Why does my car not start and says check charging system?

Question

I have a 2007 Mercury Montego with in the past month I have changed the starter and the alternator and now today the car would not start once again I took it and got the battery charged it started it started a couple of time I was sitting in the drive thru i turned the inside reading light on so i could get money and all the lights shut off inside n head lights then came back on and it said check charging system.
I dont know what to do my husband is in the army..... help please. thanks

Answer 1

First let me thank you for your husband's service. I appreciate the brave men and women fighting to preserve OUR freedoms.



If the car does not start, first thing to check is the batteries state of charge. It takes a lot of current to start the vehicle. A battery can hold a slight surface charge after being charged but if they are nearing the end of their life they will not provide enough energy to turn the starter. If the starter makes a rapid clicking noise, you have a low voltage issue.

You may have an issue with dirty battery cables. If there is a lot of corrosion it causes high resistance.

It's not common to have an alternator fail soon after replacement, but it happens.

It sounds like its probably the battery. Try to jump start it and get to an Autozone or other parts house. Autozone test batteries for free and replace most for free if you buy the new one from them.

Answer 2

Check Charging System

Answer 3

There is a fuse for the charging system that Ford, in all their wisdom, placed in a very odd place- not with all the other fuses. When this puny 5 amp fuse blows, the alternator cannot charge the battery and it goes dead quickly. Find and change this fuse with a 15 amp fuse, like should have been in there in the first place. As it is, they tow in lots of Fords, Lincolns and mercurys- including vans- replace batteries and alternators needlessly and at great expense and that little 5 ampfuse which will blow again in a while. Have a shop replace the charging system fuse with a 15 amp fuse and all will be well for years to come. It might cost you $50 to have that $2 fuse replaced. If you have some skill, look up this fuse in Chiltons Auto repair manual at the public library so you know where to find it in your car and do the swap yourself.

Answer 4

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Try cleaning the battery post and terminal ends with a special brush and then give it a good overnight charge and have the system tested... Does it have a aftermarket stereo system, they can cause a battery drain problem. Try turning it off or remove the face if you can.

Answer 5

You may have a short or a really bad battery and it's time for a new one