I have a 06 and when I start it up (truck being cold) it doesn't charge. The volt meter is at like 10 or 11 and moves up and down.

Example. start up. meter at 10. Hear a click under the hood, meter moves to charging. Hear another click, meter goes to 10. etc........

This happens until the truck is warm.

Besides going to the dealer, anybody ever have this problem?

 

Thats not a problem, it has to do with the fuel heater at start-up. All the newer models do the same thing.

 

Look here:
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...d.php?t=121337

 

It's normal. When air temp is low enough, the grid heaters will cycle until the air warms up or you begin driving(18mph) I think.

The grid heater pull a LOT of current, more than the alternator can keep up with, that's why you're seeing the low voltage and voltage fluctuating.

jeff

 

Holy cow. Thanks guys. I guess it would have been a good idea to search the forum first.

 

We're here to help.

 

Many , many threads on this , usually two or three every winter , it is normal . Many like me use this as the first sign that winter is comming when these threads start poping up . I remember when it first happened to me way back with my 91 when it was brand new , I got a sick feeling like I should have stuck with Ford's , boy was I wrong . The grid heater draws more voltage ( or back in 91 fuel heater ) then the alternator can produce so it steels from the battery's for a few minutes when cold . Back in my 91 I would go through voltage regulators about every year because of the load and unload of the electrical system , I do not see that as a problem anymore . Enjoy your truck and welcome to the diesel world .

 

Also you'll notice your yellow coil light stays on longer before
starting when it's colder outside, because it's using longer grid heating before giving you the OK to start.

 

If you have the high idle (on demand or idle up) this will mitigate the charging issue at cold start; the higher RPMs will take a little bit of the load off the batteries. I always worry just a little bit when temps are low and I keep seeing the gauge drop like that. I always think that any minute this truck is gonna stall out and not have enough juice to start again... but it never does stall...