Hey everyone, I have a conundrum. I have an 07 f150 with 278000 miles and I’m having charging issues. I’ve replaced the alternator several times, the battery has been tested and is good, and I thought I got it fixed by removing some aftermarket wires someone put it for a bed camper hookup. This afternoon however I was driving it and the battery light came on and my voltage started dropping, and the ABS light kept coming on and off whenever I hit the brakes, turn signal, or the gas pedal. I got the battery tested again and they claim it is good so any advice would be helpful. The battery is a Neverstart 65 from 2/23 so I’m surprised it’s lived this long. Thank you.

 

Im having a similar problem but not quite. Instead of ABS, I’m getting the “check charging system” message on my cluster. It started after I rewired a battery terminal to replace a broken one. But I’m not having any performance issues, it’s more of an annoyance. Are you actually losing power or does the PCM think it is? It sounds like a wiring issue somewhere. I was getting the ABS light at one time and that was because that line on the wheel bearing hubs got caught and snapped in half. Fixed that problem when I replaced both wheel bearing hubs and he also recalibrated my new air pressure sensors in my new tires to my truck. Got that ABS to instantly go away.

 

Check the battery cables to ensure they are tight and clean. If they're loose or crusty things don't work right.
I had one before that wasn't charging properly. I was checking it and it got wicked hot because there was corrosion down in the cable near the end. I cut it off and made the cable a couple inches shorter and put on a new terminal and that fixed the problem.

 

install a re-manufactured motorcraft alternator and your problems will be resolved. the cheap aftermarket alts do not have a voltage regulator in them that our trucks like.

 

It is losing power, before I shut it off I check the battery and it was only at 10 volts and dropping. But testing from the charging cable coming from the alternator to a ground on the firewall it was charging at about 13.7 volts. I’d have to check the brand but the shop put on a new alternator, not a cheap re man.

 

I will follow up with a question regarding what techrep said. Are the alternators you’ve replaced all been aftermarket, is the one in it now aftermarket? Were you able to check it? If you can’t find it call the shop and talk to them.

 

Before this last alternator they were aftermarket remans, but they weren’t the cheapest still because I know the cheap ones weren’t any good. I was working on it earlier and forgot to check the brand, but I cleaned up some grounds and that seemed to work. I replaced the terminals and some of the cable ends just to be safe and it all seems to be working for now. It’s sad to say but I think it’s getting close to sending the old girl out to pasture. Thank you guys for the help!

 

Okay so are you getting good voltage now? Might have to play the waiting game to see. I really hope you don’t have to take er’ to the pasture!

 

There is a charging system fuse on the output side of that alternator circuit
Should be a 100 in the box or on the firewall somewhere
In the old days it was fuse link wire
Yours has a fuse somewhere and there is also one for the field circuit on newer ones like your 07
If you have 13.xx volts at the firewall, your field (alternator) fuse and the alternator are okay

 

Let me throw this out. I have replaced my alternator and I also found the modular connector was bad. The alternator tested as bad but the connector had been very hot so I replaced it while I was in there