If your Ford shows you the “Charging System Service Now” warning or the battery light illuminates, call your mechanic ASAP. This warning means your charging system needs some attention—and it could lead to your car abruptly losing power.
All gas-powered Fords run on engine fuel to make it go—but they also need electrical energy to make your car work, too. As your drive, your alternator charges your battery, providing you with the electricity you need. But if something in the charging system fails, your battery could lose power and leave you stranded.
To avoid this happening to you, we’ve created this quick car repair guide to help you find the source of your charge system problem so you can drive with peace of mind again.
Ford check charging system: what does it mean?
If your Ford is showing you the “Charging System Service Now” light on your dashboard, you’re looking at an issue with the car’s charging system, which includes the battery, alternator, electronic control unit (ECU), and all the wiring connecting them together.
Even if your battery is to blame, the light doesn’t automatically mean your battery is a goner—you might just need to clean the terminals, switch a fuse, or get a new alternator belt! However, an illuminated charging system light will lead to the same result no matter what the source is: suddenly losing power to your car. Without battery power, your Ford can quit on you at any point—even when driving.
Common causes of charging system problems
Unfortunately, the light doesn’t indicate the precise cause of the charging system issue, so there are quite a few possibilities that make it switch on. Here are some of the most common ones to check out in your Ford:
Faulty alternator
If you’re having problems with your battery, there’s a good chance it’s actually the alternator to blame. The alternator is what changes the engine’s mechanical energy into the electric energy needed to power your car’s electrical components. The alternator is also responsible for charging your battery when you drive. If your alternator isn’t working properly, your battery won’t get sufficient charge to keep your car going.
One reliable indicator that your alternator is bad if your dashboard lights, interior lights, radio, or other electrical accessories seem to be dim or weak. Another key sign pointing to a faulty alternator is if your car will run briefly after a jump start but it fails again soon after.
You can test the alternator and voltage regulator yourself if you have a multimeter or voltmeter.
Battery problems
If your alternator is found to be functioning smoothly, you might have a faulty battery on your hands. This is more likely to be the case if yours is more than three to five years old, which is how long your Ford battery will typically last.
Before springing to go purchase a new battery, though, you should check your Ford’s battery terminals and cables. A loose connection or corrosion could lead your battery light to illuminate—and cleaning it off or adjusting the connection will be much cheaper than buying a whole new part.
Certain Fords have a higher risk of experiencing battery issues. These gas-powered models have been recalled due to possible battery problems:
- 2020–2022 Ford Expedition Hybrid
- 2021 Ford Expedition
- 2019–2020 Ford F-150
If you drive one of these models, you might want to take your car to a local Ford dealership to make sure your battery is in good shape.
Drive belt issues
Other than a bad alternator or dead battery, your charging system light may come on because of a failing serpentine belt. This belt powers the alternator, and it wears down or gets loose just like any other engine belt. If that’s the case for yours—or if the belt tensioner is defective, your alternator won’t be able to charge your battery enough.
Wires, fuses, and connections
When your electrical system is involved, you should always check your fuse box as well as any other wire connections to rule out a wiring problem. If the wiring is to blame, you’ll probably also notice problems with other electrical components, like your brake lights.
Faulty ECU
If your Ford’s check charging system light comes on, there’s always a chance that it’s due to a computer-related problem. This isn’t as common as the other causes, but any problems with the electronic control unit (ECU) can make your “check charging system” light come on as well as your check engine light.
How to reset the check charging system on a Ford
With this type of warning light, you can only reset it once you’ve fixed the root issue with your Ford’s charging system.
You’ll need to take your Ford to a local dealership or a dependable mechanic to get the problem diagnosed and repaired. Independent repair shops will often cost less—especially if you opt for aftermarket auto parts.
Can I drive with a charging system warning light?
If your Ford is showing the charging system warning, there’s a small chance you can drive a short distance…but not for much longer. If you see this warning, that means your battery is already almost out of power—so it could die any moment when you’re driving, leaving you stranded or causing an accident.
Make plans to head to a mechanic as soon as you see the warning light. If you can’t get in right away and still need to drive, though, you should keep a portable battery charger and jumper cables with you as backup.
Macy Fouse is an insurance writer with over five years of experience in publishing and writing. A specialist in car insurance, car loans, and car ownership, Macy’s mission is to create content that equips car owners with the tools they need to reduce car ownership costs, master repair skills, and ensure they have the best insurance coverage for their drive. Macy has written nearly 1,000 articles for Jerry on topics ranging from state-specific driver’s license regulations to how your marital status can affect car insurance costs. Prior to joining Jerry, Macy leveraged her background in journalism, social media, and educational curriculum as a production editor for LifeWay Christian Resource.
Melanie Reiff is an expert insurance writer and editor with over half a decade of experience in professional writing. Guided by a lifelong love of storytelling, it’s Melanie’s mission to help people problemsolve by means of creative and engaging content. Melanie specializes in analyzing the ways in which society, technology, and culture intersect, previously working with clients in travel, technology, and social impact to tell their stories.
As an editorial team lead at Jerry, Melanie has translated her prior experience into creating and editing insurance content that can help drivers and homeowners find the solutions they need and make informed moves.
Prior to joining Jerry’s editorial team, Melanie worked as a freelance content marketing strategist and was the full-time director of choir at Rampart High School Acadamy in Colorado Springs.
