Charging Problem
 

I had the wife's X in the driveway Tuesday adding a can of R134 with the engine running and AC on Max. When I finished up, I pulled it in the garage. An hour later I went out and it wouldn't start - dead battery. It's an '02 with the orginal battery, so pulled the battery out and picked up a replacement. No problems for three days. Friday afternoon, I'm driving the X home from work with the AC on, stop by the wife's office to pick her up. When she comes out, the X won't start. Dead battery....

Get it jumped, come home check the battery - 'bout 12.5 volts. Start the car and rev the engine and it reads 14 volts. I'm thinking bad battery. Wife drives the car this morning and comes back in saying the battery light is on now... :confused:

I take the car to where I got the battery and they say bad alternator...

OK, before I order a Bosch golden alternator, is there something else that I should be looking for?

14 Volts does not suggest a bad alternator. Do a search on the forum for this problem as it is very common.

I had this...more or less. Changing the Heater (aka Final Stage) Resistor solved it. It takes 30-45 mins, and the part csts about £GB40.

Ah, but now the alternator is not charging. I guess I should elaborate. The place that sold me the battery had me start the X, run it up to 2k rpm and then he put a load on the system. The engine stalled immediately. The alternator definitely isn't charging now.

I assume that the "Battery" icon on the dash indicates that the alternator isn't charging - correct??(I hate to assume anything with these cars)

If they are still showing 14 volts then it should be charging. Bosch alternators usually charge around 13.85 volts. If the "Idiot Light" is showing or if you have 12.5 volts or less then it is not charging.

It was reading 14 volts Friday night - that's why I let the wife drive it Saturday morning. When she came back, the alternator definitely wasn't charging. I'm just wanting to be sure that there's not another simple reason that the alternator would have stopped working besides the obvious.

Autohausaz.com has the alternator for about $200 plus core - definitely cheaper than a trip to the dealer if that's all it needs.

Where is the resistor located?

Colin

I found the thread on how to change the Final Stage Resistor, but can anyone tell me how to test it to see if it is faulty?

I'm just wanting to be sure that there's not another simple reason that the alternator would have stopped working besides the obvious.

They tend to either charge or not. If it is going in and out such as you explained then I would change the alternator. At $200 it would most likely be as cheap to exchange the unit as to pay an auto electrician to start rebuilding the internals.

They tend to either charge or not. If it is going in and out such as you explained then I would change the alternator.

Replaced the alternator yesterday afternoon and that appears to have solved the problem. Props to Autohaus AZ for getting me the alternator in two days after finding that they didn't have one in stock. I've ordered lots of stuff from them using the web site, but this was the first time that I've dealt with them over the phone. Very courteous and responsive.