Little Red Battery Light

[Yorky]

Interesting experience today, hooning down the M5 (within legal speed restructions of course!), when the electrics failed. First the gauges, I assumed they were just resting, then the music, which really caught my attention, then the engine cut out!

AA fiddled about & diagnosed battery warning light was not working, therefore alternator was not powering up & charging the battery. After more fiddling about with fuses, connections to alternator etc etc the problem went away. All smiles and thanks, I drove happily home. An hour later, went to start her up again but battery light would not go out & gauges did not work. Tried again, this time no warning light or gauges.

Anybody had similar problems, or creative ideas? So far I've checked:
Belt tension
Alternation connections & bushes
Fuses
Warning light bulb

[clive f]

I had a similar problem on mine once and found that the cigar lighter supply had come loose and was earthimg out on the voltmeter casing.

[tvrgit]

Sounds like you are losing all the ignition-powered circuits, as if the ignition was off - but the starter motor still works yes?

If so, then chances are its the connector block to the ignition switch - the live feed burns out, a well known weak point. Take the connector apart and check for burning inside. If so, either put a new block in the circuit or solder the wires to the switch directly together.

[Snoremeister]

Do you have an immobiliser. Similar thing happened to me at 70 on the M1 in the dark. Turned out to be a problem with the immobiliser.

[yorky]

Thanks all, some useful ideas to work with. I'll let you know the outcome

[clarenceboddiger]

Not had any experience of this on mine yet, but would recommend checking you have a good earthing set up if not it can cause nightmares,especially on non metal bodied vehicles.

[Le TVR]

Yorky said:

the electrics failed. First the gauges, then the music, then the engine cut out!

Usually all goes at once!

tvrgit said:

chances are its the connector block to the ignition switch - the live feed burns out

That is the one common denominator