working4it

Hey all,
Well, while driving home from work today MY04S displayed a message "Electric Load Shut Off". Here's the thing I had all kinds of screwy messages a few months back and my battery under the front seat was bad and replaced it with a new. Haven't tried pulling any codes but could it be a bad battery or the battery in back? Is there a way to do a load test without having to take the battery out? I hope its not the alternator...I am going to assume its the liquid cooled one.... Thoughts?

mudman2

do you happen to have a second battery in back ?

working4it

Yes I have the additional battery in the back...

hahnmgh63

Replace it too.

mudman2

+1

working4it

Update
Pulled both batteries and went to AutoZone to get them tested. The newly replaced front seat battery (Aug this year) tested good but critically low, the subwoofer battery tested good with a good charge. I am trickle charging the seat battery now. Dumb question, where do test for the alternator? Do you use the jumper points or lift the seat and test off of battery leads?

Slow Guy

Of those two points I think either one would work just fine. Unless you have a bad connection at the battery either one would work for the charger too.

working4it

Update #2
Charged the battery, cleared all codes to be safe, started car and used my multi-meter from the battery terminals and only pulling 12.4volts. I am going to assume the alternator. Anyone change theirs?

bigbuzuki

If you have KESSY, the rear battery never goes bad as it is never used unless you use the metal key instead of the dummy key.

The alternator is coolant cooled.

mudman2

Not true if you read the Teknic that is used for all services and the front is used to start. In the event that the front fails then using the key the second time uses the rear to start

bigbuzuki

Technical Service Bulletin 2706 states the aux battery is used exclusively for starting the engine.

It then goes on to say that the aux battery is connected to the vehicle electrical system via a cutoff relay once the engine is started and disconnected once the engine is shut off.

From my experience, I've had my rear battery in place for nine years and it still starts the car when required. The main however has been replaced twice in that time.

working4it

A member on Renntech suggested the VES module is bad? I never heard anyone talk about the VES or really the alternator failing.

bigbuzuki

Doesn't sound like the alternator as your rear battery is being charged.

Check your main battery ground lead circuit at both ends.

Is it clean and torqued correctly at the grounding point at the chassis and at the main battery terminal?

Checking the charge voltage at the rear battery terminals with engine on would be good as well.

working4it

Great advice. I will check both and give an update.

working4it

Update

After clearing the codes, charging, checking the batter connections, checking the volts from both seat and trunk (only 12.3) i decided to drive it to work. About half way to work the volt meter dial jumped to 13.5. Started it to go home and same old problem, down to about 11.8 so something is going on. Plugged in the durametric once home and these codes appeared.



Vehicle Electrical System
Current Fault Codes
70:
Starter battery voltage (second battery) - Implausible signal, test conditions are not-completed, fault is not currently active and is not causing a DTC light 668:
Vehicle voltage terminal 30 - Implausible signal, test conditions are not-completed, fault is not currently active and is not causing a DTC light 907:
Load management operat. on vehicle electrical sys./DME control module - No additional fault status available, test conditions are not-completed, fault is currently active and is not causing a DTC light 1320:
Air-conditioning system regulator control module - No signal/communication, test conditions are not-completed, fault is not currently active and is not causing a DTC light 1299:
Gateway - Please read out fault memory, test conditions are not-completed, fault is not currently active and is not causing a DTC light 2196:
Terminal 30 fuse for vehicle electrical system control module - Upper limit value exceeded, test conditions are not-completed, fault is not currently active and is not causing a DTC light