I get a message saying: power charging system failure. what does it mean?

Charging system failure. Likely the battery but can be other.

Reduced Power means that the PCM has detected an active failure in either the engine, transmission or brake system. You The PCM reduced power to help protect an affected system. You need to start by checking the oil level. How was the engine running and the transmission shifting? Do you have a code reader? The codes need to be retrieved. Please write back with the codes. Good Luck.

Service battery charging system message Ricks Free Auto Repair Advice

That message means the Teleaide system is not working. IT has nothing to do with performance. The most common cause of failure are the buttons in the console.

This could be a bad connection. First step is to clean your battery connections, then work your way through the wiring. Common places are the starter connections, and body ground connections.

the starter uses 10x more elect. power than the head lamps
or 100x more than dash lamps. it means little.
what matters most is jumper cable starts.
does it crank with jumper cables to a running, donor car,(aaa jump)
no bad starter
no, bad starter key line( immobliizer or such) ask how to test.
yes, cranks great, now.
that means the battery was dead,
i charge the battery and it now cranks, due to lights left on or
charge system failure, if battery goes to 13.3 to 15v running good
if on the charge system failed. (causing battery discharge)
if after charging a battery it will not crank car, its a bad battery (jumps ok)

means that you have been drawing power from the battery too long with out the cars charging system working so the car is designed to automatically cut down its power usage and display the message to let you know that battery power is in danger of being low

Take it back to the dealer and have it fixed, the charging system does have a fault.

Hello...A red battery light or image usually means there is a problem with your charging system..either your alterator is either not operating or emitting low voltage usually because of diode failure...alternators generate Alternator Current(AC) which is the same of household current...but the vehicle can not use this...It doesn't even register...The alternator has diodes which convert AC current to DC(Direct Current) which the vehicle can use....If the alternator is not doing it's job...The vehicle will pull current from the battery while the vehicle is operating..which is not good.The alternator should be able to run the vehicle...all the accessories...and charge the battery all at the same time...Drive it into an auto parts store and have them test your charging system before you get stranded...and most of the time...the car will die at night because of the headlights.....Let me know what happens...I hope this was helpful.....PEACE.....

Charging System Failure
Refer to Charging System Description and Operation

Electrical Power Management (EPM) Overview
The EPM system is designed to monitor and control the charging system and send diagnostic messages to alert the driver of possible problems with the battery and generator. This EPM system primarily utilizes existing on-board computer capability to maximize the effectiveness of the generator, to manage the load, improve battery state-of-charge (SOC) and life, and minimize the system's impact on fuel economy. The EPM system performs three functions:
• It monitors the battery voltage and estimates the battery condition.
• It takes corrective actions by adjusting the regulated voltage.
• It performs diagnostics and driver notification.
The battery's condition is estimated during key-off and during key-on. During key-off the SOC of the battery is determined by measuring the open-circuit voltage. The SOC is a function of the acid concentration and the internal resistance of the battery, and is estimated by reading the battery open circuit voltage when the battery has been at rest for several hours.
The SOC can be used as a diagnostic tool to tell the customer or the dealer the condition of the battery. Throughout key-on the algorithm continuously estimates SOC based on adjusted net amp hours, battery capacity, initial SOC, and temperature.
While running, the battery's degree of discharge is primarily determined by a battery current sensor, which is integrated to obtain net amp hours.
In addition, the EPM function is designed to perform regulated voltage control (RVC) to improve battery SOC, battery life, and fuel economy. This is accomplished by using knowledge of the battery's SOC and temperature to set the charging voltage to an optimum battery voltage level for recharging without detriment to battery life.
The Charging System Description and Operation is divided into 3 sections. The first section describes the charging system components and their integration into the EPM. The second section describes charging system operation. The third section describes the instrument panel cluster operation of the charge indicator, driver information center messages and voltmeter operation.

Charging System Failure
The BCM and the ECM/PCM will send a class 2 message to the IPC for the CHARGING SYSTEM FAILURE message to be displayed. It is commanded ON when a charging system DTC is a current DTC. The message is turned off when the conditions for clearing the DTC have been met.

You need to have a full vehicle scan done. Not just engine code's . An to do this you need a professional scan tool , not auto zone or advance etc.. Your best bet , take it to a qualified repair shop.

Your charging system is computer controlled . Do you know what DTC'S - diagnostic trouble code's are ? This are all associated with the charging system inone way or another .
DTC B1327
DTC B1328
DTC B1516
DTC P0560
DTC P0562
DTC P0563
DTC P0615
DTC P0621
DTC P0622


https://www.motor.com/magazinepdfs/042010_09.pdf