Reduced Engine Power & Battery Light On
Thread Starter
New Member
Joined: 02-12-17
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: WA
Reduced Engine Power & Battery Light On
Hey Everyone,
My 2005 cobalt has been giving me some issues lately. My wife was driving it one day and all of a sudden the gauges started to go crazy. She was actually able to get the car home and once she did the car completely died. After looking at the car I noticed 6 specific things that happen every time I try to start the car. first being that the battery light comes on, the LCD display states "Reduced Engine Power", the gauges go nuts, my radio doesn't work at all, and I hear a loud rapid clicking noise when I turn the ignition key which I'm assuming is the start reply.
I went out and got a new battery thinking that it would fix the problem but as you can guess it didn't. I was thinking it might be the alternator but I'm having seconds thought on that because even if it was the alternator was bad won't the radio still work. One more thing, I am able to jump the car and as long as it is hooked up to the other car it runs fine. The radio still doesn't work but it will run.
My 2005 cobalt has been giving me some issues lately. My wife was driving it one day and all of a sudden the gauges started to go crazy. She was actually able to get the car home and once she did the car completely died. After looking at the car I noticed 6 specific things that happen every time I try to start the car. first being that the battery light comes on, the LCD display states "Reduced Engine Power", the gauges go nuts, my radio doesn't work at all, and I hear a loud rapid clicking noise when I turn the ignition key which I'm assuming is the start reply.
I went out and got a new battery thinking that it would fix the problem but as you can guess it didn't. I was thinking it might be the alternator but I'm having seconds thought on that because even if it was the alternator was bad won't the radio still work. One more thing, I am able to jump the car and as long as it is hooked up to the other car it runs fine. The radio still doesn't work but it will run.
Thread Starter
New Member
Joined: 02-12-17
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: WA
Thank you for your response. All the the wiring is sheathed and I won't even know where to located all of them. I have disconnected and left it disconnect for 24 hours with still no luck.
If it says Reduced Engine Power there should be Check Engine Light as well. Get that scanned. Other then that check fuses, grounds, check the terminals on the starter to make sure wires are still tight. Are you 100% that the battery is good?
Also disconnect the battery and then disconnect the ECU for a little bit, then reconnect and try again.
Also disconnect the battery and then disconnect the ECU for a little bit, then reconnect and try again.
Thread Starter
New Member
Joined: 02-12-17
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: WA
If it says Reduced Engine Power there should be Check Engine Light as well. Get that scanned. Other then that check fuses, grounds, check the terminals on the starter to make sure wires are still tight. Are you 100% that the battery is good?
Also disconnect the battery and then disconnect the ECU for a little bit, then reconnect and try again.
Also disconnect the battery and then disconnect the ECU for a little bit, then reconnect and try again.
New Member
Joined: 03-16-20
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Angus
the car is giving me engine power reduced and showing the battery light every time I turn it over I’ve already replaced the battery and the alternator and tried holding the ground and power wires together to reset the car
