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POD
21st October 2025, 03:54 PM
This morning a few km from home the alternator light came on, when I got home I hooked up the nanocom before witching the engine off and voltages were around 12.3, i.e. battery voltage with no alternator charging. I shut down and re-started and the alternator resumed normal operation. This happened about a month ago- i.e. charge light on, shut down & restart engine and all normal. I was unable to get the nanocom to interrogate fault codes so no info to be had there. Is this a warning of impending alternator failure, or should I be looking elsewhere?

DazzaTD5
23rd October 2025, 04:50 PM
on a Defender TDCi...
*a loose or dirty connection on the starter motor.
*a starter motor on the way out.

and yes can be a alternator failing but generally they fail outright or get really loud.

MLD
27th October 2025, 11:09 AM
This morning a few km from home the alternator light came on, when I got home I hooked up the nanocom before witching the engine off and voltages were around 12.3, i.e. battery voltage with no alternator charging.

battery light at 12.3V is different to my experience. on a trip from Sydney to Goulbun (circa 2hrs) i watched my volts on the scangauge drop. By the time i arrived at G, it was down to 11.4 ish. No battery light. Turned out the mechanic that had replaced my turbo had removed/backed off the nut for the charging cable to the alternator (the nut was loose). easy fix but it did concern me that the battery voltage got to 11.4 ish with no warning.