A healthy battery means improve your cars performance, so what causes illumination od the check engine light.

There seems to be events when illumination of the check engine light on after changing new battery, so did you replace the right battery or the battery’s issues?

Generally, the check engine light comes on after changing the battery because the new battery is undercharged or faulty or a car sensor cannot detect it. But if the check engine light is blinking, it could be due to a wrong electrical connection preventing the battery from receiving enough electric flow (of at least 13.5 volts) from the charging system.

Here’s how the battery and the check engine light are related.

The check engine light (CEL) is connected to the engine control module, which is connected to the battery sensor, and the battery management system (BMS).

The work of the engine control unit is to ensure your engine works as it should at all times. To achieve this, it collects data from several car sensors and components, including the battery management system, to process and control their functions.

The battery sensor constantly supplies accurate data to the engine control unit, such as the battery voltage, current, state of health, temperature, and state of charge. Whereas, the battery management system (BMS) makes precise adjustments on necessary parameters to optimize the overall battery performance.

If the battery sensor detects anything wrong, it will relate the information to the engine control module, which will trigger the engine warning light, alerting you that there’s something wrong and you should check it out.

The check engine light after a battery change on Ford, Chevy, or any car model may be due to an undercharged or faulty replacement battery. Also, a bad connection can stop the battery from charging or at least reduce the electric flow that gets to the battery, preventing it from receiving at least 13.5 volts when charging.

Or, it could be that the battery sensor is yet to detect the new battery. Thankfully, you can fix this by driving the vehicle a few cycles or wiping off the logged error code with a diagnostic scanner.

Can a new battery cause a check engine light to appear?

Yes, installing a new battery can cause the check engine light to appear on the dashboard. However, this typically happens when the new battery is of poor quality, undercharged, and considered low enough to carry all electrical and electronic components or when the battery terminals are loose.

If you install a new battery with less than 75% charge, the sensor will interpret this as an abnormality and signal the engine control unit, which will pop the engine warning light.

It’s not news that some battery shops sell poor quality batteries with less than 75% charge. If the check engine light appears due to poor quality battery, then you must replace the battery. If, however, it appears due to an undercharged battery, recharge it before putting it in your engine.

Sometime check engine light reset on its own

Yes, the check engine light can automatically reset on its own after 10-20 cycles if you have fixed the issue that triggered the warning light in the first place. A cycle is the process of turning the engine on, running it for some time, and turning it off. On some cars, you may have to run the car for 50 to 100 miles before the light resets.

This is a long period. So, to avoid the wait time, clear the light with a diagnostic scanner. The light will disappear instantly. If, however, you clear the warning light without fixing the problem that caused the light to appear in the first place, it will reappear in no time.

Do you need to reset the car computer after changing the battery?

Sometimes, you might need to reset your car computer after changing the battery, especially if the ECU triggered the CEL because the sensor did not detect the new battery. Most times, resetting the ECU/ECM will help the sensor detect the new battery.

Also, if the vehicle settings are not saved in the battery management system, you need to reset the power windows, the radio presets, and the clock after changing your car battery for most older cars.

There are steps to prevent the check engine light from coming on after a battery change

You don’t have much control over preventing the check engine light from coming on after a battery change. However, you should ensure the battery you want to install is fully charged, the terminals are corrosion-free, and properly tightened. Also, you can reset the warning light manually or with a scan tool once they appear after changing your battery.

Yes, you can reset the check engine light after replacing the battery

Whether you see the check engine light after a battery change on Ford, or any car model, you can fix it manually or use a diagnostic trouble scanner.