Battery and power delivery error codes help diagnose issues with charging circuits, AC adapters, internal batteries, USB‑C PD negotiation, and system power rails. These errors may appear as on‑screen messages, LED blink patterns, BIOS warnings, or numeric diagnostic codes. Errors shown before the system logo usually indicate hardware‑level power faults, while errors shown after the logo often point to battery health, firmware, or charging configuration issues.
Common Laptop Battery Error Messages
- “Battery Not Detected” — Battery disconnected, failed, or missing
- “Battery Not Charging” — Faulty charger, damaged port, or battery failure
- “Plugged In, Not Charging” — Power delivery negotiation failure
- “Consider Replacing Your Battery” — Battery wear level exceeded
- “Battery Failure” — Internal cell or controller failure
- “AC Adapter Type Cannot Be Determined” — Incorrect wattage or damaged cable
- “Charging Disabled” — BIOS or thermal protection triggered
Battery LED / Blink Codes
Dell
- 2 amber, 1 white — Battery failure
- 3 amber, 1 white — AC adapter failure
- 4 amber, 1 white — Battery charging failure
- Constant amber — Low battery
HP
- 1 blink — Battery not detected
- 2 blinks — Battery failure
- 3 blinks — Battery communication error
- 4 blinks — Charging circuit failure
Lenovo
- Slow orange blink — Charging
- Fast orange blink — Battery error
- Solid red — Battery critically low
USB‑C Power Delivery (PD) Error Codes
- “USB‑C Charging Not Supported” — Non‑PD charger connected
- “Low Power Charger” — Insufficient wattage
- “Power Surge on USB Port” — Overcurrent protection triggered
- “USB‑C Cable Not Capable” — Cable lacks PD or high‑watt support
- “Charger Over‑Temperature” — Thermal protection activated
BIOS / Firmware Power Error Codes
- 0xA0 — Power initialization stage
- 0xA2 — Storage OK, next stage power check
- 0xB1 — AC adapter communication failure
- 0xB4 — USB power device detection
- 0xD0 — CPU power rail initialization
- 0xE2 — Battery controller communication error
Smart Battery Controller Error Codes
- SBM‑01 — Battery temperature sensor failure
- SBM‑02 — Cell imbalance detected
- SBM‑03 — Over‑voltage protection triggered
- SBM‑04 — Under‑voltage protection triggered
- SBM‑05 — Battery authentication failure
Common Power Adapter Error Messages
- “AC Adapter Wattage Too Low” — Charger cannot supply required power
- “AC Adapter Not Recognized” — Damaged cable or ID pin failure
- “Power Adapter Overcurrent” — Excessive load detected
- “Power Adapter Overvoltage” — Faulty charger
- “Incompatible Charger” — Wrong voltage or connector type
Typical Causes of Battery & Power Delivery Errors
- Battery wear or cell failure
- Damaged charging port or cable
- Incorrect or low‑wattage charger
- USB‑C PD negotiation failure
- Overheating battery or charger
- Faulty power rails or MOSFETs
- Firmware corruption
- Battery controller communication failure
Troubleshooting Steps
- Try a known‑good charger
- Inspect USB‑C or barrel connector for damage
- Remove battery (if removable) and reseat
- Update BIOS and battery firmware
- Check battery health in BIOS or OS
- Test with another USB‑C cable
- Allow system to cool if overheated
- Replace battery if wear level is high