Battery Light on...windows not working

Vanilla

Vanilla

Vanilla

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
9,540
I have a Pug 306 Hdi (V Reg).

I was driving up to Northampton the other day to see some mates.

Along the way the battery light came on. I risked it and carried on. The only thing NOT working were the windows. Everything else was fine - lights, stereo, etc.

Some people have said that my altenator is no longer charging the battery. Thing is - it has been 4 days and the car still starrts and runs fine. The battery would have been dead long ago if it were no longer getting a charge?

Any ideas?
 
Put a voltmeter across the battery when the engine is at idle. It should measure >14v. Then put the revs up, the voltage should stay continuous.
 
splitz said:
Put a voltmeter across the battery when the engine is at idle. It should measure >14v. Then put the revs up, the voltage should stay continuous.
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Might be able to get hold of one tomorrow.

Do you know how much they are in Halfords?
 
Vanilla said:
Might be able to get hold of one tomorrow.

Do you know how much they are in Halfords?
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No, probably a ridiculous price for what you want one for, but that high street electronics shop beginning with 'M' sells them for a fiver.
 
bullit in head said:
also remeber a diesel doesnt use the battery to run.....no spark.
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Whilst a classic mechanicly injected diesel engine requires no electrics to run, the OP's car is an HDi, so uses common rail electronic injection.

In any case, when an car is running (with an operational charging system) the battery is not really used. The battery is only for starting and operating electrics when the engine is not running, or if the load is too great for the alternator (esp. at low engine speeds).

If the light is on all the time then it's quite possible that the battery is not being charged. It's possible it could last for several days if you were only doing 1 or two short journeys everyday. Have you checked the fuse for the electric windows?
 
OK, managed to borrow a multimeter off a neighbour. It only went up to 12v but it was clearly on 12v when the engine was on.

Checked the fuses too, all ok...
 
Vanilla said:
OK, managed to borrow a multimeter off a neighbour. It only went up to 12v but it was clearly on 12v when the engine was on.

Checked the fuses too, all ok...
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Sounds like a charging fault then, it should be >14v really, when the engine is running.
 
just an idea have you checked the condition of the drive belt (fan belt to my age) could be its slipping and just supplying enough to keep the battery topped up.. actually had a diesel vectra in the other day (new shape ) with a similar complaint, and the belt was in place but the crank pulley was in 2 pieces (rubber dampened pulley to cut engine vibrations, rubber had split and the part that the belt ran on was in the undertray) owner said he heard a bang a couple of days previous, but carried on :eek: bit concerning as the belt runs the waterpump as well, but no damage.
 
Vanilla said:
Along the way the battery light came on. I risked it and carried on. The only thing NOT working were the windows. Everything else was fine - lights, stereo, etc.
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Out of those things the windows will be using the most voltage, sounds like your alternator is on its way out.
Do you have electric sunroof, ac or anything that might use even more volts to test it.
Try something plugged into the cigeratte lighter maybe
 
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