Help! Impreza alternator.

[white_goodman]

I posted this time last week regarding tyres, this week it's alternators! I had my second visit to Kwikfit today in as many weeks! Last week, I got back from a 2 week trip and the nearside front tyre on my 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX was flat, however it started first time. I used the car as normal all week including Saturday and then yesterday morning I got in it to drive and click, nothing happened. I managed to borrow a set of jump leads from my neighbour and get it started. It fired up first time. I left it running for a bit then took it for a drive and it now seems to be working fine. It fired up first time this morning without any help. The neighbour who leant me his leads then needed a jump to get his car started, so we did that off my Impreza without any problems. I then drove the 6 miles or so down to the nearest Kwikfit. He tested the alternator for me and told me that it was completely shot. He also tested the battery and said that the alternator had killed the battery and that it would need a new battery as well. He said that he could change the battery but the alternator would kill the new battery so I was better off getting both changed. However, they were not able to change the alternator there. He seemed a bit pessimistic about whether I would make it back home again without the engine dying but I did without any problems.

I'm sure that the guy that I dealt with gave me his best advice (and he had nothing to gain from giving me that advice) but I'm sure that I have read somewhere that to preserve the fuel economy when the engine was cold that the alternator on Impreza's did not charge the battery. Could this be why when he tested it (as the car had only been driven 6 miles) that he deemed the alternator to be faulty? Surely, if the alternator was not working, then the battery would have been dead again this morning. The car has only let me down the once and has worked faultlessly before and since so I'm not completely convinced by his explanation. The car has always been a little slow to fire but I assumed that this was just the nature of the beast. If the alternator is OK then it is still a bit of a mystery as to why the battery was flat yesterday. I have heard that sometimes faulty interior courtesy lights and boot lights can drain the battery, so I have switched these off as a precaution.

I only got the car in October and it is still covered by the 5 star AA warranty. I see that the alternator would be covered (but not the battery). I have contacted the warranty company but the nearest authorised repairer is in Gloucester which is miles from where I or my wife work and I doubt that they would lend me a car (it's a Halfords autocentre). I need the car all week as I am working for the rest of the week. Any advice on what I should do and/or what the problem might be?

[bimsb6]

get it checked by a proper auto electrician !

[ADEuk]

More likely the battery on its way out. If the Alt was knackered it wouldn't have run when you disconnected the jump leads first time. Start car and turn everything electrical on. If it stil runs Alt. probably OK so change battery.

[shouldbworking]

Can't tell you how many times I've heard kwik fit to be spot on with their diagnosis and suggested course of action to remedy it.

No really.. I can't.

Find a proper garage

[pidsy]

if you are anywhere near surrey, take it to eurospec.

www.eurospec-2000.co.uk

or just give them a call for advice. bloody good jap garage.

[Fleckers]

ah sounds like bonus time is coming up or Sales are low

as per the above, go to a real garage and dont tell them what kwikfit have said

but it sounds like battery is on way out, is it a sealed unit ? can you see of it has water in side / egg smell ? if the alt is cooking battery it will be dry and poss. hot to the touch

[_Al_]

I may be oversimplifying here, but..

Start car.
Unplug a battery lead (making sure it doesn't touch the body or any metal surface).
Wait 30 seconds.

Has the engine stopped?

If yes, altenator dead. If no, alternator not dead.

[littleredrooster]

_Al_ said:

I may be oversimplifying here, but..

Start car.
Unplug a battery lead (making sure it doesn't touch the body or any metal surface).
Wait 30 seconds.

Has the engine stopped?

If yes, altenator dead. If no, alternator not dead.

.....quickest way to shag the diodes in the alternator.....

[Mr.Jimbo]

Imprezas have a smart charge feature, whereby under a certain amount of load on the battery, the alternator will not charge it, so its wise to drive with the sidelights on every now and then, just to ensure the battery is charging.

got told this by a Subaru technician when mine was in for alarm tinkering.

[Baz Tench]

Battery could fine actually, check the terminal connections are secure and tight before you do anything else. Could save you a few quid...

ETA: Also, try cleaning up the connector faces with some emory cloth. A bit old skool but the principles are still the same....

Edited by Baz Tench on Monday 2nd May 17:35

[Mr2Mike]

littleredrooster said:

.....quickest way to shag the diodes in the alternator.....

Quickest way to potential damage the entire electrical system. The voltage transients you get from disconnecting the battery with the engine running are huge.

[wolf1]

Later imprezas need a load on the electrical system to keep them charging. Have a gander on scoobynet all the info about it is on there.

[WhoseGeneration]

wolf1 said:

Later imprezas need a load on the electrical system to keep them charging. Have a gander on scoobynet all the info about it is on there.

Yup, as also said above in the thread.

[5paul5]

And stay away from Kwikfit !

[imprezappp]

cor had a similar prob with a 04 wrx'
drove along then "ping" a aux belt snapped..
any hows long story short- the alternator locked up and ceased' - broke the belt..
i got a new battery first and then swapped out the alternator when i relised it was to fault'
quoted £268 plus fitting! but its a cheap fix. ebay!- i paid £15 for the alternator sent it to my garage who fitted it for a further £15 (very easy job)
good luck.

[geeteeaye]

Maybe I'm just feeling grumpy, but OP went to Kwikfit for diagnostics and didn't disbelieve when told 'stuff needs replacing'.

Secondly he has a warranty which will cover the alternator but can't be bothered with the logistics to get the car to them so instead posts on the internet asking for blind diagnosis from people.

[white_goodman]

Managed to get the car to a Subaru dealer to be checked who confirmed that Kwikfit's diagnosis was absolutely spot on. Getting the alternator replaced under warranty tomorrow (my £200 5* AA warranty was actually money well spent) as it has saved me a packet. I have only been using the car for essential journeys this week i.e. the 6 miles to work and back with no stops, no aircon and no radio and to be fair, I haven't had any problems with it. I look forward to going where I want, when I want again though!

[bazking69]

Why are you taking your car to KwikFit for anything other than an emergency tyre repair?

[white_goodman]

It was Bank Holiday Monday. Nowhere else was open! I got the work done at the Subaru dealer in Cirencester.