[Sigh]

 

200 miles from home, on holiday, and battery (alternator) light comes on.

 

Turn everything non-essential off, plug in OBDEleven on the move, battery showing 11.8 and falling. Never seen it below 12.1 before, even though it's ancient, and when engine running it's usually 14+. Got as low as 11.6 while driving. 

 

Diverted immediately to nearest open car parts place (no option but Halfords) to get a new battery, as we're staying off the beaten track and didn't want to be unable to restart the car miles from anywhere, or have to call recovery. Engine barely turned over in the car park, so swapped in the new one there and then.

 

Car started, but OBD told me on the way back, that the new one wasn't charging either, so ancient battery probably not to blame. 

 

Memory says 'alternator', but google / Briskoda says 'maybe just the regulator'. There's a thread on here about switching out the regulator with the alternator still in situ, but that's on an older Octavia. And as I have only basic tools with me, I'm guessing that's not really an immediate option. 

 

So having to weigh these options:

- attempting to get back (on Sunday) as we are (original battery is charging tonight, and if necessary I can swap them out again tomorrow night)

 

- calling recovery on Sunday morning, and accepting the potentially painful cost of a new alternator.

 

Any thoughts?

 

 

 

Check for a broken wire at the alternator plug.

Use a fully charged battery to get home. Should be easy, and if you have a spare, relatively stress free.

 

Then see if you can remove brushpack/regulator with alt in situ with all your tools available. 

Brushes may be worn too short, or stuck in holder.

Edited 3 August, 20241 yr by Breezy_Pete

The alternator itself won't be too difficult to change yourself should it come to that. Check the condition of the auxiliary belt too while it's off.

20 hours ago, MijIsTired said:

There's a thread on here about switching out the regulator with the alternator still in situ, but that's on an older Octavia. And as I have only basic tools with me, I'm guessing that's not really an immediate option. 

 

20 hours ago, MijIsTired said:

Any thoughts?

 

Petes suggestion is the best, try and have the old and new battery charged before making the journey.

 

Regulator/brushpack replacement is nearly always easier than alternator removal although can be fiddly, no question that is easier once off the car but its entirely doable especially if you only have basic tools and the car can continue to be driven with a charged battery, insulate very carefully the removed min cable and tie it into a safe position.

 

Definitely check for broken sensing wire first of all.

Dodging in to say

- thank you all

- setting off with fingers crossed

- will reply properly when home 

and

- new behaviour: when setting off from a brief essential pit stop, battery light was on/off for a couple of miles. Couldn’t find a pattern, wasn’t just on load / engine retard / other state.

 

Any ideas..? 

 

Commutator brushes worn/stuck or intermittent connection problem.

 

How many miles has it done?

It didn’t go so well.

 

20mins into journey on new battery and everything shut down by load management.

 

Luckily, had an inkling and was headed for a service area, so only had to push 100yds to safety.

 

Switched battery to old but charged one, to shift to car park.

 

RAC confirmed battery fine, no obvious sign of dodgy earth. Gave alternator a robust whack, which did nothing initially but a couple more thwacks saw multimeter go up to 14+V.

 

Held for a couple of minutes. I took revs up a bit as an experiment (and as battery light didn’t always come on at tick over), and sure enough the bloody thing dipped again.

 

tl:dr - we drove 40 mins to another service area with the RAC as escort, and power steering shut down as we coasted into the car park.

 

So yeah… Now awaiting recovery (that RAC dude booked as insurance before we set off). But as we’re still 150 miles away and it’s 8.30pm on a Sunday night in school holidays, no idea what happens next.

 

So if anyone has any more suggestions that might get us going before the area’s finest recovery folk arrive, hit me up. 😬 
 

 

3 hours ago, J.R. said:

Commutator brushes worn/stuck or intermittent connection problem.

 

How many miles has it done?

Stuck brushes defo part of it, as the thumping it approach worked briefly.

 

Car has done 158,000. Didn’t have it from new but have done the majority of the miles. Can’t recall having a replacement and definitely haven’t changed it myself. 

Yes, thats probably about right mileage wise for the life of the brushes.

 

Did you get back finally?

On 05/08/2024 at 21:16, J.R. said:

Yes, thats probably about right mileage wise for the life of the brushes.

 

Did you get back finally?

 

Thanks for asking, yes, but 20hrs after first called recovery, and on the back of a truck. The RAC had better brace themselves for feedback. 

New alternator went in on Tuesday. My regular garage queue-jumped me, which was very decent of them. 

In another emergency hire car now though, as sodding rip-off used replacement drive shaft bought when none could be sourced for love nor money a month ago, started making new and worse noises (which I could feel through the floor) and I couldn't let anyone drive the distance required today. 

Starting to question my car-related life choices tbh.