Check Charging System Warning Message

Thanks for asking OP. I was also wondering about the message. I worked on my own vehicles for a couple of decades but owned a 2004 Tacoma for the last 11 years so have not had any need to do any repairs and stay up to speed on the electronics.

 

I went to the dealership before reading this thread cuz I had the same concern. It's normal. Nothing to worry about.

 

What did they end up telling you about this? My truck has done this twice now over the past 3 days. It's got the push button start and will not start. The last time it did it I actually jumped it off and it started. Didn't have jumper cables this time. I read through this forum and got that this is a normal thing, or so it sounds, but I never saw what to actually do about it in the case of a push button start.

 

First of all, welcome to TW.
The issue in the OP was not really an issue.
If you put vehicle in acc. mode you will get this message. I believe with push button start if you push the button without your foot on the brake it will engage accessory mode, I would have to look at the owners manual to verify.
It is the same as older vehicles with the battery light, this is just more technology and seems to be creating panic over nothing.
If your truck will not turn over and you are getting this message then you need to have your battery checked. If battery is good then you need your alternator checked. You are still under warranty aren't you?

 

When the ignition is powered on but the truck is not running this is normal. Only time it should be concerning is if you are driving the vehicle and the light comes on. Then more than likely your alternator is failing

 

I assumed it was something like that to where I just didn't have the brake pushed in enough so I turned it off and tried it again and still got the same result. I could not get it to start.

I'm having it taken to the dealership (I've only had the truck since March so it's definitely still under warranty) and going to have them check the battery. I had a brand new Mitsubishi back in the day and it did something similar and ended up being a bad battery.

I'm glad it seems to be not a big deal I just need to figure out what to do should it do this in the future to prevent me from being late to work.

 

About the only thing you can do to ensure you are not late for work is have a jump pack or second battery. This can happen with any vehicle and any battery.

 

Just got a call back from the dealership. They said the tow truck driver told them it wouldn't start for them either. They went out a little bit later and it started right up. They checked the battery, the alternator, and a few other things and everything was showing normal. They can't figure out what the problem is. Of course they can't get it to replicate the problem. Now I'm really wondering what the deal is.

And as far as I can see, I don't see any alternative to starting the truck besides the push button. Am I correct with this?

 

Yes, the only way is the button. If the battery in your fob is dead you can hold the fob up to the button, but that would only be an issue if the vehicle does not recognize the fob.
So, when it doesn't start, is it not turning over at all? Coud be a brake switch going bad, as to where the computer does not see you pushing the brake in.

 

So this has nothing to do with this thread, but I was looking through it and noticed some members names had lines through them, does that mean they are no longer active members?

 

Those are banned members.

 

Gotcha, figured it had some significance

 

It's just a warning that the battery is not being charged. Poor wording.

 

I think that this particular message, had it looked like the other warning lights on the dash, wouldn't garner so much attention. It's the fact that it pops up the way it does, which is a deviation from decades of car warning lights, it gets noticed and makes people second guess it. I think its a UX transition situation--as people get more comfortable with these types of error messages it won't concern people but until these displays are common it will. It seems more serious when its in your face like that.

 

Would be funnier if you were the first to reply to the OP.

 

Got the check charging system and low oil pressure warning while driving and the engine shut off...

 

Just got a call from the dealer. They said that it was "a connection had come loose to the ECU." I asked if this would continue to be a problem or if there was anything I could do to prevent it from happening in the future and he just said "you won't have this problem again". So there you go. Who knew.

 

If system is not charging with ignition on. So it lets you know. When you start it goes away. Normal.

 

If it starts. . .