We have a G Reg VW Golf and since Friday the battery lights have been staying on.
We got a brand new battery in January, so could it be a loose wire or something more serious?
The car starts and runs fine, but the lights stay on
Cheers
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implies that it isnt charging properly. What condition is the alternator belt in ?
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absolutely no idea!
I know nothing about cars - where would I find the alternator belt? can only see one belt and that's the fan belt so I'm told
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Fan belt would probably be it. Lots of people call it the fan belt when there hasn't been a fan attached to them for about 2 decades!
The alternator will have something resembling a fan just in front of the body, behind the pulley. If the belt's intact then I'd suspect the alternator or wire. Get someone to check the cabling and that it's actually still charging or at least delivering some power as worst it can do is battery runs out of juice and you'll break down!
Unless a wire's fallen off I suspect you need a new alternator.
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Mike Farrow
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I'll have a look tonight when I get home - had nothing but problems with this car since the beginning of the year.....
Is getting a new alternator a pricey job?
Thanks for the replies so far :o)
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There's a nearly new one on ebay for £2, but you'll have to get someone to fit it of course. Easy job for a mechanic though, 1/2 hour tops.
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Mike Farrow
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Check if alternator brushes are worn out, they are part of the altnernator regulator, which is mounted on the back of the alternator and held in by two bolts (approx 4BA size).Brushes last around 100,000-150,000 miles.
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Give the alternator a (gentle ish) clonk with a hammer handle. If the brushes are worn this may well put tham back in contact, and the light will go out. Will come on again a few weeks/months, but at least you will know what it is. I had a car that the battery light never went out on, but it charged OK. Never did figure out why, but first I knew the alternator had stopped charging was when the car wouldn't start!
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RichardW
Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....
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I have no idea where the alternator is in the engine - I'm a girlie! hehehe
are there any places I can look online that have labelled pics of Golf engines? ;o)
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Its about the size of a large tin of Birds custard, its got a couple of thick wires coming out the back, and its got that thing you said was the fan belt wrapped round a pulley on one end of it,
Oh and its got ventilation holes in it. (not the pulley the custard tin)
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As I said it will be attached to the 'fan' belt. It will look something like this
cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4542...4
It's about the size of a pineapple.
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Mike Farrow
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Without wishing to add to the confusion - has no-one considered a sticky/failed relay here?
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If the lady can't recognise an alternator, I think there is little assistance in giving her advice on relays, brushes etc.
Best advice would be to go to an autoelectrican, or Halfords or similar and ask them to check the battery and alternator (preferably accompanied by someone with mechanical/automotive experience.
With a G reg vehicle, looks like a duff alternator to me
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If you can get your hands on a multimeter, just check the battery voltage when the engine's running. Should be higher than 13 volts.
A seriously lazy way to test it is to sit in the car and listen very carefully to the engine note while switching the rear heated windscreen on and off. This draws a large amount of power, and, if the alternator is working properly, will put additional load on the engine, slowing it down ever so slightly, which can be noticed by a delicate ear.
If you can't hear a change, it means the extra current is being supplied from the battery and your alternator's knackered.
Alternatively, start the engines one night, flick the headlights on, and then put the rear windscreen on. If the lights dim, same problem, though on a decent battery this might not be so noticable.
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>>As I said it will be attached to the 'fan' belt. It will look something like this cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4542...4 It's about the size of a pineapple. -------------- Mike Farrow
so that's what the alternator is then! hehehe
OK, will try some of the ideas about lights and wipers etc - failing that it's going to the garage to get checked.
Just a bit wary about putting it in as the last time we did it came out with more problems than it went in with!>>
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well it turns out the fan belt had completely disappeared which would explain a lot!
it started running out of power yesterday and my boyfriend managed to get it to the garage so they're sorting it today :o)
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