Kia Seltos needs battery. What about a regulator?

[wbwanzer]

Wife's '21 Kia Seltos (1.6 T) needs a battery, even though the message in the gauge cluster said to CheckCruise Control. Kia road side assistance sent a tow truck and he started the car. Wife took it immediately to Advanced Auto for a battery. They told her they couldn't install a battery because 'it needed a regulator'. I'm not familiar with this. She then took it to the Kia dealer where it will sit until Wednesday. They gave her a loaner. Service advisor didn't seem familiar with a regulator either. So now we're thinking that this regulator is a maybe a bunch of BS because they didn't feel like installing a battery. Is that what's happening here, or is this regulator for real?

Thanks

 

[CharBaby]

Probably BS
If you & wife bought the KIA new and there is anything wrong other than the battery, you’re covered.

 

[gman2304]

Shouldn’t the alternator have an internal voltage regulator?

 

[FowVay]

According to the parts catalog the voltage regulator is part of the alternator. Unless the parts store tested the alternator and determined that the voltage regulator was not performing satisfactory then it sounds like the counter help simply didn't know what he was speaking of.

No. 2 in this diagram is the voltage regulator which is mounted on the aft face of the housing.

 

[Rand]

Critical thinking: IF the car stayed running after a jump the alternator is probably fine.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

3 years old and already needs a new battery?

Is it one of those undersize batteries?

For example, Honda uses tiny toy power wheels batteries in actual cars, sizes 51R and even worse, 151R

 

[Rand]

3 years old and already needs a new battery?

Is it one of those undersize batteries?

For example, Honda uses tiny toy power wheels batteries in actual cars, sizes 51R and even worse, 151R

2021 model year could be 4.5 years old.

 

[eljefino]

Misdiagnosis by parts store. They "might" have thrown a Midtronics tester on there, but no matter. Their job is to sell parts, not fix cars. I would pretend to have never been there, nor listened to what they said.

 

[wbwanzer]

2021 model year could be 4.5 years old.

This. We bought the car in 2020.

 

[Chris142]

Shouldn’t the alternator have an internal voltage regulator?

Most newer cars it's controlled by the ecm

 

[GSCJR]

Wife's '21 Kia Seltos (1.6 T) needs a battery

Was this verified? Sounds like the charging system could be at fault.

 

[Rand]

Was this verified? Sounds like the charging system could be at fault.

if it stays running after a jump the alternator is doing something... if its doing something its probably not the alternator.

 

[oldcodger]

4.5 year old battery? I see a simple battery failure.

 

[GSCJR]

if it stays running after a jump the alternator is doing something... if its doing something its probably not the alternator.

Correct, but I don't see anywhere in the OP where a jump start was required, which leads me to believe the battery might be ok. I would replace it at that age anyways, and it's not likely that the built in regulator is faulty.

 

[Rand]

Correct, but I don't see anywhere in the OP where a jump start was required, which leads me to believe the battery might be ok. I would replace it at that age anyways, and it's not likely that the built in regulator is faulty.

While the OP left that out I assumed it from the fact that the "tow truck driver started the car".
If it was as simple as turning the key I'm pretty sure the OP had that covered and wouldnt have called roadside.

 

[GSCJR]

Correct @Rand, but it wouldn't be the first time a TT driver jumps in and the thing fires right up!

 

[wbwanzer]

Tow truck driver jump started the car.

 

[MParr]

Simply a bad battery.

 

[someonesomewhere]

Simply a bad battery.

Tis the season, after all! Definitely time for starting system checks: terminals clean and tight, battery health, etc. Don't help the cold leave a loved one stranded!

 

[wbwanzer]

Battery has been replaced and all is good. What threw us off was AA telling us they couldn't do it because it needed a regulator. No regulator was needed.