Charge Light and Blown Headlamps

[axxeman]

Hello guys - this is an odd one ...

2004 1.8 TDCi 90ps

I have owned this van for nearly 4 years. On a few occasions (less than 6, from memory), the charge light has come on after setting off. Normally I stop, wait a minute, restart and drive away and the problem disappears. Last evening the charge light came on, went off, came on, went off for the first 2 miles. I stopped and started and it still did it. As I was only going 6 miles each way I decided to just suffer it. One mile later the near side dipped beam blew and, bugger me, less than another mile and the off side went as well. The full beams were still OK, so I dropped the adjusters down as far as they would go and completed the journey(s) without annoying any oncoming motorists. On the return leg (a couple of hours later), there was no charge light ...

What was odd is that the bulbs were a pair of Philips X-Treme Vision H4 that I fitted in mid June. By my calculations, I have done less than 200 hours using them (nearer 150), and the specs on the Philips site show them as - Lifespan 450 hours. They ain't cheap and 450 hours is not a great deal of time if you were a busy road user. The light that they throw is really good though so maybe I'll be spending £17 every 6 months to "enjoy" the benefits of better vision and improved safety.

What I was wondering is whether the headlamps blowing was down to the intermittent charging light OR just plain old coincidence ..?

Thoughts or experiences welcome.

[Mike]

Check the battery voltage with the engine running. High voltage or spikes will blow the bulbs. Check the earths too.

If I had to guess, I’d say the alternator regulator was dying.

[axxeman]

Well, I had to go out again today. Three hundred yards and on comes the charge light. Stopped and reset twice but to no avail. By now I am thinking that the intermittent fault I have had over the last four years has finally become permanent! On the way home I went to my local garage to see if a ramp was free ...

Checked charging voltage with engine running and was a shade over 14v.

Removed the short three wire cable from the back of the alternator and disconnected it from the loom. Checked each conductor for continuity and found that the red wire was open circuit. The blue and grey checked out OK. Took the part home and snipped the red wire 3 inches from each plug and soldered in a new section - found a break in the removed wire about 5/6 inches from the plug. Re-assembled the cable and will re-fit tomorrow. I'd be surprised if that doesn't sort it but I will update.

Why do things ALWAYS seem to go wrong when it's either colder than the Arctic OR pissing down and blowing a gale!

Cheers.

Greg

p.s. Cable is original fitted Ford so I guess that 13 years is not bad considering the tales of woe on here regarding the electrics ...

[Kenton]

Apart from the headlamp bulbs blowing, i had the exact same symptoms as you are describing. I had the battery light coming on once in a blue moon, so re-started, and it would not bother me again for a couple of months. Then it started getting more and more regular. Then one evening just before spring this year (it was cold) the battery light would not extinguish, and i limped it to the garage and by the time i had got there the headlamps were like candles, and the ECU systems were starting to shut down - ABS, Glow plug system, and Air bag lights were all either on, or flashing. This was the result of the alternator packing up and the battery going flat - not the dreaded front wiring loom problem - which we obviously checked first.

This does sound like it is over-volting though. But with the volt meter reading ok, it COULD as you say just be pure coincidence!

I would definitely get the alternator fully checked out first.

Good luck mate.

[axxeman]

Thanks for that Kenton. I'll get the cable back on later today when there is a ramp free (near closing time - they hate being bothered before that), and see what gives. Luckily, I have a second set of those bright bulbs in stock so I'll fit them as well. I still think 450 hours as a projected lifespan is rubbish though. I have emailed Philips and complained bitterly. Might get a free pair, you never know.

The break in the wire was odd though. Not in a place where it had been bent or kinked, and pretty green so had been occurring over a long period of time (as the intermittent fault timeline backs up). Almost as if it was either damaged during manufacture or fitting, or is just plain brittle after 13 years. Quite strange ...

Greg

[axxeman]

Well, cable re-fitted and all seems to be working (so far). Philips did email me back to say that their bulbs are very sensitive to over-voltage so maybe when the charge light was going on and off every ten seconds, it may have caused some spikes that resulted in the failures. I would guess that is the main culprit for two bulbs to blow so close to each other - and I do recall, looking back, that the light intensity went up and down a bit prior to the filaments burning through. Pieces all fall into place ...

See how it goes from here.

Thanks, all.

Greg

[Kenton]

No worries Greg, glad you seem to have sorted it mate. I have the same bulbs, so i will be making a note of how long i have had them before they start blowing. 450 hours is indeed a bit cheeky!

[axxeman]

No worries Greg, glad you seem to have sorted it mate. I have the same bulbs, so i will be making a note of how long i have had them before they start blowing. 450 hours is indeed a bit cheeky!

Yeah, it's not very long if you drive a decent distance daily this time of year. My work is week-ends and is also late evening and it's nothing to be going 90 minutes each way. So there's 3 hours in one trip.

I have had a reply from Philips asking me to return the bulbs (at their expense), and they will "examine them further", (yeah, like duh; they're blown), and then send me a replacement set. Lot of hassle for £17 that probably cost <£3 to manufacture. Philips have ALWAYS dug in when I have complained over the last 30 years ...

I will fit my new set and am going to accurately log the hours that they last. Simple to do in my work.

Kindest,

Greg