Technical Grande Punto - Battery light and power steering failure

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Technical Grande Punto - Battery light and power steering failure

LesF

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2009 - Grande Punto 1.4 8v
I'm aware there are several other threads on this issue but I can't find a definitive answer to the problem.

The alternator had seized so I replaced it with one from a local scrapyard. The alternator was exactly the same as the original. From this point the car starts OK but the battery light stays on and no power steering. Switch off and restart and everything is as it should be. This happens 100% of the time.

We lived with this situation for a few weeks but want to sell the car in the near future so need to fix.

My assumption was that the regulator in the alternator purchased from the scrappy was faulty so replaced it with a brand new Denso unit from Europart but with exactly the same results.
I know the battery to be good and I have completed the battery earth check recommended elsewhere on this forum.
Why does the battery light only go out and power steering work on the second start, everytime?
I asked an auto electrician to look at it but he said he wasn't interested.
Any suggestions where I go from here?
Thanks in advance.
 
Not too unusual.

Almost certainly you will find that the battery will only be reading @12 volts
On the 1st run. And 14 volts on the 2nd.


The PAS relies in the power from the alternator to function.


The WHY..?
does it switch after a period of running? Or ONLY after resetting the ignition switch??

Im wondering if its not fully recognised by the CAN side of the vehicles network...

Have you had it scanned..or performed a relearn?
 
Running engine does not fix, only switching off and immediate restart fixes the problem.
 
Car covered in snow at the moment, but I will try in the morning. Many thanks and will keep the thread updated.
 
Ok - Both the initial start and the restart both giving 14v.
 
Just completed a scan and no error codes found.
 
I had a similar issue with my 2006 GP 1.9Mjet 130: I bought the car in November and it had an alternator problem. Same thing as yours, in that it would sometimes start first time with PAS, then was fine. Next time I started the car, no Power steering, so switched the engine off, then on again and most times it would 'cure' the problem. I also had all the lights flickering ie interior lights, instrument lights, heater lights which was also due to the alternator regulator being faulty.

I put up with these issues but after about 3000 miles the dash lights would come on randomly when driving ( ie ALL of them at once !) and then the alternator finally gave up on my way home from work one night.....It completely failed and would not charge the battery at all.

When I had the alternator replaced with a new one from EuroCar Parts ( they listed the wrong one for my car :as they provided me with a 140 Amp one,) but the auto electrician who fitted it said as long as the mountings were the same it would be fine, and that it was not an issue if it was a bigger amperage one anyway. I also had a brand new battery fitted at the same time ( the car came with the wrong size one that did not sit correctly) and all seems fine now.

Not sure if any of this helps but it may be of interest !
 
Problem still not resolved. But today I have donated the vehicle to the Dorset Community Workshop (see FB) in the hope that it can be used as project to raise much needed funds. I have asked them to keep me updated and if they resolve the issue I will update the thread. Many thanks to all have contributed to date.
 
Problem still not resolved. But today I have donated the vehicle to the Dorset Community Workshop (see FB) in the hope that it can be used as project to raise much needed funds. I have asked them to keep me updated and if they resolve the issue I will update the thread. Many thanks to all have contributed to date.

Did it ever get a relearn?
 
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