Many modern GM made vehicles have a battery saver feature, this includes the Cadillac ATS. If you are getting a “battery saver active” message, it means that your ATS’s electrical system voltage has dropped to a critical level (less than 11.7 volts). Typical electrical systems run at 13+ volts with the engine running. The battery should also be over 12 volts even with the vehicle sitting.
When the battery saver is active, it causes many of the vehicles non essential functions to stop or run slower (including the air conditioner), in order to increase battery life. If electrical voltage gets much lower than the 11.7 that it’s at when the battery saver is active, the engine will no longer be able to run properly (and eventually at all).
The battery saver increases the driving range of your ATS when the system is not properly charging. If this feature is on, assume that your vehicle will stop running and get it fixed immediately.
Battery Saver Active Causes: Cadillac ATS
The battery saver is usually activated when an alternator goes bad, but there can be other causes as well.
Battery Cable
Before jumping straight to the alternator or battery, it’s a good idea to take a look at the battery posts. If they look corroded, clean them off with a wire brush. There are also specialized battery cleaning tools that you can pick up at Autozone or Wal-Mart for around $5.
Bad Alternator
If the battery saver light came on when you were already driving, that is a strong indicator that the alternator is bad. With the engine running, the alternator should be putting out at least 13.5 volts.
It’s very easy to see if the alternator is bad. You need a voltage meter, that’s about it. The alternator could be all the way bad (not charging the battery at all). Or it can be going bad, which means that it is charging some, but not enough to meet the needs of the vehicle. Here’s a great video from ChrisFix on how to test the alternator yourself.
Bad Battery
If the alternator appears to be fine from your testing (and the battery cables are clean) that leaves the battery and battery current sensor. It would still be wise to have the battery tested before it is replaced. It could still be the battery current sensor that is at fault. Here’s more on a bad battery.
Battery Current Sensor
This sensor determines whether or not current is flowing in or out of your ATS’s battery. It is connected to the negative battery terminal. Here’s a great video on how to diagnose a bad battery sensor.
Conclusion: ATS Battery Saver Diagnosis
The “battery saver active” notification means that there is some issue with the charging system. Either it’s not storing enough voltage (battery), not creating enough voltage (alternator), or the voltage is getting lost from the alternator to the battery (bad cables/corroded terminals).
If there is anything that you would like to add, please leave a comment below. Good luck fixing your Cadillac ATS!