Jeep "check gauges" light randomly came on 200 miles from home!!

[76k5grrl]

2001 wrangler 146k or so. Banged up but very reliable.

Anyway, was driving home from Galveston this morning. Stopped for gas. Drove about.... 10 miles? Then check gauges light came on. I was really far from home so I'm freaking out... all normal gauges EXCEPT low volts. 14 is normal on jeep, this was about halfway between center and low. Vehicle performance normal. Was stuck in traffic and pressed for time so I kept driving, but waited for some failure. Then, suddenly gauge is normal again (???) Pulled over, turned engine off and back on, light off. Drove remaining 180 miles or so home with no further issues.

Some of you know I'm terrified of electric. And I also know that electric issues just don't go away....

Thoughts?

 

[79rustyk10]

I had similar issues with my bronco. It was poor connections at the battery.

 

[76zimmer]

check grounds at the batt, block and body grounding wires...like to the firewall or radiator support. If you can, check battery voltage with key off, and with engine running.
Key off should be 12.5+ and with engine running at idle, no accessories running, it should be 14+

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Might want to have the charging system checked at Vato Zone or the like.

 

[dhcomp]

Might want to have the charging system checked at Vato Zone or the like.

Yep. Check all your connections and battery cables.

I'll bet its an alternator going south.

The one on my blazer got so weak the radio turned off at a stop light. Got the RPM's up, and it did fine long enough to get to a parts store.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

I fixed one a while ago where it would charge okay at speed. The battery was worn down and the alt was crapping out. At low speed it would give issues and electrical stuff would start to crap out. I was given the task of fixing it when the auto trans started shifting incorrectly due to the low voltage.

New batt and new alt and the problem was solved. Figure it out soon before they both crap out or get damaged.

 

[76k5grrl]

Alternator and battery are relatively new. I'm praying it's a connection. Next paycheck gets it to the garage.