With winter coming, cars tend to suffer, the most general scenario is to have difficulties starting your Ford Ranger early in the day with very low temperatures. In general this is related to problems recharging the battery of your Ford Ranger . There are several causes that can describe why your battery does not recharge effectively anymore, and in this article we will try to help you to solve this problem that can prevent you from using your car. To achieve this, first we will describe how recharging your car battery functions, then the different problems of recharging a Ford Ranger, and finally how to recharge an empty car battery.
How does recharging the battery of a Ford Ranger work?
Before we describe the different complications of recharging the battery on a Ford Ranger , we will describe to you how its recharging system functions so that you can understand the complications you are facing. A car battery functions like a phone battery, it will store energy to start your Ford Ranger , turn on your headlights, listen to music, lower your power windows… However all these actions will consume energy and it might deplete the energy reserve that your battery can store. To handle this problem, the engineers have designed a component called the alternator , this component will use the energy generated by the engine of your Ford Ranger to generate energy thanks to a copper coil and a magnet. This energy will recharge the battery of your car . However, consider that this process can only work when your motor vehicle is running, using electrical elements of your car when it is stopped will decrease the energy reserve of your car. It is considered that a battery of a xxx has a life span of 3 to 5 years.
Problems recharging a Ford Ranger’s battery
We will now describe the different battery charging complications on a Ford Ranger you may be victim of. If your battery is not recharging because there is necessarily a problem in your electrical installation, we will now see the different situations.
Battery charging problem on Ford Ranger: My battery is discharging even if I am recharging it with a specific charger
In this first circumstance, it is quite possible that your alternator is dead , indeed, if you control to recharge your battery with a charger and your Ford Ranger to start, the problem most certainly originates from your alternator which should not be able to generate any more current.
Battery charging problem on Ford Ranger: My car shuts off and does not start even if I have charged the battery
If you have recharged your battery and you have been able to start your Ford Ranger but it switches off although you are driving and then does not start, the issue with recharging the battery of your Ford Ranger is that your battery no longer holds the charge .
Battery charging problem on Ford Ranger: My battery is discharged although it is new
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If you’ve just bought a battery and it discharges although you’re driving, the problem most likely originates from your alternator. It cannot result from your battery, which is new and therefore holds the charge. The second possibility is that you have a ground somewhere in your electrical system.
How to solve the problem of battery charging on Ford Ranger?
We will now give you the solutions according to the problem you are facing. Here are the different complications and their solutions:
- Defective alternator: You can try with basic mechanics to check it with a pressure gauge to see if it’s producing power. If it doesn’t, replacing it is the best remedy, based on your motor you will pay a few hundred euros. This repair is feasible in the event that your alternator is accessible.
- Battery that no longer holds the charge: In such a case, the purchase of a new battery is the only realistic remedy. In actual fact, if you have already recharged it but it is still empty because it is good to be changed, count between 60 and 100 euros based on your engine.
- Ground in the electrical circuit: If you cannot start your Ford Ranger but your alternator and battery are in good condition, it is possible that you have a ground on your wiring harness and that you lose energy, a check by a car electrician is in such a case necessary.
How to recharge an empty battery of a Ford Ranger
Finally, to recharge the empty battery of a Ford Ranger there are only few solutions, using a battery charger is the most efficient remedy, you can discover some for 50 to 100 euros at vendors like Oscaro. In any other case you can use cables that will only provide the energy needed to start.
If you wish more tutorials on the Ford Ranger, go to our Ford Ranger category.
