Dead Car!

L

Lenny007

Member
Right then, just had my wife on the phone and her car has seemingly had enough.

For the last week or so, the battery warning light has been coming on and off intermittantly. However today, coming round the roundabout into our estate, the engine died, all of the warning lights come on and then the big exclamation mark appears on the DIS.

Goodness knows how but she managed to freewheel down the few yards into our drive but it apparently isn't playing ball now with starting again.

I'll get a bit more information when i get home but has anyone any suggestions on where to start with this problem?

It's a 1.6 FSi if that helps.

Cheers in advance
 
Just called her again and she's started the car on the drive. The battery warning light is flashing on and off though. Would this suggest not battery but alternator?
 
Dig out your ammeter (or voltage rather) check the voltage of the battery with the ignition off, should be around 12V. If it reads less than 10V it could be a bad cell. To check the generator start it up and check the battery again, should be around 14V. If it reads around 12 or less with the engine running, generator is bad.

But, I'm just an amateur...
 
Fun and games all round since last night. Decided to take the car out round the doors and see if i could replicate the fault Alternator / battery lights was on the dash constantly but nothing ocurred until about 10 minutes into the drive when i indicated to turn right.

There was a loud beep and then the traction control light and a.n.other lit up along with the DIS showing and exclamation mark (later learned to be a brake fault warning symbol). The car kept on going, engine running so i indicated again to see if this replicated the issue, which it did. Then about 250 yards later, the engine died instantly.

Got my dad to jump start it and drove home.

Came to work today in it with a view to getting it into a garage and it died again, just at the works car park, this time giving a different warning symbol in the DIS. Checked the battery and it was fine and holding charge so it's all pointing to the alternator.

I'm waiting for a call from the local main dealer with a price but i've just got one from a local independant - £351 fitted, including a new belt.

Not having any idea about these things, does this seem par for the course price wise?
 
If the battery holds its charge then the alternator may not be the culprit. Did you manage to check the battery with the engine running? Sounds more like an electric fault somewhere, a grounding issue or short somehow.
 
Bit of clarification. The battery IS holding a charge but it's only getting about 11.5V from the alternator. As such, that's all it is holding.
 
Ok, alternator it is, or voltage regulator on alternator...
£351 may be ok, I don't know UK rates, but a replacement Alternator is around that mark over here. In contrast the voltage regulator is less than one third of that price.

good luck!
 
You can get a new alternator off a well known auction site for less than £100.00. £250.00 for fitting seems alot..!
 
Well, i guess it pays to shop around a bit.

Local Independant - £351
Main VW Dealer - £349
Main Audi Dealer - £326
Local German Cars Specialist - £280

All prices include fitting and VAT. Not a bad result all things considered.
 
Lenny007 said:
Bit of clarification. The battery IS holding a charge but it's only getting about 11.5V from the alternator. As such, that's all it is holding.
Click to expand...

Most A2 alternators have a pulley with an integral clutch mechanism which is known to fail. Its possible the pulley clutch is slipping under load so check this out before replacing the alternaor / regulator
Bit more info here - http://www.a2oc.net/forum/showpost.php?p=97256&postcount=2

Cheers Spike
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top