Steering Wheel Buttons Acting Strange...

[toddjb122]

So, interesting outcome is my battery was tested and showed that it was only 50% charged. Mechanic claims that if I primarily do short road trips (which I do) the alternator can not keep up with the electric draw of this vehicle and the battery will discharge causing the slow starts on cold mornings that I was experiencing.

So, he recommended I slow charge it overnight to see if that fixed the problem.

So far so good, and the steering wheel gremlins went away. ?

It is the first time I have ever been told to charge a battery for this reason. It was my expectation that the system is designed such that you have a big enough alternator to handle the load while still charging the battery. Has anyone else experienced this?

Anyway, not a major problem. Seems to be good for now.

 

[Houm_WA]

What are you calling "short" road trips?

I work <2 miles from home and most of my driving is short. ...but every few weeks I go on a longer (>40 miles) trip so maybe that counteracts any of these negative effects???

 

[toddjb122]

I don't know...I've had the truck for 143,000 miles and this is the first I've heard the need to charge. For me, most of my trips are 15 minutes. Once a week, minimum, I'll have a drive that's 2 hours round-trip.

I'll also occasionally work in my car and leave it idling for an hour or two for DC power and heat/AC.