Alternator F**ked!!

[stuartkern]

Not much more to say really! Driving down the M4 last night about 12:30am, when on comes the battery light, followed by the battery warning light (on the DIS), and then just about every other light remaining! Stereo goes crazy, dash board lights disappear, then the dreaded (!) light starts beeping and flashing at me! (Which translates from Audi terms to english.. 'Your car is f**ked and so are you!'). And all of a sudden my accelerator becomes a second brake pedal!!

So my car is currently sitting outside a garage waiting for me to call them on Tuesday morning.

Simple question... anyone out there had to replace their alternator on a 1.8T '99...and how much am I looking at??!!

Regards,

One 'car-less' owner...

 

[dan_a3]

Dont mean to patronise you, but you have checked the belt havent you? Your PAS and A/C is still working i take it?

 

[Mo-S3]

Check the belts are they still there? Start the car up and check voltage across battery; should be around 14.4v. Obvioulsy no help when car is sat outside garage.

 

[AndyMac]

It'll be about £230-£250 at an independant, £350+ from dealer if it is the alternator. Trickle charge the battery overnight and the car shoud still be usable over a short distance. Unusual for the alternator to completely fail.

 

[stuartkern]

Without sounding stupid, what belt should I be checking???! Worth bearing in mind that I know very little about what's what under the bonnet!

 

[rodenal]

IF you've the plastic cover off the engine, look down the left hand side, there's a small plastic cover you can reach down and unclip, do so and move it over to check the belt.

 

[HmanS3]

mine dieed the other week very easy to change cost me £150 from GSF on a new Bosch 120 amp one

 

[stuartkern]

Nuts! I'm now paying £290 fitted at Fontain (Audi Specialist) in Iver. Never mind, too late now!

Cheers for the feedback though.

 

[fingermouse]

there are spots that do exchange units as well, some places either repair yours or exchange for one that been repaired ........ bit late now I know

 

[AndyMac]

That's still a bargain, Audi dealer wanted £280 just for the Bosch alternator and £150 on top for fitting. Sadly had to take my business elsewhere and got the whole thing done at a VAG specialist for £260 all in.

 

[Audiman99]

Hey ur post made me laugh exact same thing happened to me last night, costing me £280 from a vag specialist, didnt have time to check around cos need car back on road.

Damn Audis!

Not much more to say really! Driving down the M4 last night about 12:30am, when on comes the battery light, followed by the battery warning light (on the DIS), and then just about every other light remaining! Stereo goes crazy, dash board lights disappear, then the dreaded (!) light starts beeping and flashing at me! (Which translates from Audi terms to english.. 'Your car is f**ked and so are you!'). And all of a sudden my accelerator becomes a second brake pedal!!

So my car is currently sitting outside a garage waiting for me to call them on Tuesday morning.

Simple question... anyone out there had to replace their alternator on a 1.8T '99...and how much am I looking at??!!

Regards,

One 'car-less' owner...

 

[Defratos]

why would this be the alternator? cause I had mine go a few years back and never had this problem. The car just wouldn't charge

 

[Audiman99]

Well I’m getting mine back 2moro, if I get the same problem then I know it wasn’t the alternator and I’ve wasted 280 quid, my battery was fully charged over night And after a 10 min drive with no electrics used the mechanic checked it for a charge it read 0 when it should have been 14. Pretty sure it’s the alternator and I had all the symptoms as described in the first post.

 

[Defratos]

Well I’m getting mine back 2moro, if I get the same problem then I know it wasn’t the alternator and I’ve wasted 280 quid, my battery was fully charged over night And after a 10 min drive with no electrics used the mechanic checked it for a charge it read 0 when it should have been 14. Pretty sure it’s the alternator and I had all the symptoms as described in the first post.

well, I guess I was lucky then. But I don't get why the car would go into stall mode? I mean why would It come to a complete shutdown as described above?

 

[Audiman99]

Hey got the car back and its fine, running sweet. I no it sounds strange i didnt expect it to 'shutdown' like it did but i guess its to do with the ecu and it getting no power. So glad its fixed, wonder wot my next problem gonna be?

 

[neil.c]

If the battery is flat and the alternator is not working the engine will stop it needs something to keep it going plus as the voltage of the battery drops off all of the electronics will start playing up. I flattened the battery on the wifes Porsche last year while cleaning it and it came up with ABS failure PSM failure amongst other things, it was ok when the battery was charged but a bit of a brown trouser moment when it happened