2005 CR-V Auto Trans 89,600 mi

The vehicle's VSA, ABS, and BRAKE and Alert light triangle lights are coming on and flashing intermittently. The gear-selected lights are getting bright and dim, and if the lights are on the cluster background lights vary in intensity and sometimes flash bright/dim.

Usually these conditions go away at idle.

I ran the codes and got:

1) DTC 62.1 "Battery Battery Voltage High" Permanent
2) DTC 104.1 "Sensor Cluster Failure" Permanent

Checking with the local Honda dealer, they said that the Sensor Cluster needs to be replaced, and they estimated around $1800, which seems absurd. They said the battery voltage is likely just a transient condition and has nothing to do with the VSA system that is a yaw sensing system.

I checked the battery voltage engine running and it was 14.5 volts, a bit high, but not TOO high. I cleaned the battery terminals thinking maybe a poor connection with resistance allowed the voltage to spike higher. I took the vehicle for a drive with test leads to the battery treminals closed in the driver's door to a digital volt meter propped on the dash.

Drove about 10mi thinking I'd fixed the problem (14.5 volts steady, no VSA lights, no flashing illumination lights), but then the voltage started jumping around from 14.5v to as high 17.9 volts. That turned on the VSA/ABS/BRAKE and Triangle again, but the other lights didn't flash or blink despite the voltage excursions. I put the vehicle in neutral and as the engine went to idle, the voltage stabilized at 14.5 again, and the VSA/ABS/Brake and Alert lights went out.

Obviously something is wrong with the charging circuit! (And I do NOT think the Cluster Sensor is bad, but that's another fight after charging circuit is fixed.

Is this likely the alternator's internal regulator, or is it the ELD Electronic Load Detector that plugs onto the bottom of the fuse box?

Is this something that is common to these vehicles, and is it usually one or the other, or should I just change both?

Any suggestions welcome!

Bob

 

Only thing that I can think of which would cause higher-than-normal voltage would be the alternator.

 

Sorry- I forgot to come back to update as I did on the CR-V Forum.

Yes, I wasn't sure if the alternator or the ELD (electronic load detection module) may have been at fault.

Turned out to be only the alternator-not a fun job in the 2nd gen CR-V with the K engine, but got it done and problem GONE!

 

Good people on that forum

 

Funny, I must be FATED.

Just bought an '07 Subaru Forester, and today the Brake and Bat light started flashing intermittently at about 1/2 brightness!

In THIS case the alternator had been replaced about 6mo ago I found out from the former owner when I called to ask if he had experienced this,
and he had not experienced it.

I lifted the boot over the alternator output stud and was showered by what looked like snow! I shut off the engine, and went back to the stud and
ring terminal to find whoever installed the alternator had not tightened the nut on the stud, allowing the terminal to arc and lose voltage across
the junction (making the stud hot enough to melt off the non-corrosive coating off the stud, nut, and copper ring terminal (as well as vaporize the
silicon/vinyl insulating boot that turned to snow, ashes).

So with varying voltage, apparently the "Brake" light can flash (Did it on the CR-V and Subi now).

The Subi alternator runs VERY HOT (195 deg using an infrared thermometer) so maybe damage was done. I don't ever remember an alternator being
SO hot that even a quick poke with a finger brings immediate pain.

Not my week for alternators!

Bob

 

Members are surely kewl, but the mods are emotionally fragile.

 

Sorry for you bad luck with alternators

Mods are people too. Strange how emotions always gets in the way???