Car is mk1 crd, 2010 plate but built in 2008..90k miles
Was fine, no lights or anything.
Battery replaced a few months ago due to sudden total failure.
Did a 150 mile run and parked up overnight 0c temps). Starts fine the next morning and backed out of drive and parked up.
Tried to start it up and it wouldn't (spins over fast enough it no start).
Noticed at this point that when turned off and turned to the pre start point that the normal self test of the dash lamps has changed in that the charging light comes on with all the rest, flickers off then comes straight back on..this is before starting.
Voltage wise the computer (and my volt meter ) says 12.0-12.1 volts at the battery.
Called AA at this point.
After several attempts the car did start and he tested the alternator output voltage and got 10.6 volts at the alternator output while the battery was sitting at 12. He then tested the voltage at the front jumping point and got 12v...
This morning I put the battery on charge for a couple of hours (11amp charger, battery reading 12.8 volts after that).
Car wouldn't start 3 or 4 times (say 5-10 seconds turning each time) then did.
At which point i delivered it to the garage just round the corner who said " yeh it will be the alternator - won't be cheap".
Obviously on the four hour flat bed trip last night I had priced up a new alternator!
My question...sorry it's taken a while! Most alternator failures seem to be that the charging light goes out, then come on once started and i havent seen many comments about difficulty starting with a half charged battery...
Why does the charging light stay on before starting ..could this mean that it's NOT the alternator??? (Don't want to do a very expensive job unnecessarily!)
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Thekickinside
Hello all, thanks for reading..
Car is mk1 crd, 2010 plate but built in 2008..90k miles
Was fine, no lights or anything.
Battery replaced a few months ago due to sudden total failure.
Did a 150 mile run and parked up overnight 0c temps). Starts fine the next morning and backed out of drive and parked up.
Tried to start it up and it wouldn't (spins over fast enough it no start).
Noticed at this point that when turned off and turned to the pre start point that the normal self test of the dash lamps has changed in that the charging light comes on with all the rest, flickers off then comes straight back on..this is before starting.
Voltage wise the computer (and my volt meter ) says 12.0-12.1 volts at the battery.
Called AA at this point.
After several attempts the car did start and he tested the alternator output voltage and got 10.6 volts at the alternator output while the battery was sitting at 12. He then tested the voltage at the front jumping point and got 12v...
This morning I put the battery on charge for a couple of hours (11amp charger, battery reading 12.8 volts after that).
Car wouldn't start 3 or 4 times (say 5-10 seconds turning each time) then did.
At which point i delivered it to the garage just round the corner who said " yeh it will be the alternator - won't be cheap".
Obviously on the four hour flat bed trip last night I had priced up a new alternator!
My question...sorry it's taken a while! Most alternator failures seem to be that the charging light goes out, then come on once started and i havent seen many comments about difficulty starting with a half charged battery...
Why does the charging light stay on before starting ..could this mean that it's NOT the alternator??? (Don't want to do a very expensive job unnecessarily!)
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