Hi,

Just got a 2002 WRX Wagon, it's a Subaru proven so has a years warranty.

The dealer had fitted a new Varta battery, however when pulling up (but before turning the engine off) in front of my house after a long journey today, the stereo started flickering and interior lights/clock started to dim a bit. After turning the engine off, I started it again but it really struggled, then died. I then tried jumping it with leads, which worked for a few mins, then with the engine running it seemed to gradually lose electrical power, then the engine died without me turning it off.

Does anyone have any ideas?

 

Sounds like you might have a generator problem.

 

If possible, get yourself a new set of brushes for the alternator.

 

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

Thankfully it was under warranty, so got it down to the dealer on a flatbed, they replaced the alternator and so far so good.

 

Missed the bit on the warranty

 

You go on a long journey, the alternator packs up so you're running total loss on the battery. Then the battery finally runs out of juice..... on the motorway? in the middle of a big set of traffic lights? in the middle of the local crack dealers estate? Nope, on your front drive. Result

 

Agreed! Had the family in the car too, just driven from Bristol to SE London and it literally died in front of the house. Glad I had breakdown cover, they took it down to the dealer for me.

 

just replaced my alternator (97 classic)

bought a "blue print" recon jobbie

RRP was £361 on the invoice (although i got it for £130 )

i was suprised at how much they cost
mine still charged, but the bearings were fecked after jetwashing the engine to many times

 

Aside from StickyMickey's bearings my experience of alternators failing, including having to be Relayed home, is the brushes wear out.

They are very cheap and normally relatively easy to fit, albeit a little fiddly, so my recommendation stands for anyone with future alternator problems.

I even had one "tested" by an expert who advised it was fecked and told it would be £200 for a recon one. I asked for a set of brushes (less than a tenner at the time) and fixed it myself.

 

This is a little OT, but do you guys in the UK still rebuild your own alternators? It's hard to find parts in the US and most people don't want to deal with the hassle. They just buy a re manufactured alternator and send their old one back to the company.

 

Over the years, I've had three alternators fail on me and every time, all it took was some new brushes. The first time I also bought a diode pack which increased the cost considerably but, with hindsight, was probably not necessary.

Can't remember the exact figures as it was probably over 10 years ago since I last put some new brushes in an alternator but the option was £200 for a recon unit which still needed fitting or £7.50 for a set of brushes. The time taken to replace the brushes was much less than an hour as you do not need to rebuild the alternator - just remove the section which houses the brushes - just need some allen keys if I recall. You can choose.

PS - This was for other cars (Volvo and Rover) - I never needed to do any work to my Impreza alternator

 

I replaced my alternator last July because of poor performance, though there wasn't anything specific that I could find wrong with it. I never looked into parts for it, but a remanufactured unit set me back about £75 at the current exchange rate.

 

My alternator failed many years back notr long after having the car. Light came on dash, on and off a few times, then stayed on. This was during a trip to Wales, so I pulled in and checked the belts, all ok. So carried on, then I noted the wipers slowing down and the CD player started playing up. So then I knew it was stuffed.

Not long after all the dash lights lit up and guages went mad, then teh engine started misfiring, luckily I coasted it into a nearby petrol station and got it recovered back home.

After being quoted heavily for a new alternator and not much better for a recon...and having used to recon them myself a very long time ago, I know what goes wrong.....

One new £25 brushbox/regulator later. And its working again.

I checked the diodes just incase (they are pretty robust), as well as the armature (again robust) and cleaned up the commutator (bit of scotch paper) and regreased the bearings, so it was as good as new (or should that be...a recon ).

I steam clean every few months without covering it too and it still works fine after, cars 10 years old now