Possible car woes.

DoubleCheese · 16 Apr 2012 at 20:04

I've got an 06 Focus Sport TDCi, 1.6l and while driving this morning, after about 40 miles, I noticed the battery light came on. Suspecting a broken fan belt I looked for a place to pull over and kept an eye on the temperature gauge. It didn't move and after about 5min the light went off. The engine sounded different, a whirring sound came when the revs were above 1500rpm.

I parked up and called my garage and arranged to take it in tomorrow. On the way back, literally as turned into my drive, the ABS and Power Steering lights came on, then went off and on again. The steering went as pulled up to stop.

I've had a quick look and the belts look in place. If they were slipping wouldn't they make a horrendous screeching sound?

Any other ideas?

Tbid · 16 Apr 2012 at 20:09

Slipping belts (the ones that i've heard) have never made a screeching sound, only a squealing sound and they only make it when first starting up.

DoubleCheese · 16 Apr 2012 at 20:17

I've just started the car and the battery is almost flat so the alternator isn't charging he battery or its faulty. The Power Steering is back though. Duff belts?

rodenal · 16 Apr 2012 at 20:27

Sounds very much like your alternator. Change the belt first to make sure that's not the issue, worth checking for a tenner and it needs to come off anyway if you're doing the alternator.

Put new belt on, start the car and check what reading you get at the battery

DoubleCheese · 16 Apr 2012 at 20:58

rodenal said:
Sounds very much like your alternator. Change the belt first to make sure that's not the issue, worth checking for a tenner and it needs to come off anyway if you're doing the alternator.

Put new belt on, start the car and check what reading you get at the battery

Ok, thanks. The garage said it was the alternator but wanted to see the car first before going in next week for the repair job.

I'm suspecting the belts are at fault too which led to the loss of power steering but the ABS? Or could they have been triggered by something else?

budcj · 16 Apr 2012 at 23:32

Had that happen on a diesel focus when the battery had got too low, Battery power steering and abs lights all came on and it shut off the heated screens and radio till it got enough charge.

Sounds like the alternator is at fault here.

Brookert · 17 Apr 2012 at 00:40

Might be worth checking the battery too and replacing it if its the original.

DoubleCheese · 17 Apr 2012 at 17:14

Cheers all. Just spoke to the owner of the garage and described it all to him. Apparently it's the perfect symptoms of a knackered alternator. It isn't producing enough power to charge the battery and the battery is half dead so the power steering goes, as it's electrically powered. The ABS is flagged up by the same.
Lots like a costly service, MOT, and repair on Friday.