AutoElectricians advice needed desperately!!

[bobsyouruncle 10]

Hi Guys, this is gonna be a long winded post, as I'm trying to give as much info and detail as possible.

The problem started around 3 months ago, been out in the car, and parked up, after a few hours, we got back in the car, and when I started her up, I noticed a little smoke coming from underneath the bonnet, top right hand corner, and the battery light stayed on. I turned off the engine once the smoke had cleared and after a few minutes, started her up again, and still the battery light stayed on.

Took the car to my local garage and they said alternator was on its way out, so they replaced it with one from the scrapyard.

Everything was fine until last Friday, we had just been to Thurnscoe in Rotherham and was on our way back home down the A1M, when I noticed the ABS came on, (I automatically presumed it needed some brake fluid), then after 20 seconds or so, the Battery light came on, then the radio went off ,though I couldnt say when as it was only on low and I could barely hear it! then I lost the rev counter, though the car seemed to be driving normally, then I lost the Speedometer and the indicators a little while after, imagine this happening going down the motorway about 80mph in the outside lane overtaking, on a Friday evening around 6pm, (I was s h it scared as I had my partner and our little girl in the back) and was suddenly losing all power.

I managed to pull onto the hard shoulder safely, and the car seemed to be ok, after a few minutes of idling, everything came back to life.

Managed to get to Meadowhall when we lost everything again.

Got a couple of mile from home, and the car just died completely.

After a couple of hours, we went back to the car, and it started ok, but after a couple of minutes, we lost everything again, but I managed to get her home.

Phoned the garage but it wouldn't start up, but it started with a set of jump leads and it got to the garage, but lost everything again, the symptoms were exactly the same: ABS light and SRS light came on, battery light came on, lost rev counter, speedometer and indicators, bit it didnt die on me!

Garage have again replaced the alternator, and the earth cable, but I am not convinced this is the problem.

I'm hoping you guys can put my mind at rest or at least give me some advice or your opinion as to what the fault is/was, I dont particularly want to be driving the car for long periods of time in case it happens again and I'm stuck!!

Could it be an electronic problem with the management system as the garage didn't do a diagnostic test, maybe you can tell me how much and where in Sheffield, or maybe some one could come to me!

 

Thanks.

Bob.

 

 

 

Sorry for the long winded thread!!

[dan2802 53]

Make, model, year??

[bobsyouruncle 10]

Rover 414iS 1396cc V reg 1999

[UnkleBob 10]

everything you've said sounds like the alt to me. I had one die on my Audi and it practically told me it was going, ie, ABS and battery light showing. Battery was just able to re-start it after a few hours, jump leads work etc. Try a 2nd opinion if you're not happy. Was the scrapyard alternator warrantied?

[bobsyouruncle 10]

everything you've said sounds like the alt to me. I had one die on my Audi and it practically told me it was going, ie, ABS and battery light showing. Battery was just able to re-start it after a few hours, jump leads work etc. Try a 2nd opinion if you're not happy. Was the scrapyard alternator warrantied?

 

This is the 2nd alternator in 3 months, and its happened again, had it all of 10 minutes, drove it home, it was ok, drove it down the road to my brothers, no more than 1 mile, started it up and the battery light flickered on, but went off, then it lost everything again, abs light came on, battery light, rev counter and speedo went mad, but then settled but now i dont trust the car,.

Could it be the battery thats knackered or going that way?

Just forked out £80 to get it sorted, but it isnt.

[Bloomdido 10]

I once put a new alternator on a car and it failed in days. My car was dying anf the cold night last Thyrsday finished it off. Just got a battery for a tener from Beighton breakers and it's sweet.