Electrical problem

Hello everyone

New to this so i would be very gratefull for your help. I have a td4 2003 which developed a problem about six weeks ago as i was driveing along i noticed the red battery light flickering every now and then this went on for a couple of days then it started to happen more and more. And then as i was driving down the motorway at about 70mph the light came on and all the dails droped and loss of power for about 2 seconds this happened a few times so i tok it to a auto elecy who said it was the alternator so i paid him £180 to change it. I had the car back 3-4 weeks and the red battery light is starting to flash again so i took it back to him where he said the alternator is fine and their must be a bad connection somewhere but i find it funny the car was fine for 3-4 weeks after he changed the alternator. Any thoughts would be very grateful cheers all Paul

ask him fer yer, no! tell him to give your £180 back, then take it to someone thats knows what they are doing

Firstly, in my experience when the alternator fails yer slowly grind to a halt because the battery uses what charge it has left after the alternator packed up...doubt it would die suddenly und then come back ter life again.

More likely that yer have a loose conection somewhere und the leccy knocked it right whe changun the alternator - worked its way bad again.

I agree wiv Slob, ...turn the fooker upside down un shake him if yer have to, but get yer money back und find a proper leccy wurf his weight!

Take the front bumper off for access and you'll find a spare plug that has got trapped in the air con compressor pulley.

Take out the offside headlamp

The wire for this spare plug runs up the front offside behind the bumper and up to the headlight area.

The plug doesn't do anything, so, un-trap it and tape it up behind the headlamp.

Get your £180 back!!!!!

clutchdust said:

Take the front bumper off for access and you'll find a spare plug that has got trapped in the air con compressor pulley.

Take out the offside headlamp

The wire for this spare plug runs up the front offside behind the bumper and up to the headlight area.

The plug doesn't do anything, so, un-trap it and tape it up behind the headlamp.

Get your £180 back!!!!!

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Now thats a fookin diagnosis if I ever heard un....way ta go clutchy...Haway Paulhed, get stuckin un letas know if he's right!

Leviathan said:

Now thats a fookin diagnosis if I ever heard un....way ta go clutchy...Haway Paulhed, get stuckin un letas know if he's right!

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I've seen this a few times, I have no idea what the plug does but one of the wires to it is on the charge warning light curcuit, when the plug gets trapped or chaffs, the wire goes to earth, putting the battery light on.

The plug normally lives under the radiator but can, quite often, fall out and chaff or get trapped behind the A/C compressor pulley.

If he's had an alternator fitted then the tech should have found it as you need to remove the A/C compressor to get to the alternator.

If its not chaffed there then it'll be chaffed somewhere by the radiator

Sorry to drag up an old post...

My battery lite has been flickering on and off for the past couple of weeks, and have on two occassions smelt/seen smoke coming from alternator/belt area of my 2003 TD4. The only way I can describe it is a definate electrical smoke smell, and the smoke had a blue tinge to it. At these times the battery lite was constantly on. After switching off engine and on again, no more problem, until the next time.

The car starts fine, everytime.

Does this sound like a dodgy alternator or a trapped plug as described by clutchdust (please let it be the latter!) Havent tested voltages yet (job for tomorow).

Or shall I wait for it to catch fire and claim on insurance?!?!?

chuts said:

Sorry to drag up an old post...

My battery lite has been flickering on and off for the past couple of weeks, and have on two occassions smelt/seen smoke coming from alternator/belt area of my 2003 TD4. The only way I can describe it is a definate electrical smoke smell, and the smoke had a blue tinge to it. At these times the battery lite was constantly on. After switching off engine and on again, no more problem, until the next time.

The car starts fine, everytime.

Does this sound like a dodgy alternator or a trapped plug as described by clutchdust (please let it be the latter!) Havent tested voltages yet (job for tomorow).
Or shall I wait for it to catch fire and claim on insurance?!?!?

Click to expand...

er best ta ave er look at clutchy's free info earthling. . . .

or get Clutchy to look at it?

well, its definately looking like a fried alternator, the dead battery this morn seems to have confirmed it. No loose wires anywhere and after making room to get to the fecker, can clearly see smoke eminating from it when engine is going

looking on ebay as we speak, looking at about £120 so not toooo bad. Any tips other than whats in haynes manual as to replacing the thing?

Also I have seen it mentioned it could be a voltage regulator responsible. Is this part of the alternator?

yep,voltage reg/ diode pack usually fail first, they can be repaired for a few pence, if you have the skills, or find a specialist repair shop, but usually you want to get yer motor back running as soon as poss so 120 notes is not looking to bad,

p.s. if the charge light has been flickering , or dim glow, a good sign of a diode failing, they are a 3 phase alternator, 6 diode bridge rectifier ,the charge light goes out when the voltage at the rectifier and battery are the same ,

thanks john t.

I have the alternator ordered so hopefully should sort it. So all charging bits that could be the cause of the problem are in/on the alternator and will be renewed when I bolt the new one on?