Red Battery Warning Light

[AnD3rew]

Hello, 6 year old D3, I have a red battery warning light on the dash. The main battery is less than 12 months old, and voltage is about 11.8 when running.

Does this mean my alternator is stuffed?

If so how long do you think I can run the car for before I am stranded. I have a Traxide system that has the jump start mode?

[BMKal]

What voltage do you get across the battery terminals when the engine is not running ..............

[AnD3rew]

What voltage do you get across the battery terminals when the engine is not running ..............

Currently 12.2v

[BMKal]

Sounds like could be alternator then. If battery is showing above 12V when engine not running, then you should be seeing high 13's - low 14's when the engine is running.

There are some things about the Disco's charging systems that are a bit different to other vehicles though, with "smart charging" etc - but I would still expect to see higher than 11.8V with the engine running if all was in order - and the red warning light indicates that something is not right.

No doubt there'll be others along who know more about auto electrickery than I do, but with those numbers, I'd be suspecting the alternator straight away.

[Rich84]

Red warning light along with whirring that rises and falls with the engine speed and a burnt smell and even smoke are signs of dead alternator.


I had all of the above when mine died.


Very common!

[AnD3rew]

Yeo confirmed, wildly changing voltages, and burning smell trying to get it to mechanic. Then the classic low voltage multiple systems failures and dash lit up like a Christmas tree and now dead.

Waiting for flatbed to take it to mechanic in the morning for a transplant.

[Rich84]

Exactly what happened to me, except I borrowed a mate's battery which was enough to get the car home.

[AnD3rew]

Grrrr! Today is not a permagrin day:twisted:

Did a search on alternator failures on here and read that when the alternator goes it has no protection fuse and so it drains the battery to zero and kills the battery, I ran outside to check and sure enough it is down to 3v. I have disconnected but only time will tell if I killed it.:twisted:

Then I realised that in order to tow it tomorrow unless they skull drag it, I will need to release the handbrake and with no power that will mean a manual release and the jack handle is in the back behind the cargo barrier.:twisted: have dodgied up a coat hanger but am not able to test it until I need to use it in anger as the car is on a hill and I won't be able to reapply it:twisted:

Also what Genius decided that the only way you could manually unlock the car is through the passenger side and that without power you can't unlock any other doors:twisted:

Land Rover is not in my good books today, a bit more thought needed to have been applied to this car in some respects.

[rufusking]

You could try disconnecting all cables from the rear of the alternator and connecting a battery charger to the battery (battery connected to vehicle) and unlocking all car doors and releasing the hand brake ( after chocking the wheels).

[morpheus]

AnD3rew, did your warning light stay on, or did it come on at start up? Mine has been coming on intermittently on start up, but it goes away quickly. This is usually accompanied by a chime. I haven't checked the voltage yet, but after reading your thread I am beginning to think I should.

[Geedublya]

Disconnect cable to starter and jumper power to battery, this will allow you to energise car enough to get out of park and disengage park brake.

At least you got a warning light, I had no warning except for a whirring noise and then 2 flat batteries.

[PhilipA]

The moment you get a red ALTERNATOR light on any car , you should take action.
That is why the light is RED.
They do not heal themselves except if you have been through some very deep water and it dries out.
Regards Philip A

[coolum]

My D3 developed the same Red light issue. I had RACQ look at it and they said no issues the Alternator was delivering 14 odd volts and checked the battery and said was fully charged.


I then gave it to the blokes at British Offroad and they said that even though the alternator was charging and the Battery was fine at this time a sensor in the alternator was saying some part had failed and was most likely to die when you don't want it to happen, so I had them replace it.


So a warning is a warning it seems, and there for a reason. The new alternator was installed and the light is no longer active.


By the way, the British offroad blokes are the best.


Steve

[AnD3rew]

AnD3rew, did your warning light stay on, or did it come on at start up? Mine has been coming on intermittently on start up, but it goes away quickly. This is usually accompanied by a chime. I haven't checked the voltage yet, but after reading your thread I am beginning to think I should.

It came on and stayed on, but as others advise and based on my experience I would get it checked immediately.

I was lucky mine failed pretty much at home but it could be pretty tricky in the middle of the Gore Hill Expressway as it really takes the battery out quickly, I have now confirmed that my 6 month old $500 battery has to be replaced as well. And when the battery goes it can't even easily be towed as you may not be able to open the drivers door and may not be able to get it out of park without a lot of messing around. You will need a service vehicle as well as a tow truck or at least a few spanners and a second battery.

They have now discovered a suspension fault that can't be cleared when they tried to clear all the other faults and are now trying to figure out what that is:twisted::censored: