"Service Battery Charging System" Chevy Traverse – How to Fix This?

When a Chevy Traverse battery charging system light is on, it is an indication that you need to have that checked out. Failure to address the issue might ruin your battery and stall you since the vehicle eventually fails to power up.

Service battery charging system message highlights

• Common reasons:alternator issues,battery problems, loose wiring
• How to fix:check the battery, check the alternator, check the wires and connections
• Possible consequences:complete battery loss, inability to start the engine
• Priority level:High
• Can you drive?Yes
• DIY repair:Possible
• Repair price range:$0-$1,000

What Does This Message Mean?

Usually, the light comes on to dictate a low battery voltage, and all the systems supported by the battery are on the verge of failure. This means the entire electric control system in the vehicle, including the transmissions, will be affected. 

Note that while the battery is not charging or holding a charge, the problem could exist in a particular component different from the battery itself. The message may also not strictly require you to replace a whole part. Some Chevy owners have reportedly changed a fundamental part only to find the problem persisting.

What Are the Dos and Don'ts?

When you see this message, you must understand that the vehicle is running on borrowed time. If you have just turned it on, you should not use it while it is in that state. However, if the message finds you on the road, the vehicle is now running only on battery power. 

It is advisable not to turn off the ignition in this case since it may not turn on in this state. Identify all the non-essential power-draining components such as stereo, AC, fog lights, or seat warmers. This is to buy more time to drive or pull over and wait for assistance. 

While doing this, you need to ensure that you have:

• A warning/hazard triangle
• A reflector Jacket
• Jump-starter cables
• Contacts to a service station

Diagnosis and Possible Fixes

Before checking out anything, you need to know that the battery terminals could be at fault. Corroded terminals at the battery usually prevent a full charge. This corrosion could also drain the battery and affect the alternator altogether. You can start by cleaning your terminals before doing anything else to ensure the problem.

The problem could lie in either the battery or the alternator. It could be that the battery itself is dead, or the alternators are failing and cannot charge the battery. Remember, the battery runs a lot of components in a car, including headlights, ignition, speakers, navigation, and all components that require electrical charges to operate. 

Experts have suggested how you know the difference between the two by jumpstarting your vehicle. If it dies immediately after, it could be an alternator problem; if the car fails to start on its own later after jumpstarting, you could look at a dead battery that needs replacement. 

Another issue could be in the drive belt. This part is located in a pulley adjacent to the alternator. With your engine running, identify if the belt is spinning and the pulley is rotating. The belt could be a little bit out of position or overly stretched, thus making it unable to rotate the pulley fully.  

If the belt and pulley are fully functional, it may be time to check if the issue is coming from the battery itself. To check this, you require a multimeter. A multimeter is an instrument that measures aspects such as voltage, resistance, and current. You will use it to check the voltage.

A typical car battery is 12volts. The multimeter will check for up to 20volts to cover the range. Set your multimeter to 20volts direct current (DC) and start the vehicle. Proceed to attach the terminal ends to the battery, with black going to the negative and red to the positive end. 

With both terminals connected, you will ideally look for a figure of around 12.6 volts or more. Anything less than that will dictate that your vehicle system is feeding off the battery alone. It may also show a 12 volts value, which will keep going down until the car, turns itself off, showing that power has been used up in the battery. 

If you turn off the car and again connect your terminals as before, you should be able to see a figure of 12volts. If the number goes below 12, this could be an indication that the battery is failing. If it drops below 5 with the engine running, you should have the entire battery replaced with a new one.  

If you find that the battery is okay, follow up with the power cable that connects the battery and the alternator. The multimeter can be used for this check to ensure that the cable is not losing power or having resistance issues. If it works fine, the problem could lie in the alternator. 

The first thing you may notice with a failed alternator is an unusual noise coming off it when you have your hood popped. Other indications include sluggish engine start and weak interior lights and headlights. To be sure, you can carry out an alternator test, which is in some ways similar to the battery test.

Again, set your multimeter to 20 volts (DC). Attach the black terminal to the negative and the red to the positive and check for around 12.6 volts. To know if the alternator is working correctly, leave the system in place and start the car.

With this, you will look for a reading of around 14.6 volts, determining that your alternator is working correctly. A reading above 14 indicates that while the alternator is functional, it overcharges the battery, which would cause the battery to fail. A reading of anything lower than 14 would show that the alternator is charging but not enough to run all aspects of the vehicle. 

For better results, try overloading the battery by having all your non-essentials turned on in the car, including headlights, fog lights, stereo, and AC. Ideally, you will want the battery to maintain a figure that does not drop below 12.7 volts on the multimeter. If all these aspects check out, your alternator is running perfectly. 

Should you have issues with your alternator, you need to know what part of the alternator has a problem; if not, replace the whole element. Modern-day alternators will have a decoupler pulley on the alternator. A decoupler pulley usually fails by remaining locked, which causes a lot of noise and belt failure.

To check a decoupled pulley, detach it from the belt and spin it by hand clockwise. You should feel that it has coupled by producing a click sound. If you determine that the pulley system has failed, you can pop the end of the pulley with a screwdriver, use a CTA tool to hold the pulley, and remove it from the alternator. You can replace this with a new one to fix your problem.

If the decoupled pulley is functioning correctly, the next thing you need to check is the voltage regulator. This is another part of the alternator that can be replaced. It is located on the far opposite end of the alternator. 

The voltage regulator limits the maximum voltage that an alternator can produce. It regulates the voltage between 13.5 and 14.5 volts. Without it, the battery would get extra hot and leak acid from the top. Some modern Chevy models may have an ECM system that allows the engine to dictate how much power is coming off the alternator. You can replace the voltage regulator and the ECM if you detect that that is where the problem is. 

It would be best if you also hand-checked for loose bearings in the alternator by gently holding the pulley and moving it about to identify looseness. You can have them replaced with new ones and have your problem solved. 

Summary

In conclusion, a "Service battery charging system" message could show that the problem is not the battery alone but many other components that feed into the storm. If you want to replace them on your own, perform a complete vehicle diagnosis to ensure a part before returning it. 

Remember to exercise caution, especially when checking the state of the battery. Have the proper hand gear if need be to avoid possible shocks. Also, when buying replacement batteries, be sure to shop for quality. A quality Chevrolet Traverse battery will cost anything from $200. 

With an alternator, you need to check the output voltage using a multimeter to know how many amps you require to purchase. Specialists advise that alternators with more amps will likely guarantee a longer lifespan. 

Finally, when it is unclear, have your mechanic or resource person check your entire alternator-battery system and advise on what you have replaced or fixed. A specialist will also use top-of-the-line diagnostics machinery and skills to diagnose correctly. Once addressed, you can be sure your service battery system light will not be coming on anytime soon.