Warning lights Battery, oil and diesel filter

[Regressor 3]

Hi there, was out driving when 3 warning lights popped up. The Battery, Oil level and diesel filter. Stopped and checked the Oil and it is full. So i drive home and check Battery, over 12v. Then i start the car and i get only 11,4 volt.

I have cleaned the Battery terminals and checked all wires, and the belt on the alternator is still on and its spinning the pulley, so i guess dead alternator?

Anyone seen this 3 warning lights pop up?

could it be the sensors giving false error due to low power? Did a diagnostic and no fault codes pop up.

Any ideas? Hard to change alternator on avensis t25 2.0 d4d 116hp?

Is this described in the workshop manual? (Cant find it)

 

[Mooly 102]

Forget sensors for the moment, concentrate on why you have only 11.4V across the Battery with the engine running... which as you say points to a faulty alternator. Once that is corrected then everything else should be OK.

[Regressor 3]

Yes, i think they are false too. Checked again with techstream.

Anyway, anyone have done the job taking out the alternator on the Avensis?

As i see the alternator is on the lower backside of the engine im guessing i have to take it out from under the car, and i also fear i have to remove alot of things i dont want to remove

[avetoy 12]

Probably the brushes in alternator are worn out... I don´t know for sure about T25 but maybe right drive shaft have to be removed to take the alternator out.

I had same issue in last winter in my T27. I was too lazy to remove the drive shaft so I just took the alternator bolts off and turned it around and installed new brushes.

If you´re not d.i.y.- person just ignore above... and below

 

[furtula 122]

There was a similar topic recently, maybe 2 months ago, also throwing the error for the filter, but in the end it was dead alternator.

If there are problems with alternator diodes, there will be a heavy parasitic drain on the Battery, and it can be dead overnight.

I personally would go check for a parasitic drain, if there are abnormal values, i would disconnect the alternator to confirm it's the culprit, if yes, replace the alternator.

If there is no abnormal drain, i would proceed to replace the brushes only.

Feel free to search the forum, there are detailed topics on parasitic drains, and alternator issues like you are having.

 

[Regressor 3]

I get only a 0.2-0.5 drain when running it through the multimeter, drops down to 0.03 ish after about 10 seconds. (Can hear some electric motor running inside car).

So i guess the brushes on the alternator is shot, since i should get a drain if the diodes are shot?

anyhow i will take the alternator out and check it, it has done 270k km and is from 2006 😂👌

thanks for the inputs guys 👍

[furtula 122]

Yeah, i get the same sound after 10 seconds or so, the drain after that is normal, so i'd check the brushes.

Considering the age, it's probably the brushes.

[Regressor 3]

Ok, so i have finally the time to check out the Avensis. Have it up on jackstands and have removed all the plastic.

I Guess the one saying the driveshaft has to come out for this job is correct. Only thing i see on the driveshaft is that it is going through a Mount\support, can you separate the driveshaft here? Or do i have to take Down this "Mount\support" and separate the driveshaft at the end? and where to hit the driveshaft when taking out? (on the other side i hit the inner joint)

If anyone have removed the driveshaft on the right side please shout out! 😛

[mark0 6]

I did mine Christmas just gone when removing drive shaft remove the 2 bolts spray wd 40  on them to ease removal when bolts are removed come behind drive shaft and tap drive shaft gently out off housing with a punch and hammer to remove it as far as I can remember remove serpentine belt with tension draw on paper correct routing of belt on pulleys for reasembling remove electrical conecters there’s is I think as far as I can remember 2 or 3 bolts holding alternator on when bolts stubs are removed the alternator will come out the space where drive shaft was there is a video on YouTube off it when reassembling the alternator put a multimeter set do dc volts on Battery + and - readings should be 14.2 volts to 14.6 volts then test the Battery on load put lights ac and radio on it should drop to 13.8 for a healthy alternator best of luck

[avetoy 12]

Youtube: search "Liamautomechanic" and you will find videos about d4d alternator repair.

[Regressor 3]

Ok so i have got the alternator out, the brushes were short but as far as i could see they made contact. And did a ohm check on the alternator itself and it passed. I can see that the lower brush had grinded some on the spindle. Checking for spares on ebay now and they are not as cheap as i had hoped. A full rebuild will cost almost the same as a new alternator.. saving 30-40£ maybe.

[Regressor 3]

Ok so i got the new altrnator in the mail, when at the post office the guy who went to get my alternator dropped it from about 1,5 meters and straight to the ground.. so my question. The wheel at the end of the alternator should turn around easy right? It spins half way and then it sounds like the fan or something is scraping inside the alternator and i have to use force to get it to go around. Broken or should it be hard to turn when new?

[furtula 122]

It should spin freely, and silently.

Inspect it using a light, maybe something is just obstructing the fan.

If you don't find any issue, i would return it.