A Texas woman is going viral on TikTok after flagging an issue with her car, saying she hasn’t been able to get it fixed. Erika (@erika.unfiltered) filmed herself turning on her 2023 Toyota Camry, telling viewers something had been off with the vehicle. "Here we go: It’s been charging forever," she says. The car starts up without a problem, but warning messages quickly begin to stack up on the dashboard. First: "Secondary collision brake system malfunction. Visit your dealer." Then another: "Pre-collision system malfunction." And a third: "Charging system malfunction." Erika says she isn’t sure what to make of the alerts but offers a guess. "Maybe it just needs a new battery?" she wonders aloud. She then turns to viewers for help. "Calling all mechanics, does this mean my car needs a new battery?!" Erika wrote in the text overlay of her clip. In the caption, she adds that the Camry has fewer than 5,000 miles. "Does this mean I need a new battery, or does it need major repairs?" she asks. As of this writing, the video has more than 164,600 views. What Do These Notifications On A 2023 Toyota Camry Mean? The "charging system malfunction" warning usually indicates an issue with how the car maintains battery power while it’s running. In most cases, that comes down to the alternator not doing its job, whether that’s because it’s failing, the belt driving it is worn, or there’s a problem with the wiring or battery connections. Tell us what you think! View Comments At the same time, the other alerts Erika is seeing often tie back to other systems. Systems such as pre-collision braking rely on sensors and cameras, which can issue warnings if something is off. That can be as simple as dirt or debris blocking a sensor or as complicated as a weak battery causing the system to misfire. According to fellow drivers on Quora, a dying or faulty battery can sometimes trigger multiple warnings at once, even if the underlying issue is relatively small. In some cases, drivers say disconnecting the battery for a short period can reset the system, especially if the alerts are tied to a recent battery issue. But if the warnings keep coming back, it usually means something needs to be checked out by a mechanic. Once you bring your car into the shop, the safest move is to have the battery, alternator, and connections looked at first. If those check out, the sensors and related systems may need to be inspected or recalibrated. Viewers Offer Suggestions People who came across Erika’s video jumped in with their own theories, with many pointing to a likely issue with the alternator, battery, or both. "Ur alternator might not be charging ur battery," one viewer suggested. "That’s why ur battery drains and the car shuts off." Another commenter relayed advice from home, writing, "My husband the mechanic: ‘No, you need an alternator and the reason you’re getting the other warnings is because your car isn’t operating under normal running voltage and is dropping communication to protect the system.’" "Has to be the alternator," a third person said. "Battery starts the car. It started fine. Your alternator is what keeps everything with voltage after car is started." A fourth commenter leaned the same way, writing, "I’d lean more towards new alternator, that’s what keeps the battery charged when you drive. If your battery was bad, you probably wouldn’t be able to start your car. However, I’m not a car mechanic, though, so I could be wrong." "That’s an alternator problem," another added. "When the voltage gets too low, it can cause everything else to go nuts." Others focused less on the diagnosis and more on Erika’s situation, noting that with such low mileage, the car should still be covered. "If it’s 3 years old, it should have the 36-month warranty still," one person pointed out. "With that mileage, it should still be contested under [the] manufacturer’s warranty," another said. "Take it to the dealer." "You literally have under 5k on the odometer!? Take that to the dealer ASAP and have them fix it for FREE! Don’t take any of the BS of having them trying to charge you," a third commenter wrote. Erika later added an update of her own in the comments section. "SOOOOOO A CRITTER CHEWED UP WIRES UNDER THE HOOD," she wrote. It’s still unclear whether that’s behind all of the issues she’s seeing. Motor1 has reached out to Erika via direct message on TikTok. We’ll update this story if we hear back. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team
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