Fried Wiring And Dead Electrics

[Graham Ridgway]

I had to leave my Galaxy in france last weekend as it died whilst driving back. The ABS warning light came on when driving just before I stopped at the services. I stopped and when we came to leave there was not enough juice to turn the engine over and start. I had come from the snowy alps and the battery had died at about 6am. I bought a new battery at 8am and carried on my way. If failed again after about 2 hours of driving.

 

On inspection, the alternator wiring back to the box of fusible links was fried. The car started with the help of jump leads (from the recovery man), but the alternator wire got hot again very quickly so we abandoned ship.

 

This is a 2006 2 year old car that I bought from new (now about 22k miles). I'm chagrined to admit that I had a v similar problem in my prev (mk 1) galaxy which I sold after having the wiring redone.

 

I am sure at the time I found some references to the problem here, but I can't find them now.

 

Can anyone shed any light on this as I think it's a common/design problem?

 

I want to be fully informed when I have the conversation with the dealer when the car gets recovered back (I am kind of hoping they lose it on the way!).

 

Thanks

Graham

[seatkid]

The problem i think you refer to is faulty crimping on the alternator wiring usually causing the alternator/battery box to burn up/melt. Has been a problem for a number of members...ask MO4

[Graham Ridgway]

The car is now back with new fuse box, new wire to the alternator and new wire to the battery.

 

I have done a load test with front screen, rear screen, full fan and lights on. This is what was on in Fr when it died.

 

The alternator cable gets nicely warm, but the links in the box get hot. The hottest is the one next to the alternator return which is slightly charred from before.

 

I am going to send it back to the gge and ask them to replace that too.

 

Should any of this even get warm? That sounds like a one way street to burnt cables over time to me. Anyone know?

 

Thanks

Graham

[chromedome]

It could be one of the main earth terminals, I don't know where they are, that's not connected properly.

 

If an electrical connection is high resistance, bad connection, more current is drawn thus heating up the wiring. As the alternator/battery wiring has been replaced I would get them to check the main earth terminals around the engine bay area.

 

Hope this helps.

[bobbeeboy1]

Had similar problem on my 2000 1.9 tdi, it was the wire from the alternator to the main fuse box, but melted the fuse box, cost about

[Willie Krashitt]

What usually happens is that the crimped connection into the main wiring loom gets hot in the process, oxidising the wires, and causing a poor connection into the main loom.

Even with a new auxiuliary fusebox and cables from battery to alternator, mine started to melt the new box within a matter of days. I cut the main loom back about 4" before I found clean undamaged cable. I soldered a new piece of cable and terminal onto this and touch wood, it has been alright ever since.

 

George.

 

PS: If it is only 2 years old, it should still be under warranty, so a new wiring loom might be in order?

[mikej]

Yep had this issue myself on my mk2 2.3 , change the fusebox (around Edited October 16, 2008 by mikej