Why Is Alternator Not Charging Battery. Being able to determine the most common issues behind the charging system in your vehicle not working is imperative to narrowing down why your alternator is not charging and why the engine isnt running smoothly. Use your multimeter if you dont have one get one.
If the alternator is not charging the battery you will have a red ALT or charge sign on your dashboard. If the alternator is not getting any power it cannot turn the pulley and belt mechanism that charges the battery and the battery will not charge. As your car ages the battery terminals may become corroded causing the battery not to charge.
If it has dead cells and wont accept a charge you may have already had a good working alternator but also a bad battery.
Fixing your battery or alternator can be an expensive repair. The battery has about three to four wires connected to it. You will need to recheck the wiring because the light could also be faulty. Test the alternator.
