Please help! Dashboard lights on and 3 beeps repeated...

[Maniac618]

Current issue:

When / if car starts: battery light but then it goes and lights on switch to: Engine, ABS, handbrake, power steering lights all on with repeateded 3 beeps every 3 seconds or so.

Car has no power steering, no ABS, windows and indicators don't work and probably other stuff too.

Background / lead up to current issues:

After driving 50 miles a week ago the engine light came on solid and not flashing. I left the car for 5 days. Once driving it back another 50 miles the engine light remained.

Suddenly with two miles left of the journey the red battery light came on. A mile later this went out and was replaced by the yellow solid ABS light.

This then became ABS, Steering and handbrake lights I believe along with 3 beeps repeated very soon after.

I managed to drive home with no power steering or ABS and I later realised, no indicators and possibly no brake lights!!

The electric windows would not wind up. I turned the car off and waited a minute. The car wouldn't start and the LCD dash faded out and came back after I stopped trying.

I tried again a minute later and the car allowed me to wind the windows up but wouldn't start.

The next day the car started and the battery light lit up. If driven the car lights up as stated at beginning of post.

I hope someone can help diagnose what's going on? Thanks for any help you can give. I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to car inner workings.

 

[cupra.al]

id say its most likely the load signal wire to alternator here is the fix if so http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=209472&highlight=alternator+load+signal+wire

 

[Maniac618]

id say its most likely the load signal wire to alternator

Will have a look, thanks for the input.

 

[Badger]

I would also check the health of your battery and alternator. When the engine is running, your battery should be receiving at least 14 volts, anything less would lead faulty/failing alternator.

The load signal wire is easy to check first though.

 

[Maniac618]

thanks for info, going to try a voltage check tomorrow with a meter. If the battery is a goner, would this battery fit and be suitable (the notes say Ibiza 2002 onwards for compatibility)?

tayna.co.uk/063-Enduroline-Car-Battery-380CCA-P8401.html

 

[Badger]

What engine? That battery isn't suitable for the TDI model, possibly the 1.2 though.

 

[Maniac618]

What engine? That battery isn't suitable for the TDI model, possibly the 1.2 though.

2002 1.4 SE model.

 

[Maniac618]

Update:

Just got a digital mini meter which I used on the battery (DC at 20v setting on meter, car turned off, battery still connected) and it briefly read 0.8 and then just 0. Now the car won't start. The headlights work but didn't seem on full power. Can a car battery read completely 0 and does that mean it's just the battery or could it still be something else?

 

[Badger]

The battery should read around 12v with the ignition off. Looks like your battery is dead.

 

[Maniac618]

Can they be charged from 0 or is that it? I've got a charging kit but not too keen on having to use it.

 

[Badger]

You could try it, but I think it's too far gone to be saved.

 

[Maniac618]

OK, battery is not dead! I was an idiot with the meter reader.

It is actually reading 11.6 with engine off.

It reads 10 when my friend jump started the engine and slowly decreases.....

New alternator then?

I need to know which one I need as a replacement. Is there only one or more than one for this model, the SE 1.4?

The car is a:

Seat Ibiza 1.4 SE mk IV 2002 75bh that has climate control.

Thanks so much for the help so far!

 

[Badger]

Have you checked the load signal wire?

It would seem that your alternator isn't charging the battery, so a replacement is needed. These aren't cheap new! Look around at different prices.

If you could get a part number off the alternator I could check to see what other vehicles it's also fitted on.

 

[Maniac618]

Have you checked the load signal wire?

It would seem that your alternator isn't charging the battery, so a replacement is needed. These aren't cheap new! Look around at different prices.

If you could get a part number off the alternator I could check to see what other vehicles it's also fitted on.

Unfortunately not as I don't have a way of really getting under the car, so the same for reading the alternator part number too

I think I'm getting more and more into the realm of having to just take it to a garage as I don't have any of the tools etc that I'd probably need.

I'll see how far I get with trying to stick my head under the car tonight lol. Thanks again.

 

[Maniac618]

The wires appear to be fine or at least not snapped or obviously broken having looked underneath the car after removing the tray. Unfortunately it doesn't look like a cheap wire fix.

Looks like an alternator then.

 

[Badger]

The wires appear to be fine or at least not snapped or obviously broken having looked underneath the car after removing the tray. Unfortunately it doesn't look like a cheap wire fix.

Looks like an alternator then.

As mentioned, if you can get a part number, should be able to tell you what other cars you could get a refurbished unit from.

 

[Maniac618]

As mentioned, if you can get a part number, should be able to tell you what other cars you could get a refurbished unit from.

Alternator 037 903 025 M

Regulator (could it be this, does it come with an alternator?) BR14 - M0 F 00M 145 225

 

[Badger]

The regulator is usually supplied with the alternator as one piece.

Looks like that alternator isn't original either as it's mainly fitted to Polo and Fox variants.

http://www.partsbase.org/parts/vw-037903025m/

 

[Maniac618]

Strange..... Please add www to start of URL below as I can't post links yet apparently.

ebay.co.uk/itm/Seat-Cordoba-Ibiza-02-08-Vw-POLO-1-4-ALTERNATOR-037-903-025-M-037903025M-/281359329673

Would that be OK even though the regulator is a different part number?

 

[Maniac618]

Update:

BSH 0986041920 is in stock at Unipart across the road so I can pick it up, apparently thats correct. So gonna give that a whizz, Greenflag showing up later. So potentially I will have it at a garage with replacement alternator ready to fix by the end of play today.

I just hope that part is correct lol, they seemed to think so in Unipart.