The Trainer #146: Guilty as charged

March 6, 2024

Follow Brandon as he uses the Automotive Test Solutions eScopeELITE4 and a current probe to evaluate the charging system circuit dynamically.

Brandon Steckler

In this episode of The Trainer, Motor Age Technical Editor, Brandon Steckler discusses the importance of locating the root cause of battery and alternator failures. As we all know, battery and alternator failures are common on virtually all makes and models.

Many don’t realize that the electronics within the alternator take the brunt of the damage when an underlying charging circuit fault exists. The alternator must work extra hard to charge the battery to compensate for these circuit faults. As a result, the temperature of the alternator's electronic components gets too high and causes damage. This results in repeat alternator failures that seem to go on and on. Usually, the alternator is labeled as an inferior component and is replaced under warranty. The problem is that the true underlying fault is not always located, and the process repeats itself.

Follow Brandon as he uses the Automotive Test Solutions eScopeELITE4 and a current probe to evaluate the charging system circuit dynamically. This quick 3-minute test locates underlying voltage drops in the battery charging circuit, can be applied to all vehicles using an alternator, and requires no disassembly to perform.

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About the Author

Brandon Steckler | Technical Editor | Motor Age

Brandon began his career in Northampton County Community College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where he was a student of GM’s Automotive Service Educational program. In 2001, he graduated top of his class and earned the GM Leadership award for his efforts. He later began working as a technician at a Saturn dealership in Reading, Pennsylvania, where he quickly attained Master Technician status. He later transitioned to working with Hondas, where he aggressively worked to attain another Master Technician status.

Always having a passion for a full understanding of system/component functionality, he rapidly earned a reputation for deciphering strange failures at an efficient pace and became known as an information specialist among the staff and peers at the dealership. In search of new challenges, he transitioned away from the dealership and to the independent world, where he specialized in diagnostics and driveability.

Today, he is an instructor with both Carquest Technical Institute and Worldpac Training Institute. Along with beta testing for Automotive Test Solutions, he develops curriculum/submits case studies for educational purposes. Through Steckler Automotive Technical Services, LLC., Brandon also provides telephone and live technical support, as well as private training, for technicians all across the world.

Brandon holds ASE certifications A1-A9 as well as C1 (Service Consultant). He is certified as an Advanced Level Specialist in L1 (Advanced Engine Performance), L2 (Advanced Diesel Engine Performance), L3 (Hybrid/EV Specialist), L4 (ADAS) and xEV-Level 2 (Technician electrical safety).

He contributes weekly to Facebook automotive chat groups, has authored several books and classes, and truly enjoys traveling across the globe to help other technicians attain a level of understanding that will serve them well throughout their careers.