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Charging voltage fluctuation with throttle position

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Flying Sam

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
My 2019 Durango GT plus with a 3.6 engine purchased this spring started showing voltage fluctuation on our last 3 hr trip. While driving with the cruise on it showed 12.7 volts. When coasting to a stop it jumped to 14.2. Today it goes from 13.2 to 14.2. I checked the voltage present on a 12 volt power source on the console and it agrees with the displayed system voltage to within .1 volt. Our dealer said this is normal and not to worry unless we
see lights pulsing or the voltage dropping to the 10s. Having restored or built around 200 plus cars over the years I am inclined to worry when I see this happening. I might not be alarmed if it was doing it at an idle but while going down the road it seems just st wrong. Have other owners seen this and not had problems?
Sam
 
#3 ·
Flying Sam said:
My 2019 Durango GT plus with a 3.6 engine purchased this spring started showing voltage fluctuation on our last 3 hr trip. While driving with the cruise on it showed 12.7 volts. When coasting to a stop it jumped to 14.2. Today it goes from 13.2 to 14.2. I checked the voltage present on a 12 volt power source on the console and it agrees with the displayed system voltage to within .1 volt. Our dealer said this is normal and not to worry unless we
see lights pulsing or the voltage dropping to the 10s. Having restored or built around 200 plus cars over the years I am inclined to worry when I see this happening. I might not be alarmed if it was doing it at an idle but while going down the road it seems just st wrong. Have other owners seen this and not had problems?
Sam
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Hi Flying Sam,
Please be sure to keep us posted as you continue to monitor this. If you decide to address this concern with your certified Dodge dealer again, please feel free to send us a private message. We would be happy to provide you with an additional layer of assistance for that process.

Rob
Dodge Cares
 
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Discussion starter · #4 ·
DodgeCares said:
Hi Flying Sam,
Please be sure to keep us posted as you continue to monitor this. If you decide to address this concern with your certified Dodge dealer again, please feel free to send us a private message. We would be happy to provide you with an additional layer of assistance for that process.

Rob
Dodge Cares
Click to expand...
I have an appointment at a different dealer June 24th at Jeff Belzer in Lakeville, MN. We will see what their tech says. Voltage is at 13.2 driving with an occasional 12.7 and 14.2 coasting to a stop. I had my wife snap some photos while I was driving. I will post the results of the next visit.
 
#5 ·
Flying Sam said:
I have an appointment at a different dealer June 24th at Jeff Belzer in Lakeville, MN. We will see what their tech says. Voltage is at 13.2 driving with an occasional 12.7 and 14.2 coasting to a stop. I had my wife snap some photos while I was driving. I will post the results of the next visit.
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Please feel free to keep us updated regarding your situation. If we can be of any additional support while your vehicle is in service, we're just a PM away.

Rob
Dodge Cares
 
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Discussion starter · #6 ·
I was at Jeff Belzer Dodge in Lakeville MN yesterday. Dealer stated it is perfectly normal to see that fluctuation. I checked the voltage on the 12 volt power outlet on the console and that registers the swings also. 12.7 to 14.2 depending on throttle position, driving vs coasting. I still am uneasy about taking it on the next trip that will be 3,000 miles total. Anyone have an idea of what to do next?
 
#7 ·
There is really (seriously) nothing wrong. Nearly every car on the market does this. As you change engine speed, you change the alternator/generator speed, and that changes the voltage. Some systems will adjust the speed of the rotor in an attempt to keep the voltage more closely under control, but it really isn't necessary. Automotive electronics are all built to deal with it. Voltage normally only becomes an issue if you drop down into the 12.0 volts and down range, as that becomes a drain on the battery instead of charging it. If you look at the after market LED bulb market, you'll find some people who've had serious issues with the 12v LEDs burning out when they rev their engines too high. Without power circuits to protect them, the LEDs will pop at 14+ volts, which most cars will produce on a regular basis. Unless you are having battery charge issues, or seeing major fluctuations in lighting brightness, there truly isn't anything wrong.
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
DodgeCares said:
Hi Flying Sam,
Please be sure to keep us posted as you continue to monitor this. If you decide to address this concern with your certified Dodge dealer again, please feel free to send us a private message. We would be happy to provide you with an additional layer of assistance for that process.

Rob
Dodge Cares
Click to expand...
The service writer at the dealer told me the swing from 12.7 to 14.2 is normal and not to worry. Is there a way to verify that with someone with the actual knowledge to explain that it is normal and not to worry? My airplane also uses an AGM battery and charging system. During a brief period after an engine start it may read low but after that it never varies even with rpm and load changes. I’m taking a trip to Oregon and back soon from Minnesota and want to be confident that I will make it there without battery issues. Sam
 
#9 ·
Sam:
There are no guarantees. In my opinion, as long as you are not seeing it drop below 12volts, I would stop worrying. my 2004 Durango does not have the DIC with all the information that your newer Durango does. However, my '14 Charger R/T does. I leave the DIC on MPH, and enjoy the sound of the Hemi. I am confident that you will be fine. Remember, the PCM controls the alternator output based upon a number of factors.

Don
 
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#10 ·
Flying Sam said:
The service writer at the dealer told me the swing from 12.7 to 14.2 is normal and not to worry. Is there a way to verify that with someone with the actual knowledge to explain that it is normal and not to worry? My airplane also uses an AGM battery and charging system. During a brief period after an engine start it may read low but after that it never varies even with rpm and load changes. I’m taking a trip to Oregon and back soon from Minnesota and want to be confident that I will make it there without battery issues. Sam
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As our team here is not mechanically trained, we do rely on our dealers trained technicians. With this in mind, we must stand behind the findings of your dealer.

Rob
Dodge Cares
 
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#11 ·
Flying Sam - I have to agree with your concern. After 15+ years and 150K miles on my '06 Daytona, I used to always have the digital readout for voltage showing on my EVIC display. The voltage variance you describe is kind of the opposite of what I'd expect. With a heavy or light electrical load at speed, my voltage always ranged between high 13s to maybe 14.2. With a light load stopped, maybe between 13.8 - 14.0, and with a heavier electrical load (headlights, defroster or a/c on high, radio, radiator fans), anywhere from high 12s to mid 13s.

When I started to notice a bigger drop than that range when it was about 10 years old, I began to troubleshoot, as I had a relatively new battery. Turns out I had a bad alternator. Whatever the cause on yours, I strongly disagree with the dealers telling you that is a normal voltage range for a vehicle at speed. At speed, I would expect most vehicles with a light to moderate load would show somewhere in the 13.5 - 14 ish range.
 
Discussion starter · #12 ·
GT_Plus said:
Flying Sam - I have to agree with your concern. After 15+ years and 150K miles on my '06 Daytona, I used to always have the digital readout for voltage showing on my EVIC display. The voltage variance you describe is kind of the opposite of what I'd expect. With a heavy or light electrical load at speed, my voltage always ranged between high 13s to maybe 14.2. With a light load stopped, maybe between 13.8 - 14.0, and with a heavier electrical load (headlights, defroster or a/c on high, radio, radiator fans), anywhere from high 12s to mid 13s.

When I started to notice a bigger drop than that range when it was about 10 years old, I began to troubleshoot, as I had a relatively new battery. Turns out I had a bad alternator. Whatever the cause on yours, I strongly disagree with the dealers telling you that is a normal voltage range for a vehicle at speed. At speed, I would expect most vehicles with a light to moderate load would show somewhere in the 13.5 - 14 ish range.
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The 13.5 to 14.3 is what I see on short trips. The longer I drive the lower it gets. I’ll try another dealer.
 
Discussion starter · #13 ·
Flying Sam said:
My 2019 Durango GT plus with a 3.6 engine purchased this spring started showing voltage fluctuation on our last 3 hr trip. While driving with the cruise on it showed 12.7 volts. When coasting to a stop it jumped to 14.2. Today it goes from 13.2 to 14.2. I checked the voltage present on a 12 volt power source on the console and it agrees with the displayed system voltage to within .1 volt. Our dealer said this is normal and not to worry unless we
see lights pulsing or the voltage dropping to the 10s. Having restored or built around 200 plus cars over the years I am inclined to worry when I see this happening. I might not be alarmed if it was doing it at an idle but while going down the road it seems just st wrong. Have other owners seen this and not had problems?
Sam
Click to expand...
Flying Sam said:
The 13.5 to 14.3 is what I see on short trips. The longer I drive the lower it gets. I’ll try another dealer.
Click to expand...
so, the latest is that the voltage dropped to 12.2 while driving home on a trip to the west coast. It ran fine but my headlights were so dim I had to turn on the fog lights, which are leds, to get the rest of the way home. Dealer says there is no problem. I think it’s time to start posting to social
media to try and find an answer. What a pile of crap from the dealers. What a pile of crap from Dodge.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Flying Sam said:
so, the latest is that the voltage dropped to 12.2 while driving home on a trip to the west coast. It ran fine but my headlights were so dim I had to turn on the fog lights, which are leds, to get the rest of the way home. Dealer says there is no problem. I think it’s time to start posting to social
media to try and find an answer. What a pile of crap from the dealers. What a pile of crap from Dodge.
Click to expand...
No it is a pile of crap from your crap dealer who hates doing warranty work. FCA/Maapr makes it very hard to do anything under warranty. Takes pics, send it to digital, do all kinds if free diagnostics reqquested by FCA and then maybe FCA will authorize a new alternator or maybe not. FCA makes it a crap shoot for a dealer to get paid on warranty work.
12.2 volts is battery voltage which you should never see on your display unless something is wrong with your charging system.
In fact, going from 14.x down into the mid 13's is a problem too if there is no load on the system.
 
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#15 ·
Vice-White said:
No it is a pile of crap from your crap dealer who hates doing warranty work. FCA/Moapr makes it very hard to do anything under warranty. Takes pics, send it to digital, do all kinds if free diagnostics reqquested by FCA and then maybe FCA will authorize a new alternator or maybe not. FCA makes it a crap shoot for a dealer to get paid on warranty work.
12.2 volts is battery voltage which you should never see on your display unless something is wrong with your charging system.
In fact, going from 14.x down into the mid 13's is a problem too if there is no load on the system.
Click to expand...
Agreed. You need to try another dealer, or, if you are mechanically inclined, you can pull the alternator and maybe bring it in to a parts store/shop that has testing capability and know-how to have it bench tested. If your battery has already been properly load tested and passed, we are really only looking at a bad alternator or a bad PCM (assuming all cables and connections are clean and tight). PCM, while possible, is the least likely culprit. Normal healthy battery voltage is 12.4V.
When my Daytona started acting like that, I narrowed it down to one of six diodes bad in the alternator. I was also occasionally getting odd loud noises I could hear through my speakers. Pulling and testing it confirmed it. Do the math - if you lose 1/6th of your charging capacity, that puts you around 12V. Mine wasn't under warranty, but once replaced, it was back to normal.
 
Discussion starter · #16 ·
GT_Plus said:
Agreed. You need to try another dealer, or, if you are mechanically inclined, you can pull the alternator and maybe bring it in to a parts store/shop that has testing capability and know-how to have it bench tested. If your battery has already been properly load tested and passed, we are really only looking at a bad alternator or a bad PCM (assuming all cables and connections are clean and tight). PCM, while possible, is the least likely culprit. Normal healthy battery voltage is 12.4V.
When my Daytona started acting like that, I narrowed it down to one of six diodes bad in the alternator. I was also occasionally getting odd loud noises I could hear through my speakers. Pulling and testing it confirmed it. Do the math - if you lose 1/6th of your charging capacity, that puts you around 12V. Mine wasn't under warranty, but once replaced, it was back to normal.
Click to expand...
 
Discussion starter · #17 ·
Thanks for the info. At another Dodge/Jeep dealer as I write. They are pretty much echoing what the other two have said. I took photos of the display at 12.2 volts with the engine running and they just said “we’ll see what the master tech says”. It’s pretty hot under the hood and I had been driving 9 hours except for fuel stops so I think they need to look into the alternator. I’ll post what they say when they are done with their tests. I know if I saw 12.2 volts while flying my plane I would be looking for a place to land pretty quick. It also has an AGM battery.
 
Discussion starter · #18 ·
Flying Sam said:
Thanks for the info. At another Dodge/Jeep dealer as I write. They are pretty much echoing what the other two have said. I took photos of the display at 12.2 volts with the engine running and they just said “we’ll see what the master tech says”. It’s pretty hot under the hood and I had been driving 9 hours except for fuel stops so I think they need to look into the alternator. I’ll post what they say when they are done with their tests. I know if I saw 12.2 volts while flying my plane I would be looking for a place to land pretty quick. It also has an AGM battery.
Click to expand...
 
#19 ·
Flying Sam said:
Thanks for the info. At another Dodge/Jeep dealer as I write. They are pretty much echoing what the other two have said. I took photos of the display at 12.2 volts with the engine running and they just said “we’ll see what the master tech says”. It’s pretty hot under the hood and I had been driving 9 hours except for fuel stops so I think they need to look into the alternator. I’ll post what they say when they are done with their tests. I know if I saw 12.2 volts while flying my plane I would be looking for a place to land pretty quick. It also has an AGM battery.
Click to expand...
My 2016 with the 3.6 did the same, replaced the alternator and all was good!

1949 International KB2, 302/T5
1968 Dodge Dart GTS, 340/727
2006 Dodge Magnum R/T "SRT Design"
2016 Dodge Durango Limited
 
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Discussion starter · #20 ·
I was just handed Mopar Star Online Publication on “Low Charging Voltage Displayed On Cluster”. Dated 01/15/2021. It says 12.4 is expected on a Smart Charge system. Service advisor said maybe I should upgrade halogen headlight assemblies to LED factory units if I need brighter lights.
 
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