But, in most cases, the DIY repairs won't be working well.

A huge part of the electrical system in your vehicle is the IAC or idle air control system. While people keep claiming you can reset the valve and get the system working again, in most cases the valve needs replacement if it fails to work properly.

There are several sensors that are known to prevent your car from starting if faulty. You should know them.

Also, if the vehicle doesn't start, you may try the shorting trick with the starter to check if it's still working.

I strongly recommend against any DIY upgrades of ECU software and have written the article about remapping your car on your own. Please always avoid this as you may harm the vehicle's software without the chance to get it all back.

Engine electrical problems highlights:

• Level of urgency:high
• DIY inspection:possible but complicated
• DIY repairs:impossible
• Can you drive?yes, if it starts
• Price of repairs:$150 - $650
• If ignored:no-start, harsh work, warning lights
• Ways to fix:good scanning for codes, professional repairs

Additional electrical equipment problems

When it comes to additional equipment in your car, it's always hard to find the problem when it malfunctions. We tend to upgrade our vehicles with all kinds of new things that would enhance our comfort. Like people want to add lane assist to their vehicles, improve the work of cameras, or change the settings of automatic door locks.

But everything that's connected to the electrical system in your car is not that simple to operate or upgrade. Even the simple TPMS system sometimes may throw surprises. We often hope that disconnecting the battery will reset the systems and bring them back to normal. And sometimes that works.

Issues with the blower are very common - it may stop working on all settings and require repair.

But when it comes to electric power steering, this is a record holder for the number of issues in high-mileage cars. Fortunately, a simple reset sometimes helps us solve these issues, at least for some time.

It's not uncommon for modern vehicles to develop power windows problems. Sometimes, this is a physical problem with the cable, but very often the motors will need attention.

If you notice that the door is shown open on the dash when it's closed, pay attention to the door sensors - they may be faulty in older cars with high mileage on them.

Electrical equipment problems highlights:

• Level of urgency:low
• DIY inspection:possible
• DIY repairs:possible but complicated
• Can you drive?yes
• Price of repairs:$150 - $350
• Ifignored:problems may develop and escalate
• Ways to fix:diagnose and replace the broken parts, try resetting the affected units

Electrical fuse problems

Almost all electrical systems in your vehicle are equipped with fuses. This helps them stay untouched when some voltage anomalies happen in the car. The fuse will blow and you will replace it for zero dollars instead of spending hundreds of bucks on repairs.

First of all, there are separate fuses and multi-fuses in modern vehicles. Make sure you understand how to take them out and check them. There is a big set of fuses that can prevent your vehicle from starting - worth having a look at.

Most commonly, the fuses that control the dashboard, power locks in your doors, climate system fan, and also infotainment system may be blown when there are issues with the power supply. Also, fuel pump and control module fuses may easily go bad.

Among less affected fuses I should name the CHMSL fuse that stands for Central High Mounted Stop Light. It's sometimes just hard to find the full name of such fuses as there is little to no information available.

Fuse problems highlights:

• Level of urgency:medium
• DIY inspection:possible
• DIY repairs:possible
• Can you drive?yes, if it starts
• Price of repairs:$0 - $50
• Ifignored:certainequipment will not be working at all
• Ways to fix:test the fuses, replace the blown fuse

Electrical ground problems

When it comes to ground problems, they are extremely hard to diagnose other than physically looking at the ground cable and cleaning its contacts.

Usually, the first thing that happens is the drop in voltage in the entire system. After that, you may have all kinds of different issues like no spark or issues with fuel supply.

Of course, it's always better to let a professional electrician deal with ground problems in your vehicle. Maybe, the only DIY thing is to disconnect and clean the ground connection (which is essentially the negative cable connection on the battery).

Ground problems highlights:

• Level of urgency:high
• DIY inspection:possible
• DIY repairs:possible
• Can you drive?usually, no
• Price of repairs:$0 - $150
• If ignored:low voltage, car glitching heavily
• Ways to fix:clean ground contacts, find a good car electrician

Ignition electrical problems

When ignition issues start bothering you in your vehicle, you should definitely avoid ignoring them. These problems may easily lead to engine damage due to heavy misfiring and other problems.

First of all, push-button start problems are very common among modern vehicles. Buttons are not eternal and they may eventually refuse to start your car which puts you into a very unpleasant situation. While older ignition switches could live longer than the car, the buttons may require replacement much sooner.

First of all, when you have ignition problems, try dealing with the key fob. Maybe, the battery is dead, or maybe it just needs reprogramming or is damaged. Try the spare key fob.

If the start button is flashing red, the system may be faulty. The antenna may not receive the signal or the 12V battery may be too low to start the vehicle.

If the fob is damaged by water, it should be replaced and reprogrammed. There is no way the myth methods like putting it in rice or something will save the key fob.

There are people who want to add keyless entry to their cars. While it's possible, it's not worth the money and effort you will need to invest in it. Also, the vehicle will have more possible problems.

Ignition problems highlights:

• Level of urgency:high
• DIY inspection:possible but complicated
• DIY repairs:usually,impossible
• Can you drive?no
• Price of repairs:$5 - $350
• If ignored:no start
• Ways to fix:check batteries, try another key fob, inspect and locate the issue

Lead frame problems

These issues are very typical to Ford vehicles where the lead frame holds several sensors in the transmission and allows different transmission units to communicate.

If you have issues with your automatic transmission in Ford, better check the lead frame first because its replacement is much cheaper than transmission repair. Dealers know about that but independent mechanics may not know about the problem.

Lead frame problems highlights:

• Level of urgency:medium
• DIY inspection:impossible
• DIY repairs:impossible
• Can you drive?usually, no
• Price of repairs:$250 - $450
• If ignored:transmission not working
• Ways to fix:professional repair is needed

Electrical light problems

Proper lights are important for your vehicle. While sometimes poorly working lights may only affect your comfort, in some cases, they may stop you from driving the car, especially at night. Also, badly working lights may easily lead to a big fine.

It's important that all lights in your car work as they should. Even a slight malfunction with a parking light that has no heavy function in safety or comfort may show that there are issues with electrical circuits.

Also, learn to operate the lights properly. Before you start repairing something, read the driver's manual and see if there is a solution to your problem. Maybe, you just need to turn something on or check a certain fuse.

Car lights problems highlights:

• Level of urgency:low
• DIY inspection:possible
• DIY repairs:possible
• Can you drive?yes
• Price of repairs:$20 - $150
• If ignored:fines, discomfort, poor visibility
• Ways to fix:check fuses, check lamps, check wiring

No-power electrical problems

If your vehicle has absolutely no electrical power, there is no chance you can start and drive it. Usually, this can happen when the battery is absolutely dead or there are issues with wiring. You will most likely experience the no-crank situation - it means that you turn the key or press the button but nothing happens, the engine doesn't crank.

Of course, this can also be the starter solenoid problem or other issue. If there is no power but the battery is good, you should look at the fuses, wires, connections, etc.

The significant sign that the battery is about to die is that the central lock clicks but won't actually lock the doors. Also, the battery may require replacement if it only lasts a short time after jump-starting or recharging.

If you decide to replace the battery, remember that some vehicles require battery reset or reprogramming after replacement. Without this, the electrical equipment won't be working properly.

Also, it's very helpful to know how you can open the trunk in some car models when the battery is completely dead. Also releasing a parking brake may be a problem when you need to push or tow a car with EPB (electronic parking brake). But there is a way to release it manually.

No-power problems highlights:

• Level of urgency:high
• DIY inspection:possible but complicated
• DIY repairs:possible but often complicated
• Can you drive?no
• Price of repairs:$50 - $250
• If ignored:no-start, nothing works
• Ways to fix:check the battery, connections, fuses

Relay problems

Your vehicle has dozens of various relays for different functions. When the main relay goes bad, your car may glitch in different ways and act like it's crazy.

Cooling fan relay is another important thing to mention here. If it's bad, the fan won't engage. Fortunately, you can bypass it to avoid overheating when driving in city traffic or off-roading.

Bypassing the starter relay is way more difficult. But also possible and I've written the article to cover this. Of course, this is not possible in all kinds of cars.

You may want to learn more about removing a certain relay from the place where it sits and replacing it with a new one before doing something with relays in your car.

Relay problems highlights:

• Level of urgency:medium
• DIY inspection:possible but complicated
• DIY repairs:possible
• Can you drive?depending on the relay in question
• Price of repairs:$30 - $250
• Ifignored:certain functionswon'twork
• Ways to fix:checking the relay is difficult,professional help may be needed

SOS system problems

The emergency call system in your vehicle also depends on the electrical system, so I will put its problems in this article.

There is a certain list of problems affecting the SOS system in vehicles. While a lot of BMW owners claim they have these problems, they can affect all other cars. Just BMW's diagnostic system may throw messages about these issues.

There aren't many things you can do on your own but check the battery. Otherwise, the SOS unit should be inspected by a professional mechanic.

SOS problems highlights:

• Level of urgency:low
• DIY inspection:impossible
• DIY repairs:impossible
• Can you drive?yes
• Price of repairs:$150 - $300
• Ifignored:SOS callswon'twork
• Ways to fix:check the battery, find a good mechanic

Start-stop problems

Issues with electrical equipment may lead to start-stop problems in your car. The most common problem is when the engine doesn't shut off on its own when you stop the car at the traffic light. Or when it refuses to start after shutting off.

Stellantis cars are known for these issues but actually, any car brand may experience this. Usually, these issues happen because of problems with the main or auxiliary battery. But of course, there are other issues that may trigger start-stop problems.

Start-stop problems highlights:

• Level of urgency:low
• DIY inspection:possible
• DIY repairs:possible
• Can you drive?yes
• Price of repairs:$200 - $350
• Ifignored:start-stopwon'twork
• Ways to fix:check the batteries, use the scanner to read codes

Common electrical problems in cars

There are several vehicles known to be really faulty in terms of electrical equipment, like the Audi A3, for example. Also, the Chevy Silverado has a lot of complaints about electrical issues of all possible types. I personally can confirm that the Corvette will make you sad a lot of times because of electrician bills.

While in some cases you will need to think about how to increase voltage in certain areas of the electrical chain, in most cases, the problems are way more trivial but still hard to locate. Like the ground problems in Ford cars, for example.

Fortunately, you can reset the majority of these issues now if you know how to do it. Anyway, in most cases, it's worth visiting a good mechanic. DIY repairs are a very bad idea when it comes to electrical equipment.

Electrical problems highlights:

• Level of urgency:high
• DIY inspection:possible but complicated
• DIY repairs:impossible
• Can you drive?yes, if it starts
• Price of repairs:$300 - $650
• Ifignored:a lot of functions may not work, glitches, issues with equipment
• Ways to fix:check the wiring, battery, alternator, and the faulty equipment itself