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Purpose:
The voltage regulator manages the alternator’s output according to vehicle operating conditions. The voltage regulator must balance the needs of a fully charged battery, long battery life, accessory loads, and long light bulb life. For these reasons, voltage regulators must operate at specified voltages.
Maintenance Tips/Suggestions:
Each spring, it’s wise to have your car’s charging system tested as part of a comprehensive starting, charging and battery test. This test will determine whether your car’s alternator/voltage regulator team is doing its job as designed. Symptoms of a faulty voltage regulator may include a discharged battery, short battery life, poor accessory and lighting operation, frequent bulb replacement, lower than normal dashboard voltmeter readings, an illuminated charging system warning light, frequent topping off of the battery’s electrolyte, and diagnostic trouble codes stored in the vehicle’s PCM. Also, a bad alternator may cause repeat failures of the voltage regulator, so keep this in mind. Isolating the cause of your car’s charging system woes is best left to the skills and experience of a qualified service technician. Since the functions of the alternator and voltage regulator are so closely interrelated, it takes the right combination of training and equipment to pinpoint the fault.
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