I have a 2012 M.C.S. convertible. It shows the battery not charging warning. The battery was replaced 3 years ago without any issue or registering. The car sat over the winter for rear suspension and brake repairs. It was outside in the cold, snow and ice. Once it warmed up and got the rear back together The battery was dead and was unable to charge. I tried several chargers and nothing. I bought a new battery from Costco and thats when the first warning came on. The Costco battery was a downgrade from what was there so I replaced the older one under warranty and installed it. Same issue. I can drive the car to run errands for a while before I need to throw a trickle charger on it. Autozone said the regulator was bad with their onboard testing equipment. They don't have a bench tester for the alternator. I know its a long process to remove and install it. I was hoping driving the vehicle and getting it to operating temperatures several times would get the alternator going. It did sit through the entire winter without being started. I think a small animal got into the engine bay from below. I am checking for loose wires or connections. I thought maybe there was corrosion inside the alternator and the high, warm revolutions while running could do the trick. I bought a manual that looks like a school text book to help me diagnose the no charge condition. I only got a wiring schematic out of it.

Is there a real shop manual available to the public vehicle specific? I have used all data and Mitchell before. Anything like that out there?

Is ther a flow chart out there for diagnosis and repair?

Can I energize the alternator manually with 12 volts? I have a power probe 2 to use.

Does the I.B.S. Have anything to do with a no charge state?

Closest dealership is about an hour from me. Does the new battery have to be registered?

What's the best scan tool that will do everything needed for this vehicle. I don't mind investing if it can do what I don't have to pay others to do repeatedly. Especially this battery registering issue.

I saw online people having the same no charge issue after replacing their alternator. I don't want to jump the gun and be part of that group. They also said aftermarket autozone units were not good but I want the lifetime warranty. Anyone trust O'Reilly's rotating electrical? Or is there a more reliable solution? I have the capability of rebuilding it. Just need a reliable source for the guts.

I want to know why this alternator would fail when it wasn't even under load. The vehicle only has 60k miles and was mostly garage kept much of its life. No mods or upgrades. All stock. .
I am new to this site. Please help.

Thank you in advance.