A method for protecting voltage regulator driver circuitry during a short circuit condition of an alternator field coil includes passively detecting a drop in field coil voltage during an on-portion of a duty cycle of the field coil voltage, wherein the passive detection of the drop in field coil voltage signifies an interrupt event. Responsive to the interrupt event, a logical state of a driver enable control signal is changed so as to deactivate driver circuitry associated with a switching device used to pass field current through the field coil, wherein the driver circuitry, when deactivated, prevents the switching device from passing current regardless of the state of a pulse width modulation (PWM) control signal applied to the driver circuitry.