I am having an issue with my 2013 Dodge Durango Crew AWD with the 5.7. I bought it about 6 months ago and have had no issues, haven't even gotten to my first oil change. Right as I got to work the car felt sluggish and I could smell a slight burning smell. when I parked it seemed to be losing power quick. When I shut the car off and tried to restart it, it sounded like the starter solenoid wasn't engaging. Checked my battery voltage and it was at around 9 volts, I used a jumper box and tried to start just a click. Pulled my battery which was massively annoying since the seat couldn't move, it was from 2012. Replaced the battery and tried again. The car started for a second and then roughly died. The smell got stronger so I checked up front and the alternator was glowing red inside. I pulled the alternator and got a replacement, installed it and it started right up. I also verified with the dealership that my vehicle needs a 220 amp alternator. Everything seemed fine, but my check engine light came on, pulled the codes and the only one was P0113 the IAT had withstood a higher amount of voltage than normal for a "periodic time". I figured it was from the massive amount of resistance the previous alternator had. I drove the car for about 3 or 4 minutes and got a low voltage warning and pulled back, low voltage quickly turned into a lightning bolt, followed by abs and traction control shutting off. By the time I parked the car it was barely moving and sounded as if not all the cylinders were firing. Alternator looks fine, the battery looks fine, i check voltage and it was at 4.4 volts. Charged the battery tried again, car started fine checked voltage at battery showing 12.3 volts but it was quickly dropping, checked it at the alternator which showed battery voltage not 14.5 volts. I swap out the alternator, and the problem persists. Odly with the newest alternator the voltage wasn't dropping at idle. But it was still showing battery voltage. And my check engine light had turned off. When driven the car made it about five or six minutes before the low voltage light came on. And made it back before the lightning bolt showed. Battery this time was at 9.7 volts charged the battery again and started the car this time my check engine light came back. Through all of this I can still smell the faintest whiff of burning, kinda figured it was stuck in the car now. I havent had a chance to run the codes again but im still researching and hoping someone can help.

 

Do you by chance have access to a high end scan tool or AlfaOBD so that you can monitor the datastream to see if the alternator is being commanded to charge, and what it thinks the voltages are? I don't recall if the alternator parameters are accessed through the ECM or the BCM.

-Rod