This message comes up on my Vette frequently.
It has been to the dealer so many times for this that I have lost count.
My alternator was changed about a year ago and I still get this message
Oh it is not a Z06 .

This post had been here since 11-9 and this is the 1st time I have seen it. I frequent the other forums, but not this one. I was just here in Z06 inquiring about calipers. You need to cross list this post in the other forums.

 

Any techies out there?
Someone told me that the problem is that the stock altenator is fine, it charges just like it should. However, the problem is being caused by the "fact" that the altenator did not start charging the system as fast as the charging sensor was interogating it. Hence the false DIC message. The new altenator is supposed to be "faster" by milliseconds at starting to charge the system.
This sounds reasonable to me, but may be total BS. Anyone care to comment?

 

On 12/27, I had the alternator changed. The mechanic did say it was faster. After the install, he started the car several times and commented that the volts went up without any hesitation. So, it may not be !!!

 

I would get the message w/ the original altenator
Well I STILL get the message with the NEW altenator

 

I've added 1000w of stereo system into my 2002 z06 and, of course, have dimming lights on hard bass hits. the 5farad cap didn't make the problem go away, so I've purchased an Optima red top as suggested by my audio installers to combat this. If the red top doesn't solve the problem, I'm looking at a larger altenator.

Even with a huge sound system that puts a marked strain on the electrical system, I've never had this error.

 

Wouldn't it just be better to change the sensor to one that doesn't interogate the charging system so fast?

 

You would think so...Seems like it would be cheaper and easier for GM. However, how many of their decisions seem logical? There may be a technical reason or it may be this is just a wrong explanation.

 

Email sent to Bob.

I just replaced the original 10246634 alternator on my 1999 FRC on 1/15/05 with the new replacement #10353440. I get the "Charging System Fault" every five minutes or so, in every gear and at idle; it clears itself in about 5 seconds. Alternator works fine otherwise.

Thanks for looking into this Bob.

 

Bob,

I don't have any mods. I have a bone stock (ok, a Hurst shifter but that is IT) car and I get the Charge System Fault message FREQUENTLY on startup. My Voltage seems to run on the 14-15v side of things regularly.

OCCASIONALLY, the car will freak out completely while driving because of this. I will get a SERVICE ACTIVE HANDLING message and my gauges will go nuts. When I look down, the Voltage is WAY HIGH.

Turn the car off, and back on again and it is fine. I just assumed I had a bad voltage regulator somewhere.

I know you wanted people who had made the change you stated, but I think my info is useful because you may be barking up the wrong tree with the alternator. Mine is the OEM piece.

 

Neil,

I thought it was bogus too, but have you checked your voltage at startup when you get the message. My experience is just like yours, I get the message and have since I got the car new.

But I also get some weird electrical bugs from time to time. They are very infrequent though, so I tend to ignore them and not have it looked at. I don't know if they are related to the Charge System Fault or not, but when they happen, I always show an over-voltage on the gauge.

 

I have owned my 1999 Corvette FRC since August 2004 and its a daily driver, my only car. I had the alternator first replaced with the 140 amp alternator at the end of October 2004 after getting several "Service Vehicle Soon" messages on the DIC and having the voltage gauge fluctuate. It seemed to be fixed except for the occasional "Charge System Fault" which would appear once every other drive or so.

About 2 weeks ago the DIC would show a "Charge System Fault" ever few minutes while I was in the car, and a few days later, everytime I started the car I would get the "Service Vehicle Soon" message. I continued to drive it until I had it taken in with no major problems, it started every time. However once the whole instrument display lit up and the "Service ABS" and "Service TCS" came up. I turned the car off, restarted it and those messages went away.

After having the tech look at it, he told me that he did have to replace the alternator once again, but that didn't seem to be the problem and he couldn't find out exactly what was going on. He suggested maybe changing batteries but that was his only advise.

I'm very concerned about this, I love this car to death, and I really want it to be worked out. The car is getting "Charge System Faults" in every gear and at idle every few minutes and the voltage fluctuates anywhere from 12.0 all the way up to 16.7 and occasionally higher. The instrument display has lit up once again as well as the "Service ABS" and "Service TCS" messages, but upon turning off and restarting the car, they went away.

 

I have gotten it twice. I have an 01 ZO6. In my vette when I turn the key on the gauges go all the way up and back while the DIC says "Corvette by Chevrolet". I always wait until the DIC is done and the gauges have returned to the starting point to start the car. The 2 times I have just stuck the key in and started it without waiting I have gotten the message. Maybe has something to do with it??? I have some kind of gremlin in there somewhere... Sometimes when I reach about hlf tank all of sudden the fuel gauge goes all the way to empty and the DIC stays on low fuel. When I fill it up it goes back to normal. It has only done it a few times but it just proves theres something weird going on there. Just my 2 cents

 

Based on the mechanics that I have asked, there is no reason for you go through your routine...all you need to do is turn the key. You don't need to have the gauges do anything before starting your vette.

 

Just got this message on the DIC for the first time on my 99 C5. It cleared immediately, but I don't like it when my DIC gives me unexpected messages. Could this be predicting a future problem, or is it another phantom? I long ago came to the conclusion that my lights (headlights as well as interior) are simply haunted; I can live with that. Could the "charge system fault" be related to haunted lights? Should I take it to the shop (don't want to break a nail...)

Debbie

 

I used to get the message once in a while on a 02 Z06. The battery failed after a year and since it was replaced (stock unit) I have not seen the message.

 

I just put a new optima red top in my 02' Z06 and I get this message once in a while in the morning. I also get dimming headlights when I hit the brakes at night sometimes. I believe checking the grounds on the car could eliminate some of the problems mentioned here.

 

I have been getting the message on my 2003 Z06 for a while. I get it 1 out of every 10 starts. There are never any issues and it goes away immediately. I have taken it in to my local Chevy dealer and no only is this message only an annoyance, it doesn't even log an event in the system. I'd say to just ignore it since no one seems to have any real issues if they have original hardware.

-Alex

 

It has happened 2-3 times in the year or so I have owned my 02 Z.

 

Seems to happen fairly regularly on mine, before the alternator swap and after....

 

i believe that any little glitch in the electrical system will cause this message... and that, in time, you'll eventually find the glitch.

mine was a bad wire connection inside the driver's side door panel, and once that was fixed (over a year ago) i never got it again...