Battery / Alternator Fail...

[timskemp]

Well, my mission of mercy, involving taking a good friend to LGW this morning so she could get to her grandad's funeral in Banjul turned into a mission of despair.

Got there, no problem, but on way back just past the M4 the "Electrical consumers switched off" message appeared - we stopped, restarted (after turning on the voltmeter) and it was clear, no charging....

So asked the sat-nav for the nearest dealer, it took us to MB Watford, who were "too busy unless we left it for the day" so we carried on home...

4 miles from home the message changes to Battery Alternator Failure - Stop immideatly, and Brake System Impaired, Stop Immediately - so I brought it slowly into my local indy.

So... Are W211 alternators as HFM as I'm led to believe, is it likely to be something else???

 

[Nibbo]

HFM ??? whats that mean?

 

[corned]

This may sound like a blinding flash of the bleeding obvious, but the drivebelt is still turning the alternator, isn't it?

 

[timskemp]

HFM ??? whats that mean?

It's text / internet shorthand for "Surprisingly Expensive"

 

[grober]

It might just be the rectifier pack/ control unit. Don't know how easy a swop they are. A good auto electrician or local Bosch service centre should be able to help- cheaper than a new alternator? Give them a bell with your chassis/model number to find out- local number usually in Yellow pages

 

[timskemp]

This may sound like a blinding flash of the bleeding obvious, but the drivebelt is still turning the alternator, isn't it?

It does appear to be!

 

[Nibbo]

It's text / internet shorthand for "Surprisingly Expensive"

Thanks; I get it now...

 

[BlackC55]

You may have a water cooled alternator BTW.

Also the battery control unit may have gone down too.

 

[timskemp]

You may have a water cooled alternator BTW.

Also the battery control unit may have gone down too.

why does this start to sound worse...

Any pointers I need to aim at my local guy before he starts looking tomorrow?