High Voltage Concern

[Imagineer]

Earlier this week, my ’97 TJ emitted a chime from the dash, the “CHECK GAUGES” light lit up and I saw that my voltmeter was pegged at 19 volts. This condition lasted for a mile or so, then things returned to normal.

I’ve read a few posts about the voltage meter reading high and that the likely culprit was a bad ground somewhere. I'll look into it and hopefully find an obvious problem ground.

In the event I don’t find the source of the problem, how bad is it to drive the Jeep while the voltmeter is showing high voltage? Will it mess up the alternator?

FWIW, this Jeep isn’t my daily and a typical excursion is under 10 miles.

 

[dbbd1]

Did you check the actual voltage at the battery when the gauge was reading too high?

 

[Imagineer]

Did you check the actual voltage at the battery when the gauge was reading too high?

No, I was driving, and before I arrived at home, things returned to normal.

 

[dbbd1]

Buy a cheap OBD-II or power port voltmeter and you can check while you're driving.

 

[Imagineer]

I checked all the grounds I could find and there were no obvious problems.

Last Thursday as I was leaving for work, the Jeep suddenly died in the middle of my driveway. Totally dead, no lights or anything. That evening I found that the cable from the positive battery terminal to the Power Control Module has slipped out of the battery terminal clamp. Quick and easy fix.

Is it possible that this loose cable to the PCM was the culprit that caused the momentary high voltage indication?

 

[Link]

I checked all the grounds I could find and there were no obvious problems.

Last Thursday as I was leaving for work, the Jeep suddenly died in the middle of my driveway. Totally dead, no lights or anything. That evening I found that the cable from the positive battery terminal to the Power Control Module has slipped out of the battery terminal clamp. Quick and easy fix.

Is it possible that this loose cable to the PCM was the culprit that caused the momentary high voltage indication?

Very possible