Flickering battery light !!!!!

[emmafwa 0]

My battery light started flickering, on tuesday and I promised myself to look at it on the weekend.

 

Lastnight I put petrol in and when I tried to start her up again there was nothing there.

 

A friend came with some jump leads and she started first time, but only travelled 200 yards before she completely died again.

 

I put a new battery in but the light is still flickering????? when its just idleing the light doesnt come on, but the more pressure I put on the throttle the more it flickers and it doesnt seem to matter if I have the stereo lights heater etc on or not !!! :?

 

Anyone with any suggestions what is wrong ??

 

Any help will be great

 

Cheers

 

Emma

 

:)

[ben16v 0]

i think its a 2.0 16v if it makes any difference!

 

could be a dodgy earth, loose battery clamp on terminal?

 

sure some more suggestions will be along soon

[Trig 0]

Loose clamp or worn terminal could be the answer. Especially if the light flickers more when you rev the engine.

[emmafwa 0]

Its definately not loose because I triple checked when I put the new one on. And there is no worn wires showin on the clamps. :(

 

Thanks so far

[corradophil 3]

Sounds like worn alternator brushes to me.

 

You can get them for not much nore than a tenner, and they are a 5 minute job to fit.

[_Monkey 0]

It could be the bushes on your alternator, if it's not charging the battery, it'll just use up the juice in the battery and go dead.

 

Easy way to test is to turn on the engine and put a volt meter across the battery, if it's not registering 14(ish) volts with the engine running, the alternator isn't working.

 

Ususlly an easy fix, a set of bushes usually costs around £15 and isn't too difficult to fit, if you're willing to get your hands dirty!

 

Edit: Doh! Phil, you beat me to it!!!

[emmafwa 0]

Would it still flicker with a brand new battery straight away if its the altenator?????

 

Just asking :D

[corradophil 3]

I think it does, also check to make sure there is a thin wire going to the alternator, if this is disconnected it won't charge.

[Stan 24v 0]

It will flicker as the battery is being drained all the time, makes no odds if its new or ten years old, its still losing charge. The alt is there to provide the charge back to the battery.

[Rossco 0]

Mine does exactly this and my alternator is brand new, the battery light seems to come on when the car wheels spins and shifts about hefty (not a hooligan, its just been quite wet lately)

 

Ideas crew???

[james_88 0]

Could be the voltage regulator on the alternator?

[corradophil 3]

Could be the voltage regulator on the alternator?

 

Could be, I thnk that comes as part of the brush pack though doesn't it? So replacing the brushes would also replace this.

[Riley 0]

Could be the voltage regulator on the alternator?

 

I thnk that comes as part of the brush pack though doesn't it? So replacing the brushes would also replace this.

 

yep,the regulator is a brush pack as well.

£10 from gsf and 2 phillips screws to replace. :)

 

see pic of a tired one.

 

it sounds like its either this,or as phil says...the thin blue wire running from> the alternator is a little loose or damaged.

 

if it is,then the charging dosnt commence,therefor you end up with dead batteries.you can undo the 10mm? nut and clean the terminal up with rough sandpaper.

 

Neil.

[Riley 0]

also worth noting...

 

the non vw regulators are 14.4 volts(iirc) instead of 14v,so when fitted they need a slight blip of the throttle before the light goes out.

 

not really a problem :)

[Rossco 0]

Could be the voltage regulator on the alternator?

if it is,then the charging dosnt commence,therefor you end up with dead batteries.you can undo the 10mm? nut and clean the terminal up with rough sandpaper.

 

Neil.

 

Sound, ill give this a go like, fingers crossed yo!!

[selbekk 0]

*realizing my car is just the same* - priceless

[Rob_B 0]

also worth noting...

 

the non vw regulators are 14.4 volts(iirc) instead of 14v,so when fitted they need a slight blip of the throttle before the light goes out.

 

not really a problem :)

 

thats why my battery light stays on until i blip the throttle!!!

i get it now!

 

sounds like the voltage regulator, this happened to me. £10 later from gsf and away we go

[sciroccotune 0]

looks like the GSF option is the way to go. I order what i thought was the regulator from VW only to be given 2 individual carbon brushes!!!!!

 

I had to solder them to my old regulator myself! (bloody VAG)

 

Looks like ill get on the GSF website, anyone got the part number for the complete regulator?

[Riley 0]

here ya go m8 :)

 

oe vw bosch and replacement gsf regulators.

 

Neil.

[dr_mat 0]

Interesting. They're increasing the voltages steadily. Better watch that doesn't fry anything sensitive!

[sciroccotune 0]

cheers Neil, help as always :-)

[sciroccotune 0]

OK GSF had no idea what the number on the back of the reg was. but they did manage to find it. So if anyone wants one its gsf part number 91030.

[Riley 0]

no probs m8 :)

 

must be the makers number on the gsf reg then? you can normally give the vw number to gsf and they will find the part you're after 8)

 

good to have the gsf part number though :D

why do i keep saying 'number' :roll: :lol:

 

dr_mat,i think the 14.5 volts is the spiked voltage at which the reg starts the charging circuit? not sure though...

 

Neil.

[sciroccotune 0]

The Gsf in my area has just started up so maybe they just couldnt find it. The item deffo has that number on it :lol:

 

Anyways all fitted and looking good, thanks again :-)

[Riley 0]

cool sciroccotune m8 8)