Battery charging fault light after watery drive

boink · 9th March 2017, 11:05

I was forced to take a country lane and a drive through a 1 foot deep 20 foot wide puddle yesterday after a lorry fire in M6 made getting to work on main roads tricky. Couple of hrs later the battery charging fault symbol popped up and battery light stayed on. Checked charge from alternator this morning, 11.2 volts. With engine off off the battery is reading 11. 6.

Just had it looked at by local garage who've diagnosed a new alternator needed and fee of £395 plus VAT fitting etc. 4 hr job which seems a bit steep to me.

Just this second got her home, tried turned off engine and tried to restart. Nothing at all. Lucky I wasn't in middle of nowhere.

Got a good garage recommended locally just wondered whether I should take that diagnosis at face value. Could wet electrical leads or connectors be the problem?

boink · 9th March 2017, 15:49

The alternator brand is Valeo. grateful if anyone can recommend a decent, OEM quality alternative or reputable recon parts seller.

wullie480 · 9th March 2017, 16:03

Petrol or diesel 75?

Alternator on eBay are around £100 however a member posted a thread the other day on replacement brushes which is a whole lot cheaper the £395 + vat you've been quoted.

http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/foru...d.php?t=263277

boink · 9th March 2017, 16:10

Thanks Wullie. Yes I've seen them online from MGRS. I'm hoping someone has had a similar problem after driving through water and can say whether that would be enough to knacker the alternator. What I don't want to do is order and get a replacement fitted and find out its an electrical issue caused by water in connections.

I'm guessing the regulator would be the most likely part to be affected by water?

Gren 24 · 9th March 2017, 16:37

Hi if it is your Altinator thats gone. I had to have mine replaced and I use JLH Moters of Stafford they are on Silkmore Lane stafford. The chap that owns and runs it Knows all about our Rover 75 .He as work on them for years. He did mine about 2years ago For £288.00 that was a new one and fitting and vat.

I always use them and have my MOT done there He does the MOT himself

There number is 01785 748161
http://www.jlhmotors.co.uk/

boink · 9th March 2017, 18:37

Thanks Gren. That's a top tip. Hope his prices haven't got to Stone levels! My price today was ex VAT.

COLVERT · 9th March 2017, 19:13

What strikes me as odd is that it took two hours to fail after you drove through the water.

The alternator would have been hot and any water on or in it would have dried out quite quickly.

Maybe just the brush gear has failed. The garage you went to would have just checked output and said the whole thing was shot. ( PROFIT.--

)

boink · 9th March 2017, 19:29

Was longer than that in fact. Drove through puddle at 8.20 in the morning, noticed the light coming at around 2 in the afternoon having done 20 miles, then it stayed on for 10 miles home. Started fine today and got me to a garage to test it. Oddly, straight after they'd tested it (with a better multimeter than mine) it refused to start. Not even a click. They jump started it to test it when running. Soon as I got it home I tried again to restart it. Totally flat.

boink · 9th March 2017, 19:31

I did notice this morning that the negative terminal connector was loose enough to move and in fact pull off. Maybe this, rather than water has been a factor in damaging the alternator.

COLVERT · 9th March 2017, 19:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by boink

I did notice this morning that the negative terminal connector was loose enough to move and in fact pull off. Maybe this, rather than water has been a factor in damaging the alternator.

The thing to do now is to give your battery a FULL charge.

At least 24 hours if you can on a charger.

Maybe tightening that connector might, if you're lucky, cure your problem.

9th March 2017, 11:05	#1
boink Avid contributor Rover 75 Tourer Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Stone Posts: 149 Thanks: 88 Thanked 11 Times in 8 Posts	Conny CDTi Alternator packed up after watery drive I was forced to take a country lane and a drive through a 1 foot deep 20 foot wide puddle yesterday after a lorry fire in M6 made getting to work on main roads tricky. Couple of hrs later the battery charging fault symbol popped up and battery light stayed on. Checked charge from alternator this morning, 11.2 volts. With engine off off the battery is reading 11. 6. Just had it looked at by local garage who've diagnosed a new alternator needed and fee of £395 plus VAT fitting etc. 4 hr job which seems a bit steep to me. Just this second got her home, tried turned off engine and tried to restart. Nothing at all. Lucky I wasn't in middle of nowhere. Got a good garage recommended locally just wondered whether I should take that diagnosis at face value. Could wet electrical leads or connectors be the problem? Last edited by boink; 9th March 2017 at 15:38.. Reason: wrong title

9th March 2017, 16:03	#3
wullie480 This is my second home 1 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Banned Posts: 5,195 Thanks: 528 Thanked 1,022 Times in 786 Posts	Petrol or diesel 75? Alternator on eBay are around £100 however a member posted a thread the other day on replacement brushes which is a whole lot cheaper the £395 + vat you've been quoted. http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/foru...d.php?t=263277 __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

9th March 2017, 16:37	#5
Gren 24 Loves to post 2004 Rover 75 Tourer Connoisseur SE CDTI Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Stafford Posts: 459 Thanks: 98 Thanked 98 Times in 83 Posts	Hi if it is your Altinator thats gone. I had to have mine replaced and I use JLH Moters of Stafford they are on Silkmore Lane stafford. The chap that owns and runs it Knows all about our Rover 75 .He as work on them for years. He did mine about 2years ago For £288.00 that was a new one and fitting and vat. I always use them and have my MOT done there He does the MOT himself There number is 01785 748161 http://www.jlhmotors.co.uk/ __________________ 2004 Rover 75 Tourer Connoisseur SE CDTI

9th March 2017, 15:49	#2
boink Avid contributor Rover 75 Tourer Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Stone Posts: 149 Thanks: 88 Thanked 11 Times in 8 Posts	The alternator brand is Valeo. grateful if anyone can recommend a decent, OEM quality alternative or reputable recon parts seller.

9th March 2017, 16:10	#4
boink Avid contributor Rover 75 Tourer Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Stone Posts: 149 Thanks: 88 Thanked 11 Times in 8 Posts	Thanks Wullie. Yes I've seen them online from MGRS. I'm hoping someone has had a similar problem after driving through water and can say whether that would be enough to knacker the alternator. What I don't want to do is order and get a replacement fitted and find out its an electrical issue caused by water in connections. I'm guessing the regulator would be the most likely part to be affected by water?

9th March 2017, 18:37	#6
boink Avid contributor Rover 75 Tourer Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Stone Posts: 149 Thanks: 88 Thanked 11 Times in 8 Posts	Thanks Gren. That's a top tip. Hope his prices haven't got to Stone levels! My price today was ex VAT.

9th March 2017, 19:13	#7
COLVERT This is my second home R75 Saloon. Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: France/or Devon. Posts: 14,003 Thanks: 3,851 Thanked 2,167 Times in 1,816 Posts	What strikes me as odd is that it took two hours to fail after you drove through the water. The alternator would have been hot and any water on or in it would have dried out quite quickly. Maybe just the brush gear has failed. The garage you went to would have just checked output and said the whole thing was shot. ( PROFIT.-- )

9th March 2017, 19:29	#8
boink Avid contributor Rover 75 Tourer Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Stone Posts: 149 Thanks: 88 Thanked 11 Times in 8 Posts	Was longer than that in fact. Drove through puddle at 8.20 in the morning, noticed the light coming at around 2 in the afternoon having done 20 miles, then it stayed on for 10 miles home. Started fine today and got me to a garage to test it. Oddly, straight after they'd tested it (with a better multimeter than mine) it refused to start. Not even a click. They jump started it to test it when running. Soon as I got it home I tried again to restart it. Totally flat.

9th March 2017, 19:31	#9
boink Avid contributor Rover 75 Tourer Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Stone Posts: 149 Thanks: 88 Thanked 11 Times in 8 Posts	I did notice this morning that the negative terminal connector was loose enough to move and in fact pull off. Maybe this, rather than water has been a factor in damaging the alternator.