Battery Voltage Indicator - falling numbers

[Boozygoose]

Wife and I are on a trip, 6 hours from home. 19 1500, 1 year old with 12K miles.

My truck battery voltage has read consistently at 14.3 since purchased. While driving today, I noticed the battery bar gauge that I have on the dash looked a little lower than usual so I pulled the battery voltage screen up and it read 14.1. Stopped for gas, restarted vehicle and it read 13.9 and stayed for the next hour or so of driving 75mph. Turned off, started again, dropped to 13.7 and stayed. Truck now parked for the night. No weird, unusual loads I am aware of while driving.

Tomorrow driving home and don't want to be stranded with an angry wife and two dogs on a Sunday in the middle of nowhere. Any thoughts on what would cause this or what may be going on?

Thanks!

 

[Jus Cruisin]

You could have an alternator tarting to give up the ghost, I guess. Just keep your accessories being used at a minimum. No charging the phone or the kid playing games with the thing plugged in, etc.

You're in Florida so you won't / can't be in the middle of nowhere.

 

[d19r93]

Mine fluctuates like that all the time. But I think I have an issue with my voltage regulator because when sitting at a stop light, you can visably see the the lights dimming and flickering. It gets worse when Traction Control engages. I can drop down to 13.1 sometimes. I usually sit at 14.1 to 14.3. I'll have my dealer check it out when it is in for its next oil change.

 

[RamCares]

Wife and I are on a trip, 6 hours from home. 19 1500, 1 year old with 12K miles.

My truck battery voltage has read consistently at 14.3 since purchased. While driving today, I noticed the battery bar gauge that I have on the dash looked a little lower than usual so I pulled the battery voltage screen up and it read 14.1. Stopped for gas, restarted vehicle and it read 13.9 and stayed for the next hour or so of driving 75mph. Turned off, started again, dropped to 13.7 and stayed. Truck now parked for the night. No weird, unusual loads I am aware of while driving.

Tomorrow driving home and don't want to be stranded with an angry wife and two dogs on a Sunday in the middle of nowhere. Any thoughts on what would cause this or what may be going on?

Thanks!

Mine fluctuates like that all the time. But I think I have an issue with my voltage regulator because when sitting at a stop light, you can visably see the the lights dimming and flickering. It gets worse when Traction Control engages. I can drop down to 13.1 sometimes. I usually sit at 14.1 to 14.3. I'll have my dealer check it out when it is in for its next oil change.

Hi Boozygoose & d19r93,

Sorry to hear of the trouble you are experiencing! If you decide to bring this up with your dealers and you are in need of any additional support for that process, our team is just a private message away.

Mark
RamCares

 

[mrfreon]

I just picked up my 2020 Ram 1500 Diesel on Friday and have only driven 80 miles so far. I noticed the battery voltage only reading 12.9 while driving at highway speed, and increases to 13.8 while decelerating. With the engine not running, the voltage is 12.6. Can anyone explain the increase in voltage while decelerating?

 

[NC Rebel]

I just picked up my 2020 Ram 1500 Diesel on Friday and have only driven 80 miles so far. I noticed the battery voltage only reading 12.9 while driving at highway speed, and increases to 13.8 while decelerating. With the engine not running, the voltage is 12.6. Can anyone explain the increase in voltage while decelerating?

I've been trying to figure this out as well...mine does the exact same thing. . Have you had the "recall" W14 done yet? It has something to do with a wrong length bolt securing the ground to the engine block. I am still waiting on the Dealer to receive the part...doubt that it will be in any time soon considering.

 

[mrfreon]

I've been trying to figure this out as well...mine does the exact same thing. . Have you had the "recall" W14 done yet? It has something to do with a wrong length bolt securing the ground to the engine block. I am still waiting on the Dealer to receive the part...doubt that it will be in any time soon considering.

I guess I assumed the dealer would have taken care of the recall before giving me the keys, but my dealer only has 1/2 the employees working during the virus situation so I guess I'll give them a break. I'll give it some time before contacting the dealer.... maybe it's normal.

 

[RamCares]

I've been trying to figure this out as well...mine does the exact same thing. . Have you had the "recall" W14 done yet? It has something to do with a wrong length bolt securing the ground to the engine block. I am still waiting on the Dealer to receive the part...doubt that it will be in any time soon considering.

We can help get the part to your dealer. Feel free to send us a PM with your VIN to get started.

Kaitlin
Ram Cares

 

[NC Rebel]

We can help get the part to your dealer. Feel free to send us a PM with your VIN to get started.

Kaitlin
Ram Cares

Thanks, PM sent !

 

[WXman]

I take it that you guys haven't heard of the intelligent battery charging systems that automakers have been using since roughly 2012.

The alternator isn't charging the battery 100% of the time. It's designed to maintain a particular level of charge, depending on driving conditions, so that the vehicle has the power it needs while not consuming extra fuel to spin the alternator.

Personally I think it's stupid. But, it's pretty much on all trucks these days. On my F-150 I just unplugged the Hall Effect sensor on the negative battery cable to defeat the system.

 

[mrfreon]

Thanks for the info! Hopefully the battery will maintain PLENTY of charge when winter comes around. My Grand Cherokee diesel needed all the battery power it could get when the temperature got down to -20F

 

[Dusty1948]

I just picked up my 2020 Ram 1500 Diesel on Friday and have only driven 80 miles so far. I noticed the battery voltage only reading 12.9 while driving at highway speed, and increases to 13.8 while decelerating. With the engine not running, the voltage is 12.6. Can anyone explain the increase in voltage while decelerating?

Do you have the eTorque motor?

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 17 July 2018. Now at: 031650 miles.

 

[mrfreon]

Do you have the eTorque motor?

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 17 July 2018. Now at: 031650 miles.

Nope....Diesel

 

[Aseras]

Its also nice that ALL the grounds under the hood are painted. Electricity doesn't work well through insulators.

That's on my list to do this week, pull all the grounds and get a nice metal to metal bond and OX-gard them all and seal them.

 

[Dusty1948]

Its also nice that ALL the grounds under the hood are painted. Electricity doesn't work well through insulators.

That's on my list to do this week, pull all the grounds and get a nice metal to metal bond and OX-gard them all and seal them.

I did that to mine and it appears to have resolved two intermittent issues (memory seat not always coming to set position, radio resets after an engine start).

I have a suggestion: use a small wire brush to clean the threaded ground stud, including the base of it where the ground wire terminal contacts the stud. I also lightly sanded the ground terminals and the contact side of the nut to make sure of electrical connection.

Best regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 17 July 2018. Now at: 031690 miles.

 

[5thGenRebel_AMK]

my radar detector displays battery voltage on it and i've never noticed it fluctuating. interested to see how it compares to the one on the truck

 

[Aseras]

I did that to mine and it appears to have resolved two intermittent issues (memory seat not always coming to set position, radio resets after an engine start).

I have a suggestion: use a small wire brush to clean the threaded ground stud, including the base of it where the ground wire terminal contacts the stud. I also lightly sanded the ground terminals and the contact side of the nut to make sure of electrical connection.

Best regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 17 July 2018. Now at: 031690 miles.

Did exactly this today. Wire wheel on drill polished up everything to .mirror finish. Ox-gard added to all 3 major grounds and reconnected.

No more voltage sags or drops at idle.

The large ground was completely painted and also has the smallest contact area. Great engineering there.

 

[Johnwi]

I’m at my dealership now because my voltage dropped to 11.9volts and the vehicle went into battery saver mode. I have 2020 Ram 1500 Limited Etorque. The truck actually died when they went to drive it into the service center. Battery is dead now and they’re recharging it. Battery tested great last night. They have no clue what the issue is. Something is drawing the battery down.

 

[Buz]

Battery voltage should not drop below 14.0 volts when the engine is running, and if it does it definitely shouldn't be for very long.

 

[dalailama23]

It really shouldn't go below about 13.8 with a normal load and sone RPM . Over the road trucks that charge for long periods run about 13.5 - 13.8 to not overcharge and shorten the life of the battery. But The actual output voltage produced by the alternator will vary depending on temperature and load, and will usually be about 1.5 to 2 volts higher than battery voltage. At idle, most charging systems produce 13.8 to 15.3 volts with no lights or accessories on. Both of my rams drop voltage after they get hot just not into the twelves or low thirteens.