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Old 28th May 2019, 16:09   #1
Binny
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Default Battery warning light

When overtaking a lorry earlier today the battery warning light came on accompanied by ‘charging error’ warning message. I turned all electrics off and drove the five miles back to where we’re staying in Ribblesdale and noticed that when taking tight right hand bends at speed that the warning light would go off and then come on again after the bend.
Does this sound like it could be a poor connection somewhere or a terminal alternator failure? I’ve had a good look round the engine bay and can’t see anything obvious and because we’re on holiday I haven’t got any of my tools or multi meter with me so can’t really do much more.
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Old 28th May 2019, 16:44   #2
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Id nipninto a garage and get the voltage checked with a meter, you dont want to get stuck with a dead alternator.
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Old 28th May 2019, 16:52   #3
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check the connections make sure there nice and tight also as binny said call to a garage to make sure that the alternator is charging correctly if all is corrcect it may be that the battery is on the way out . how old is the battery rgds mark
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Old 28th May 2019, 18:41   #4
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Thanks for your replies.
The battery is a recentish Bosch so I don’t think that’s the problem. The terminals are on firmly although I can twist them by hand if I push hard enough. The terminal on the starter where the leads from the battery and alternator attach can be moved more easily but I can’t tighten it any further as we’re on holiday and haven’t brought any tools or my multi meter.
To be fair the terminals have been like this for sometime since I rebuilt the starter without issue and the car starts without any problem and twisting them slightly has no effect on the battery warning light/charging.
The car has done 250,000 miles (diesel) so I’m thinking it could be the alternator although is it normal for it to go so suddenly?
Also anyone know roughly how far I might get in it with everything electrical turned off before the battery is completely flat?
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Old 28th May 2019, 19:28   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Binny View Post
When overtaking a lorry earlier today the battery warning light came on accompanied by ‘charging error’ warning message. I turned all electrics off and drove the five miles back to where we’re staying in Ribblesdale and noticed that when taking tight right hand bends at speed that the warning light would go off and then come on again after the bend.
Does this sound like it could be a poor connection somewhere or a terminal alternator failure? I’ve had a good look round the engine bay and can’t see anything obvious and because we’re on holiday I haven’t got any of my tools or multi meter with me so can’t really do much more.
Sounds similar to what happened to me a few years ago- the battery positive lead had become loose on the battery post losing contact periodically.
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Old 28th May 2019, 19:54   #6
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Thanks for the reply Yorkshire but the positive terminal is firmly on and I can’t think that the fact that I can twist it if I push really hard would mean it wouldn’t be a good enough contact to prevent it charging as it’s good enough for the car to start! It is strange the light goes of when taking right hand bends at speed though.
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Old 28th May 2019, 20:07   #7
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At 250k if it's never being changed the regulator on the alternator could be failing that's what caused mine at 180k

As others have said pop in to a garage and get the charge output tested , or if your by a lidl they had some cheap meters in last week

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Old 28th May 2019, 20:28   #8
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I bought a car with a dead alternator, drove from Portsmouth to Hull using 3 fully charged batteries, no lights or wipers.

Using Google maps it equates to 87 miles per battery!
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Old 28th May 2019, 21:28   #9
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Thanks for your replies Sewerman and Trikey.
I think I’m probably grasping at straws hoping it’s a bad/loose connection and will have to accept that the alternator needs some attention.
That’s invaluable information about how far you could go on a battery Trikey. As it happens I’ve got about 85 miles to go back to Hull so might chance it. Was your three battery trip in a diesel?
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Old 28th May 2019, 21:31   #10
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85 miles? where are you staying?

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