Battery light

the grim reeper

A2OC Donor
Well yestarday on the way to work my battery light came on, well flashed then stayed on, as it was dark 5.30am:eek:, i waited till break before having a look at this.
Checked the belt that was fine (new sept last year) so thought it would have been strange if that had snapped, so asked if i could bring it in to put it on the works computer, well nothing came up (just faults that i needed to clear from brake switch). so tested the battery 11.85v nothing out of the ordinary there, started the car up 14+v so it was charging, then noticed the light had gone out:confused:.

Drove home, nothing, been out last night still nothing. Then today started car up fine set off drove about a mile or so back it came on off stayed on, then went off, then flashed for a bit, then off, then stayed on. stopped off at my brothers for about an hr went back was still on, on the way to get a dent done on my car the light flashed then went off and hasen't come back on.

So what i'm getting at is is this the alternator starting to fail or is there something else that could cause this???????????, as a new alternator is £500:eek:, an exchange on is less but still runs at about £300 less discount, was thinking of seeing if my local auto electricians would re-con mine ?

Cheers Phil
 
Hi Phil
It's unlikely but worth checking the pulley. More info here - http://www.a2oc.net/forum/showpost.php?p=90251&postcount=5
If turns out to be 'electrical' then there's a good chance you would only need to replace the regulator. Try and find a Bosch auto electrician as they list parts for the A2 alternator

Cheers Spike

Cheers Spike my pulley came off last year thats why i fitted the new belt, and the AE just round the corner from work i think is a bosch dealer so fingers crossed

Cheers Phil
 
Car goes in tomorrow for the alternator re-con well overhaul, if they have the bits at there head office done in a day if not its over-night from Bosch, depending on what they find.

But today not had a problem with it (been a bit warmer though)

Cheers Phil
 
hi Phil my moneys on the battery as you say you had below 12v across the battery.a charged battery should show 12.5-12.6 volts at rest.the cold weather really puts a strain on batteries --thats why they nearly always fail in the winter. put a drop tester on the battery and i bet it shows up a low reading. battery is way cheaper than an alternator though!:)
hope you get it sorted mike
 
Battery only 2 years old, it starts great but when running will flicker (or did flicker) or stay on, the car had been sat all day 8 hrs and just about all the cars we PDI and do a volt test are between 11.5>12.8v at the most and the higher reading is when we have had them running while we take all the transport coverings off.

When i went in and said what problems i was having he asked straight away how many miles (80k), sounds very much like the regulator, but we'll get it in and test everything

Cheers Phil
 
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